Footballers... and how they are treated by their Manager

This may seem like a odd question to ask:

Are you aware of the CIPD or any law firms that have done any study on Footballers and how they are treated by their Manager?  I would be interested to read any report...

Premier League footballers are paid handsomely, although there are many footballers that are not paid a lot of money the lower down the leagues you go.  Some may argue the financial reward is worth the downside of certain behaviours!

My reason for asking is, footballers can be regularly shouted at (from the side lines, we see this on match days and on tv coverage), however, this behaviour can and does continue into the dressing room, which we do not see.  Footballers are reluctant to raise any grievance with a manager due to the likelihood they would never play for the club again and find it hard to get another club.  We now see things making football a more inclusive 'better' sport, with football players taking the knee to support issues of racial inequality, but there is often no support for players who are shouted out and singled out in front of other players in the dressing room.  There is the PFA which will give a some support if a footballer has been at a professional club at some point during their career, other than that a footballer can be left to work things out for themselves and put up with certain behaviours which appear to be acceptable in football, but had a similar situation occurred in an office environment (as one example) behaving in a certain way could potentially see you dismissed.

Many thanks

Parents
  • My role as a Group CHRO encompasses a professional football club (Championship), so I do have an insight into this.

    My club, and many others, have been conscious of this issue and have been working to address this, especially in academies where we have a zero tolerance. I personally have taken action to 'remove' this behaviour. However, please do not conflate a professional sports team (not just football) with an office environment - it is not in any shape or form the same.
Reply
  • My role as a Group CHRO encompasses a professional football club (Championship), so I do have an insight into this.

    My club, and many others, have been conscious of this issue and have been working to address this, especially in academies where we have a zero tolerance. I personally have taken action to 'remove' this behaviour. However, please do not conflate a professional sports team (not just football) with an office environment - it is not in any shape or form the same.
Children