A culture of constraints: How head coach turnovers affect the backroom staff and player development in professional football

Abstract

In professional football, head coach turnovers are arbitrarily perceived as a shortcut solution to convert losing streaks into winning results within time-limited competitive seasons. Despite a speculative mentality guiding turnover decisions, a new coach is invariably appointed with the expectation of improving performance. As often overlooked, however, coaching replacements inevitably create unintended club-wide spillover effects. This study addresses two related club-wide research questions: (1) How do head coach turnovers affect player development at the team level?; and, (2) What are the spillover effects for backroom staff? Undertaken in Brazil, where turnover rates exceed those in Europe, 30 backroom staff practitioners (i.e., assistant coaches, goalkeeping coaches, fitness coaches, physical therapists, physiologists, and a medical doctor) completed semistructured interviews focused on their experiences. A reflexive thematic analysis revealed an overarching culture of constraints driven by conflicting behaviors and working practices. Three themes were highlighted at the team level: pragmatic playing style, methodological mismatch, and delaying team cohesion. At the individual level, four themes were identified: internal disruption, repetitive adaptations, job insecurity, as well as mental and emotional unrest. The findings indicate how within-season coaching turnovers represent a hazard that unintentionally constrains the mutual collaboration among the stakeholders directly involved with player development.