Can A Club Sack A Player For Playing Badly?

[RedM]

if the player was dropped and only played in the reserves, do they get their pay reduced?

I think just about every contract has appearance bonuses and win bonuses included in them as standard, so yes if they are not in the first team squad they will not collect these, and they can be large.

[Red_Mat]

And if the answer is no, then why can a manager be sacked for exactly the same reason?

But they aren't sacked - they almost always have their contracts paid up.

[Bar BS3]

Players and managers are offered a fixed term of employment. Under fixed terms of employment, you would find it hard to sack anyone for poor performance. "poor" being subjective. If anyone behaves wrongly or badly, then disciplinary proceedings can be taken, eventually leading to dismissal. This does so etimes happen in football, mainly due to off pitch bust ups or off field behaviour. (Mutu was sacked from Chelsea for taking drugs)

If a club, employing someone for a fixed term, wishes to release that person before the end of that term, they have to pay it up.

[Oops]

Players and managers are offered a fixed term of employment. Under fixed terms of employment, you would find it hard to sack anyone for poor performance. "poor" being subjective. If anyone behaves wrongly or badly, then disciplinary proceedings can be taken, eventually leading to dismissal. This does so etimes happen in football, mainly due to off pitch bust ups or off field behaviour. (Mutu was sacked from Chelsea for taking drugs)

If a club, employing someone for a fixed term, wishes to release that person before the end of that term, they have to pay it up.

In the real world, this is termed "Gross Misconduct".

Stealing, fighting on the premises, sexual behaviour on the premises, drink, drugs and stimulants all constitute gross misconduct, which can lead to instant dismissal without appeal.

Footballers however, do not live in the real world. Any of the above, or a combination of the above, will lead to an improved contract offer and/or testimonial.

[The Humble Realist]

Managers aren't sacked for poor results they are paid off! Avram grant has made a career of it !

[Corleone]

A comment I just read in another thread made me think of this question. For the record I'm not saying we should go down this route

My question is, hypothetically, could a club terminate a player's contract if they were bloody awful?

For example, if I perform my duties in my job with an apparent lack of commitment and aptitude for the task involved, there will only be so long my manager will tolerate it without opening some kind of disciplinary proceedings that could - eventually - lead to me losing my job.

My question is, are footballers immune from this, and if so, why?

A footballer is a contracted employee like any other, employed to do a certain task. If a player showed through their on field performances that they were clearly not up to the task at hand, could a club take action?

For illustration, lets say Man Utd signed me as their first choice GK. Clearly my remit would be to not concede an unacceptable amount of goals and show desire and commitment to my job.

Now lets say I've played 30 games and let in 150 goals. Clearly I am incapable of performing the task at hand, could Man Utd sack me?

I've never heard of a pro player being sacked because they were crap. Obviously players get sacked for misconduct etc, but are they - for some reason - untouchable legally regarding their "job performance", or is it just the done thing that this doesn't happen?

Interesting thought. Before anyone flames me this isn't in response to Fontaine's performance, i just saw a comment that got me thinking...

Graham C is right.....ridiculous post.

How can you attribute blame to one person in a side?

[topofthestand]

Two different questions. Can a player be sacked for being below the standard to which is being asked? Yes of course, this rarely happens. By in large due to the monetary value fixed to that player, for example can they off-load them and get some cash back rather than pay up a contract. The club will usually wait for a while to see if there is any interest (Nicky Hunt) is great example of this to the point where there is no interest, which is usually the case if the player is not playing well. On the other hand they can be sacked for gross misconduct and no contract is paid up, Lee Hughes is an example of this.

[semblar]

Two different questions. Can a player be sacked for being below the standard to which is being asked? Yes of course, this rarely happens. By in large due to the monetary value fixed to that player, for example can they off-load them and get some cash back rather than pay up a contract. The club will usually wait for a while to see if there is any interest (Nicky Hunt) is great example of this to the point where there is no interest, which is usually the case if the player is not playing well. On the other hand they can be sacked for gross misconduct and no contract is paid up, Lee Hughes is an example of this.

There is a specific financial implication - arising from the way that a player's contract is accounted for.

A contract is valued at the fee paid, and is written down ("amortised") over the life of the contract. So say we paid £600k for a player given a 3 year contract, then only £200k of the transfer fee is shown in the annual profit (or loss in our case)

BUT

As soon as the player is taken off the books, whether sold, released or sacked, you have to declare the net remaining value after income (if any) from the disposal of the asset (the player's contract).

So say that a year into the contract used as an example above you sack the player. £200k of the contract value has already been written down in the first year. You then need to take an immediate hit to your accounts of £400k, as the remaining book value of the contract immediately becomes zero.

If you can prove gross misconduct you would not need to pay up the remaining wages - but it would have to be pretty much cut and dried (like Mutu) or the player's lawyers and the PFA would be all over the case like a rash.

(edit for amusing impact of swear filter on mistype of accounted!)

[Timbo7]

Two different questions. Can a player be sacked for being below the standard to which is being asked? Yes of course, this rarely happens.

This is not true in any practical sense

A contract can only be terminated:

1. in accordance with its express terms (e.g. notice provisions, release clauses etc.); or
2. for a serious breach (not capable of rectification) by the other party.

So unless a player's contract contains an performance obligation relating to 'fitness for purpose' or similar (pretty unlikely?), simply failing to reach or maintain the desired standard will not constitute a breach. Failing to make himself available for training or matches, or patently failing to make any effort may well amount to a breach but in most cases the latter would be difficult to prove. Truth is a professional football player is obliged to do no more than put in the effort one could reasonably expect by reference to a typical professional football player rather than in the opinion of a frustrated supporter.

The only material difference (in this regard) between football and the real world is that by signing a fixed term contract a footballer does not have to serve time to acquire employment protection rights by action of statute as these are captured in the contract from the outset.