Trust Me, Nothing Can Protect A Coach From Being Fired

JAKARTA - Ernesto Valverde's dismissal from Barcelona this week serves as the latest evidence that nothing can guarantee job security in football.

Barcelona are top of the La Liga Santander standings and have advanced to the last 16 of the Champions League as group winners. Not to mention, under Valverde, Los Blaugarana have topped the standings for 81 of the 95 weeks that have been undertaken. However, the coach was still fired

The same thing happened at Real Madrid in 1992. Radomir Antic brought Los Blancos to the top of the league at the end of January. In 19 matches, they were seven points clear of Barcelona and also smoothly qualified for the UEFA Cup quarter-finals with victories over Slovan Bratislava, Utrecht and Neuchâtel Xamax. But, he couldn't keep his job.

In fact, the Premier League offers no greater security either. Claudio Ranieri led Leicester City to a league title previously thought impossible in 2016. However, in February 2017, he was out of work.

"It is inexplicable, unforgivable, heartbreaking and sad," said Leicester and England legend Gary Lineker in response to Ranieri's dismissal at the time. Launched Marca, Wednesday, January 15.

Agreement between FC Barcelona and Ernesto Valverde to end his contract as manager of the first team. Thank you for everything, Ernesto. Best of luck in the future. pic.twitter.com/zrIgB1sW2e

- FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) January 13, 2020

Is revolutionizing the club in the midst of competition the right solution? Not in the case of Johan Cruyff who was sacked by Barcelona in 1996. Barcelona's DNA is based on the Dutchman's blueprint, but his dispute with club president Joan Gaspart brought his honeymoon at Camp Nou to an end.

Cruyff knew, Bobby Robson was prepared to replace him and he called Gaspart as "Judas".

Vicente del Bosque was also sent off from the Santiago Bernabeu, even though he won La Liga Santander with Real Madrid in 2003.

If you still don't believe it, Jupp Heynckes will tell you that even winning the Champions League has not helped their lot. He was sacked a few days after winning Real Madrid's seventh title, the first in 32 years.

There are other examples. Roberto Di Matteo won the Champions League for Chelsea in 2012. This is a first for the London Blue team. But after beating Juventus 3-0 which resulted in their elimination from European competition, the Italian was sacked in December.

The coach's dismissal is not always a result. One final example is when two days before the start of the World Cup Julen Lopetegui was sacked by Spain after taking Real Madrid's job. The decision of Luis Rubiales (president of the RFEF, Spain's PSSI) destroyed all La Roja preparations.

Another example is when, after successive qualifying for the Champions League and Copa del Rey victories in 2019, Marcelino was sacked by Valencia earlier this season.