Managerial Performance and Contract Instability in the Market for National Football Coaches

Lynne Nikolychuk

Published: September 2007


In this paper, the authors investigate the relationship between managerial performance of national football coaches and their length of contract term to consider the extent to which relatively higher turnover may have affected team performance outcomes. The contract periods of coaches from the top twenty national teams during a thirteen year period from 1993 to 2006 are examined alongside their respective Fédération Internationale des Football Associations (FIFA) team performance rankings. The findings are evaluated in comparison with some of the main theoretical viewpoints traditionally relied upon to assess this phenomenon. The results suggest that broadening both theoretical and methodological approaches is needed to assess more adequately the complexity of these activities.



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