SILVA'S SACKING A SIGN OF THE TIMES
And so Marco Silva clears his desk at Everton after 18 months.
While no-one can say they are that surprised given the Toffees' rocky run, handing the Portuguese his P45 after losing to Liverpool at Anfield seems a little harsh.
The Reds are running away with the Premier League and are the reigning European Champions after all.
Scoring twice at their patch deserves some credit, even if at the other end Everton let five goals in to a side clearly on fire right now.
It is always interesting to ponder when exactly disenchanted owners decide to give up on their chosen one, sound out alternatives, set the sitting manager an ultimatum, whether they inform him of it or not, and then wait for a chance to open the trapdoor.
The media's speculative formula is now a finely-distilled recipe: A club slips into the bottom half and whispers of collective discontent appear, whether real or not; the team keeps losing or drawing, especially at home and fans start to boo or bring in written signs for the cameras to capture; the team goes on losing so players hint at dissatisfaction and the media claims the gaffer 'has lost the dressing room'.
Recently unemployed managers are said to have been contacted and as the team keeps on losing the manager goes on death watch or is said to be a dead man walking; the club finally sack him citing results and thank him for his contribution.
Silva was trapped in this no man's land for some time as Everton stalled. As months passed, the only question really was when, not if. Brian Clough was wrong - the directors hold the cards.
It does not always go to plan however. After secretly condemning the chap they have just given a public vote of confidence, the directors can shrivel with conflicted feelings once the fall guy bucks the trend and wins games, denying them their golden excuse to pull the trigger.
It is usual to lose your job after a defeat concentrates media pressure on the hot seat, but not always. Alan Sugar dismissed Christian Gross after a victory for Tottenham.
Silva's sacking comes amid Premiership musical chairs with four coaches getting their marching orders within the space of three weeks.
Watford have managed to sack two before Christmas, making it 14 managers in a decade, but that club at least has the backbone to admit short-term head coaches is their policy.
26 of the 92 managers who began the 2019 season are now pursuing other interests with surely more to come across Christmas & New Year, the traditional time of year for desperate reshuffles.
With so much money at stake, the endless carousel continues.
It is not all gloom. Not long ago Silva was being touted as one of the next big things and he is young enough, like Brendan Rodgers, to bounce back better with another club.
The footballing calendar keeps rolling on affording ample second chances.
Although it began in the Western hemisphere, football's concept of time has more in common with Buddhism, Hinduism or Native American beliefs in cyclical and non-linear movement.
You get fired at one club and your reputation gets trashed, you start again and bring success to another team and your value is renewed. After tasting success you relax and start slipping until the whole process repeats itself again.
Clubs and individuals languishing right now should look on this apparent age of darkness as merely the winter before the spring.
(c) Sean O'Conor & Soccerphile