Why Head Coaches Often Lose the Blame Game in Professional Football

Head coaches have long been the most visible figures in professional sports teams, and when results go south, they are often the first to pay the price. A recent academic study involving professional football clubs in Brazil sheds light on why head coaches so frequently become the default scapegoats during losing streaks—and why firing them may do little to actually improve performance.

The research, published in Sport Management Review, takes a deep dive into coaching turnover in Brazilian football, a setting known globally for its extraordinarily high rate of mid-season coach dismissals. Rather than treating leadership as the responsibility of a single individual, the study examines leadership as a collective process, shaped by internal relationships, external pressures, and organizational behavior.

Why Brazil Is a Key Case Study

Brazilian football provides a particularly revealing environment for studying coaching dismissals. Clubs in Brazil are notorious for changing head coaches multiple times within a single season. This extreme volatility makes it an ideal context for understanding the forces that push clubs toward firing coaches, often quickly and repeatedly.

To explore this issue, researchers conducted in-depth interviews with 59 football staff members working in Brazilian clubs. These participants included head coaches, assistant coaches, team doctors, and physical therapists—people who experience coaching changes from multiple angles inside the organization.

Their responses revealed that coaching dismissals are rarely about one bad decision or one poor performance. Instead, they result from a complex combination of pressures, many of which have little to do with a coach’s actual ability.

Coaches as Convenient Scapegoats

One of the clearest conclusions of the study is that head coaches often become symbolic targets when things go wrong. Club executives and upper-level management face intense pressure from fans, sponsors, media outlets, and internal stakeholders. Over time, that pressure builds—and eventually, it threatens to land on management itself.

At that point, firing the coach becomes the simplest and most visible way to signal that action is being taken. Removing the coach temporarily relieves public anger and shifts blame away from decision-makers higher up the organizational ladder.

In this sense, dismissing a coach functions less as a strategic move and more as a pressure-release mechanism.

The Role of Media and Fan Pressure

One of the most powerful external forces identified in the study is media scrutiny. Coaches in Brazil operate under relentless coverage from sports journalists, television commentators, and online platforms. Poor results are quickly amplified, and criticism can escalate within days.

Social media has intensified this effect. Fans openly demand changes, criticize tactics, and call for dismissals in real time. According to interview participants, these public reactions strongly influence club leadership, even when they are not based on realistic assessments of performance.

The expectation for immediate success—regardless of injuries, squad limitations, or quality of opposition—creates an environment where patience is seen as weakness.

Internal Club Politics and Micro-Management

Beyond external pressure, the study highlights serious internal issues within club management. Many interviewees described a culture of micro-politics, where unskilled or inexperienced administrators exert excessive control over football operations.

Decisions are often driven by ego, emotion, and impulse, rather than long-term planning or professional evaluation. Coaches may be undermined behind the scenes, with their authority weakened by conflicting messages from club officials.

This internal instability makes it easier to blame the coach when results dip, even if deeper structural problems are the real cause.

Short-Term Thinking and Lack of Strategy

Another major finding is the widespread absence of long-term strategic planning within clubs. Many teams evaluate head coaches almost exclusively on immediate match results, ignoring broader indicators such as player development, tactical progression, or squad rebuilding.

This short-term mindset is especially damaging when clubs fail to qualify for revenue-generating tournaments, such as cup competitions. Financial losses quickly translate into pressure on the coach, who is blamed for outcomes that may be influenced by factors far beyond their control.

Without a clear long-term vision, clubs repeatedly cycle through coaches instead of addressing systemic weaknesses.

Unrealistic Expectations of Constant Winning

Professional football is inherently unpredictable, yet many clubs operate as if winning should be constant and automatic. Interviewees noted that injuries, fixture congestion, and strong opponents are often ignored when evaluating performance.

This creates an environment where failure is not contextualized—it is personalized. And the person most visibly associated with results is the head coach.

As a result, there is often an open invitation for blame, with little consideration given to shared responsibility across the organization.

Player Behavior During Coaching Crises

Interestingly, the study also points to subtle changes in player behavior when a coaching dismissal seems imminent. While players generally remain professional, some interviewees observed a subconscious drop in intensity or accountability once it becomes clear that a coach may soon be replaced.

This dynamic can worsen team performance, creating a self-fulfilling cycle that accelerates the coach’s exit. Tension spreads across the squad, and overall cohesion suffers.

Does Firing the Coach Actually Help?

Despite its popularity, the research suggests that firing a head coach is rarely an effective solution. While it may temporarily deflect negative attention from club executives or owners, it does not reliably improve results on the pitch.

In many cases, performance remains unchanged, or any short-term improvement fades quickly. The deeper issues—poor planning, unrealistic expectations, and organizational dysfunction—remain unresolved.

How Clubs Can Avoid the Blame Game

The study does not simply diagnose the problem; it also offers potential solutions. One key recommendation is for club leadership to take a more active role in managing public expectations. This includes maintaining open communication with media and fans throughout the season, rather than disappearing during difficult periods.

Visibility and transparency can help demonstrate that management is engaged in the process, not just reacting to outcomes.

The research also calls for greater collaboration between clubs, coaches’ associations, and governing bodies. By forming task forces and professional standards, leagues could create more stability and accountability, reducing the frequency of knee-jerk firings.

This is particularly important because coaching dismissals rarely affect only one person. Assistant coaches, medical staff, and support personnel often lose job security as well, creating broader instability across the sport.

Lessons Beyond Football

While the study focuses on professional football, its findings apply to many organizations beyond sports. In any high-pressure environment, leaders can become convenient targets when performance dips—even if the underlying causes are systemic.

Understanding how blame operates, and learning to manage pressure collectively rather than symbolically, may help organizations make better long-term decisions during times of crisis.

Research Reference:
Galdino, M., Wicker, P., Soebbing, B. P., et al. (2025). Moving towards the social construction of leadership around sport coaching succession. Sport Management Review.
https://doi.org/10.1080/14413523.2025.2574133