Iain Dowie is proof that football management is a profession like no other

It’s probably fair to assume that Iain Dowie isn’t the former Charlton Athletic manager most Hull City fans had in mind to take charge at their club following Phil Brown’s sacking. However, Alan Curbishley passed up the opportunity to take up the reins at the KC Stadium, along with Avram Grant, Mark Hughes and a host of others.

Dowie’s record at Oldham Athletic and Crystal Palace highlighted a managerial potential early in his career which he has subsequently failed to convert into anything substantial. It is hardly surprising Hull fans are in uproar at his appointment given his most recent attempts at managerial success at Charlton, Coventry and QPR have all bombed so badly.

The latest example of this was his involvement last season in Alan Shearer’s doomed attempt to save Newcastle United from relegation. Hull fans must now be fearing he will take their side the same way he and Shearer took the Magpies. All of which begs the question: why has he been given the job when his track record is so abysmal?

In any other profession, Dowie’s opportunities to ply his trade at the top level would have dried up long ago considering his track record. However, as in so many other respects, football is not a normal profession. Different rules apply and managers like Dowie can probably be sure of work for as long as they want it.

Simply put, there aren’t enough managers and the ones that are available can be choosy about their destination given their comfortable standard of living afforded by the large salary, and in some instances the pay off, they earned at their previous club. Hence the decision by Curbishley, Grant, Hughes, Gareth Southgate and Terry Venables to pass up the job at the KC Stadium. 

And who can blame them? Hull have been hurtling towards the Championship at a rate of knots under Phil Brown and a short term contract for nine games with the aim of arresting this slide is hardly the dream job for somebody looking to get back into management. Dowie has a point to prove however, and the Premier League is the best stage to prove it on.

It should probably be no surprise that Gary Megson’s name was also in the hat for the job. As if you needed reminding, this is a man who was sacked from his position as manager of Bolton Wanderers a matter of months ago, with his side flirting with relegation and fans calling for his head. Yet still Hull wanted him.

Wherever you look in the game, managers are getting another chance. Hull’s relegation rivals Burnley are the perfect example of another willing club. Brian Laws had left Sheffield Wednesday hovering above the Championship relegation zone prior to his sacking by the Owls, but still Burnley chose to appoint him on the basis of a report by Deloitte and the fact that he was available.

One win in eleven for Burnley under Laws tells you all you need to know about how well that appointment has worked for the Turf Moor club. Hardly surprising then that rumours surfaced yesterday suggesting that he was already on his way out. And if he did get his marching orders, you could be pretty sure there would be another club after his services.

So whilst Hull fans may not be happy with their latest managerial appointment, frankly they should be grateful that anybody took the job at all. Dowie could have comfortably seen out the season as a Sky Sports pundit, but instead he is seizing an opportunity to prove his worth in the dug out. Succeed or fail, you can pretty much guarantee that it won’t be the last that comes his way.