Hull City: Such a harsh end for Nick Barmby, whose only sin was naivety Hull City reporter Philip Buckingham on the sacking of manager Nick Barmby. FOR all he has seen and done during two decades in football, Nick Barmby could never have envisaged the repercussions of his fateful comments last month. What was intended as an attempt to gently lean upon the Hull City board for financial support has instead been construed as an attack on the "honesty and integrity" of his employers. And, after his eight-day suspension ended with his sacking yesterday, Barmby's vocal call for arms has now ultimately cost him his dream job. One man's ambition has become another's insubordination and when a stinging statement from the Allam family confirmed the inevitable yesterday, the saddening unrest at the top of the KC left one side standing. The strongly-worded comments of vice chairman Ehab Allam have left no room for interpretation. Barmby's "wholly misleading" comments are said to have "undermined the trust and confidence" needed to survive and, in a stroke, made his position as boss untenable. Yet for all the straight talking of the City board when detailing their manager's controversial dismissal, supporters are still numb to the reality of it all. Seeing a football manager sacked for demanding financial support is akin to firing a secretary for pinching from the stationary cupboard. Despite his peerless popularity in and around the KC, Barmby becomes the unlucky employee singled out for punishment and nothing can ever put things right. Whether right or wrong – and fans almost unanimously perceive it to be the latter – Barmby has paid the heaviest price imaginable for his discord. The Allams have chosen to make an example of the hometown hero and, without blinking, shunned any notion of sentiment. The clinical nature of it all is about the only thing admirable after a season that saw City narrowly miss out on the play-offs. Comments prodding at the club's long-term strategy cannot have been easy to digest for a board that has invested £51m over the last 17 months and, once the line has been crossed, wherever it was, there would be no way back. Just ask head of football operations Adam Pearson after his unexpected split last Monday. Barmby may not be entirely blameless in all of this, but his greatest sin was the naivety of a managerial novice. Only pick your fights against opponents you can beat. A premeditated stance wanted to sound the right tune for the summer transfer market, only the Allams were not for dancing. The suspension imposed last Monday was only ever the prelude to an unpopular sacking. The Allams have been here before during their roller-coaster reign at the KC, blurring the age-old lines between football and business. Nine months ago they were applauded for their ruthless disposal of Jimmy Bullard, where a serious breach of club discipline was seized upon as grounds for the termination of the Tigers' biggest-ever contract. Figures within the game doubted the wisdom of such extreme measures but the sound business and legal practices eventually saved the club £2.5m. To see the Allam's outlook, untainted by football's accepted practices, felt refreshing where Bullard was concerned. To see that ruthless streak extend to Barmby's recent comments has turned the tide of opinion. An ignorance to the nuances of football on this occasion is surely to their detriment. As endings go, it is a horribly inglorious one for Barmby. Behind accusations effectively questioning his motives and agenda, almost eight years of service for his hometown club was only given brief thanks. The statement highlights how they gave Barmby his "first opportunity in football management" but gave no acknowledgement as to how he had sacrificed his playing career to dig the club out of a ominous hole after Nigel Pearson's exit in November. Barmby was only ever a reluctant heir to the throne and, above all else, it was a sense of obligation that pushed him into the hot-seat. Rejected by primary target Warren Joyce, Barmby's club were in a pickle and he could not stand idly by. Turning down the easy option of life as a player, he put his popular legacy on the line for the good of others. It is a decision he must surely regret now. So where now for Barmby? Hull City has been the centre of his universe ever since he first dropped down from the Premier League riches of Leeds United to join Peter Taylor's newly-promoted League One club in the summer of 2004. That insular existence was an odd one for a decorated England regular to choose but one that has supplied unrivalled memories. Nothing else outside of East Yorkshire mattered and that was his enduring charm. "This is not a stepping stone," Barmby would often preach and, taking him at his word, managing any other club than City was a wholly unpalatable prospect. Do not expect to see Barmby join the rank and file of the management world, applying for vacancies as if on auto-pilot. Everything else, you suspect, will struggle to re-ignite the same passions. A short statement released through the League Managers' Association last night gave a snapshot of his dismay but with legal actions looming, a full insight into Barmby's anger may be a long time in coming. Time with his family should bring the very first stages of rehabilitation in the coming weeks, but the experiences of the last month may just have left Barmby with a stunted appetite for the only way of life he's known. And that would be a desperately sad finale to one of Hull's most cherished fairytales. http://www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/story-16030336-detail/story.html?
Well that's not a biased piece of journalism is it? What I'd love to know is, was he given the chance to apologise, and what was his reaction if he was? Plus, what was the Allams stance on a kiss and make up?
The comparison with Bullard's sacking is an interesting one, personally I don't think either should have been sacked, but once you've set a precedent you can't unset it I guess. I'm not buying this Nick "selflessly stepped in" bollocks though, I think he'd been after this job for a while.
Good article, though I’m not sure I agree or like the analogy re secretary’s pinching stuff, that cheapens Nick’s efforts. Sure the Allam’s dealt with Bullard well, however having read / listened to Barmby’s comments (- well posted on another thread), NB was not disrespectful at all. Sure the Allam’s have invested heavily, but they wanted Barmby and after only six months, this seems to be a way over the top reaction. The roller coaster ride being a City fan continues….
It's more pro-Barmby than I expected from the Fail, showing at least a little balls on this occasion.
Hi guy's...whatever the rights or wrongs Barmby seemed at best a good up and coming young manager, playing the style of footie akin to Swansea City & look how they have progressed ! At worst he was probably a tad naive thats all ? As a neutral albeit a rival, I hope & trust this will not put Barmby off management but will spur him on to achieve the same degree of success as a manager as he did as a player..... A true pro as well. I can see some similarities with your owners & our old chairman, Mandaric ! Think they wait for the tiniest excuse to wield the axe as they did with Bullard, though he deserved all he got IMHO ? Anyway this is just how I see it but what do I know. All the best Guys (& NB), Mick, LCFC.
I was surprised at Phil Bucks lack of balance, he might regret later. Humberside listeners last night on sportstalk and Deano on Burnsey this morning had more of an appreciation as to why the sacking had to happen even thoughmost were very sorry ithad happened
Didn't hear the Deano interview but he is itching to get into City somehow so he is going to back the Allams all the way. Thought he had been strangely quiet since the whole thing started.
If he's comparing it to a secretary stealing from the company is he saying Nick's actions were criminal?
About time they showed some. Only time will prove that the Allams are not what they appear to be and that Adam and Nick have been a massive loss to the club. Now the Allams have to put up or suffer the reactions of not doing so.!!!
maybe it literally is what nick was doing, a suspicious number of paper clips went missing during his reign...
...and, for a local angle on rubber bands: [video=youtube;dNhTWy5gbeE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNhTWy5gbeE[/video]
He was told he was suspended, then he was told he was sacked, there was barely any conversation in between, they didn't even explain exactly what it was in his comments that they thought warranted a sacking, the action he's now taking is to force them to explain themselves.
OK own up , which one of you lot is Phil Buckingham - what a load of bias ****. Also to compare stealing at the workplace to voicing a wish for future investment is goofy , plain goofy . The fact that it wasnt NB implying the need to further improve for next season that was the problem ,as said in the article - every manager does that . It was the veiled implication that the board hadnt financially supported him in the jan window -when the board are currently of a differing opinion on that one .
Good article, the guy was sacked for trying to get the best for the club and it's fans. Did he deserve to get sacked for saying what he thought, and was what he thought a sacking offence?No way.
