Managers have to win, and win now

They're advertising for Stephen Kenny's replacement up at Dalymount Park and if you're interested you have until close of business today to get your c.v. to the board, write Emmet Malone.

The job has its selling points - a decent salary, company car and a strong squad of players - but, be warned. Expectations are high and given the amount of time you are likely to be around the place it hardly seems worth asking about a pension in the event you get an interview.

The vacancy, of course, arises because of last week's decision by the club's board to sack Kenny in the wake of Tuesday's UEFA Cup defeat by Levadia Tallinn. It was a disappointing result for a side that might have easily won the away leg. The blow was compounded on Friday when the draw for the next qualifying round paired the Estonians with FC Bodo/Glimt, a team that, though undoubtedly capable enough, would have been viewed as much more beatable than last season's Norwegian opposition, Rosenborg.

Bohemians went into the home game against Tallinn having suffered just two defeats in their previous 13 outings and after some poor displays, particularly at home, during the first half of the campaign, things did seem to be improving.

Still there were signs Kenny sensed he might pay for a slip as the Dubliner repeatedly sought to portray the club's position in the best possible light with regular references to the fact his team were through to the League Cup final and were safely into the third round of the FAI Cup.

After learning he was to be sacked (from a journalist who called him for his reaction to the news) Kenny reflected on his record in two and a half years at Dalymount during which he had won the title in his first full season and led the team to second place at the start of this year. Few would bet seriously against Bohemians finishing as runners-up again this season and it is a grim indication of the demands placed upon the league's leading managers now that that wasn't viewed as good enough.

The reality, however, is Bohemians and Shelbourne both budget these days to be the most successful club in the country. In the event somebody comes in and sparks such a revival in the Dalymount club's fortunes and they were to overhaul their rivals between now and November then Shelbourne manager Pat Fenlon might well find himself under pressure. However, it should be pointed out Ollie Byrne and his board have been much more patient with their managers in recent years than their counterparts up at Bohemians.

Quite a few Bohemians supporters felt it was time for Kenny to depart but most of those less emotionally hung up with events at Dalymount will be puzzled as to how the club lost patience so quickly with a man who looked capable of providing effective long-term leadership at a time when the club is looking to reorganise and redefine itself.

But then few, it seems, are afforded the opportunity to run a club on anything like a long-term basis anymore. Kenny's departure leaves Fenlon, Alan Matthews (Longford) and Liam Buckley (Shamrock Rovers) as the only managers with more than two full seasons at their present clubs. Four of the 10 Premier Division outfits have parted company with their managers since the start of this campaign.

John Gill cited the pressure of attempting to hold down a regular job while also making the required commitment to a league side as the main reason behind his decision to quit Dublin City a couple of weeks ago. In the absence of anything remotely approaching job security how many would, as Kenny did, give up well-paid jobs in order to work full-time for a club here?

And of those who do how many can be expected to take a genuinely long-term perspective on their work, looking, for instance, at their clubs' youth schemes as sources of players when the pressure to achieve success is so immediate? Much better to shake the board down for as much money as possible and spend it with haste.

Among other things, you would think, professionalism might have provided those clubs that supposedly cherish it with a more long-term perspective but with even the country's biggest clubs existing on such a hand-to-mouth basis patience is considered not so much a virtue as an unaffordable luxury.

So if you do get an interview up at Dalymount, talking about where you see the club being in five, never mind 10, years is unlikely to advance your cause. Just tell them you'll win the league next season, make sure the contract's as long as possible and then when they sack you at least you might walk away with a decent few quid.

• The FAI will announce details tomorrow of the new cross-border cup competition, which it will run in conjunction with the IFA.

The association's chief executive first announced sponsorship for such a competition had been secured at last month's a.g.m. of the organisation in Derry and talks on the practicalities involved have been taking place during the weeks since.

There has been speculation the competition would involve four clubs from each side of the border with the three top sides in the league as well as the cup winners going into a knockout format.