If there was ever a book going to be published called an ‘idiots guide to hiring and firing managers’ then West Ham’s owners would be the title’s greatest contributor.

Instead of just doing what they obviously wanted to do and sack Avram Grant, they thought they could sneak behind his back and enter negotiations with Martin O’Neill without anyone finding out. Obviously they might want to consider replacing their gatekeeper as well because they didn’t do a very good job preventing the leak to the media.

In fairness, keeping a lid on such headline dynamite is nearly impossible anyway with a 24-hour media that’s closely associated with the Premier League on the prowl, but even for West Ham the way the news unfolded on the day of the Arsenal game was tactless.

It’s common for clubs intending to dismiss the man in the hot seat to sound out possible replacements in advance, but it sounded like West Ham were doing a lot more than that.

 

The Hammers were as subtle as a brick through a window and it’s backfired - O’Neill has now ruled himself completely out of the job, which in turn has led to West Ham backtracking on their already fragile commitment to Grant.

West Ham might feel vindicated they done it their way because if they dismissed Grant, and then lost out on O’Neill, they would be managerless. At least now they still have one. A heavily undermined and humiliated manager, but a manager nonetheless.

It doesn’t make West Ham’s pathetic pretence that they’re committed to Grant any less embarrassing. Many would say he should walk away after the way he’s being treated, but that would mean kissing goodbye to any pay off from being sacked before the end of his contract.

So the lesson for clubs and national teams (FA take note) is this: If you insist on keeping on managers you don’t really like in the first place, don’t give them big contracts or pretend that you’re committed to them. Roy Hodgson got his fair share of criticism when he was deposed as Liverpool manager, but his golden handsake was reportedly with £7m.

Grant may not get that much, but whatever the result of the idiotic behaviour of his employers, he will ultimately have the last laugh.