Within-season dismissal of football coaches: Statistical analysis of causes and consequences

de Dios Tena, Juan ORCID: 0000-0001-8281-2886 and Forrest, David ORCID: 0000-0003-0565-3396 (2007) Within-season dismissal of football coaches: Statistical analysis of causes and consequences EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF OPERATIONAL RESEARCH, 181 (1). pp. 362-373. ISSN 0377-2217

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Abstract

The paper examines the triggers for, and, consequences of, within-season dismissals of managers (head coaches) in the top division of the Spanish Football League during seasons 2002-2003 to 2004-2005. A major reason for directors deciding on dismissal is shown to have been concern that the club in question was in danger of demotion out of the division. This suggests that the clubs hoped to bring about short-term improvement in performance by changing manager. Employing an ordered probit model of match results, we demonstrate that an improvement in results tended to be achieved but only in home matches. The finding vindicates the decisions taken by club directors who dismissed their managers and implies that appeasing fans can have on-the-field benefits. It is consistent with the importance attributed to crowd support in the literature on home advantage in sports. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	football, managerial change, scapegoat hypothesis, ordered probit, home advantage
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	22 Sep 2015 09:47
Last Modified:	16 Jun 2026 10:52
DOI:	10.1016/j.ejor.2006.05.024
Related Websites:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/2026800
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