Boothroyd ‘disappointed’ at turnover of managers

Aidy Boothroyd has described the large turnover of Football League managers this season as being indicative of the modern ‘microwave society’.

Alex McLeish left Nottingham Forest by mutual consent this week after just 40 days in charge at the City Ground, becoming the club’s fifth manager since June 2011.

Notts County, Oldham Athletic and Huddersfield have also parted company with their respective managers in the past week, while Saturday’s opponents for the Cobblers, Rochdale, welcomed Keith Hill back to the club in January after sacking John Coleman.

Boothroyd himself is the 10th longest-serving manager in npower League Two despite only having been at Sixfields since November 2011 and is in fact the 39th longest serving in the entire Football League.

The current campaign has seen 34 Football League managers leave their jobs, a statistic Boothroyd accepts as part of the sport but admits to feeling disappointed by.

“It is disappointing because it undervalues the work that a manager does,” said Boothroyd, whose stay at Northampton is eclipsed by nine other league two managers with John Still at Dagenham enjoying the longest period of service.

“It isn’t an easy job and to get a team and a club into a decent position, on a strong footing, does take time.

“Unfortunately we live in a quick fix, microwave society where we think everything should come instantly.

“It doesn’t, it takes time to build things and it is disappointing to see so many managers being chopped and changed.

“We’re all capable of dealing with it and we all get on with it and bounce back. I’m sure those lads who have lost their jobs this season will come back and be all the stronger for it.”