Great contracts can sink a manager, Acceptable Use Policy

There was a time not so long ago when Jackie McNamara was the next big thing in football management. His fall from a pedestal at Dundee United to inglorious resignation this morning at York City came swiftly, precipitated by the loss of three players to Celtic in 2015.

Stuart Armstrong, Gary Mackay-Steven and Nadir Ciftci were brought to Celtic last year by Ronny Deila. Their departure precipitated United’s fall from competitive a SPL club to relegation candidates a few months into last season, costing Jackie his job in October.

As with a lot in football, there’s more Magic Circle than centre circle going on. What you see happen with players distracts the eye from what’s going on behind the scenes. In April 2015 Dundee United went so far as to issue a statement confirming bonuses were payable to their manager on recent transfers. A manager’s contract is none of our business, it’s exceptional that it was made so, but this gives us an insight into what was going on between the McNamara and United at the time.

Jackie was finished at United from that moment, not that he was blameless. In a few years he took a club brimming with potential and put it on a path to relegation. They will remember him at York City as an unmitigated failure, with few redeeming features.

Resentment brewed at United in the months between Armstrong and Mackay-Steven leaving, and that April statement. He should have left at the time, and should only have made trips to York as a tourist (go, it’s a great city).

His early work at Partick Thistle and United marked him out, but his choice of mentors and collaborators didn’t do him any favours. That United contract worked for him on paper, but it was a burden on his career.  He’ll be lucky to pick up as high a profile a job as Thistle or United, which is a pity, as he’s a better manager than his CV currently suggests.

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