S25 Manager Reappointments

Division One

Tottenham Hotspur (Pedro Vilar) – reappointed (Youth Cup Final, promoted last season)

Sporting (João Alves) – not reappointed due to inactivity (see below for a full explanation)

Glen Mullan (Espanyol) – reappointed (Top 100’s most active manager)

Division Two

Swansea (Zé Quim) – reappointed (rebuilding after taking over very old overachieving team last season)

Galatasaray (fert dert) – not reappointed (appointed mid-season, but totally inactive)

Schalke (Jamie Alldridge) – not reappointed (second successive relegation, transfer ban and multiple Youth Cup forfeits)

Division Three

Valencia (Golden Bear) – reappointed (appointed midway through season, but this must be a last chance after so many relegations with different clubs)

Shakhtar (Tharani) – reappointed (appointed mid-season)

Basel (John McHugh) – not reappointed (appointed midway, had a few humourous moments on the newsfeed, but finished with more games than points, bad mouthing everyone on the newsfeed – thanks, but no thanks)

Division Four

Celta Vigo (Murilo) – reappointed (second successive relegation albeit in first full season. Poor effort but another chance)

Stuttgart (Norman Little) – not reappointed (rebuilding, but not competitive, World Club Cup forfeits)

Monaco (Tozé Trapattoni) – not reappointed (second successive relegation, one of the worst points totals in Top 100 history, multiple forfeits in World Club Cup)

Division Five

Chievo Verona (Carlos Azevedo) – reappointed (some signs of improvement at the death. Last chance saloon…)

Napoli (Mattia Bertonati) – not reappointed (fourth full season, but it’s been a downward spiral, multiple World Club Cup forfeits)

AZ Alkmaar (Mohammed Ajmal) – reappointed (took over from Golden Bear midway)

Sporting Decision

The decision not to reappoint João Alves (Sporting CP) follows established Top 100 rules and represents the consistent application of activity standards that have been core to our game world since its inception. This post explains the decision-making criteria, process, and how these standards are and will be applied.

Background: A Remarkable Journey

João’s story in Top 100 is genuinely extraordinary. Starting at Rubin Kazan in 2017, he achieved his dream of managing Sporting CP and led them on an incredible journey from Division 3 obscurity to Division 1 prominence. His passion for Sporting and dedication to squad building was evident throughout his tenure, culminating in an elite £431M squad with perfect youth development potential.

However, football management requires more than just squad building excellence.

The Official Criteria: What the Rules State

Per Section 6.3.1 of the Top 100 Rules, managers may be dismissed under two circumstances:

Poor League Performance: Finishing bottom three in any division
Inactivity: Being consistently unresponsive on communication channels, failing to manage their team, or failing to arrange fixtures

Crucially, Section 6.3.2 states that managers demonstrating inactivity “may not be offered their job back or any new club if sacked for other reasons.”

The Decision Criteria Applied

Performance Assessment

João finished 19th in Division 1 with 25 points, triggering automatic relegation and sacking under the performance criterion. João played weakened teams in some league games after failing to change his team for cup matches, which compounded his poor results.

Activity Assessment

The activity evaluation revealed systematic failures across multiple areas:

World Club Cup Non-Participation:

Failed to arrange both required WCC games
WCC participation is mandatory for all managers
The same failure occured in S24, so this is a repeat failure over at least two seasons

Youth Cup Abandonment:

Previously attempted participation but failed to set teams for matches
Abandoned participation entirely rather than learning from mistakes
Squad perfectly suited for youth development (21 average age, 82 rating) left unused

Communication Breakdown:

Unresponsive to official WCC arrangement requests
Limited engagement on WhatsApp and newsfeed despite years of membership
Failed to seek assistance when struggling with tactics/team management/fixtures

The Decision Process

Admin Team Evaluation

The decision underwent thorough admin team review:

Unanimous decision (0/5 admin votes for reappointment)
Evaluated against established criteria, not personal relationships
Compared with other managers facing similar circumstances

Comparative Analysis

The decision gains context when compared to concurrent reappointments:

Pedro (Tottenham) – REAPPOINTED:

Squad value: £173M (vs João’s £431M)
Performance: Also relegated but with maximum community engagement
Youth Cup finalist despite inferior resources
Full WCC participation

Glen (Espanyol) – REAPPOINTED:

Historical “standard bearer for activity”
Strong track record of community contribution

The Broader Standards

Why Activity Standards Matter

Top 100’s identity has always centered on community engagement. The Top 100 About page explicitly states:

“Top 100 thrives on an active community”
“Getting a bigger club depends on activity on the newsfeed/blog”
“Managers deemed inactive may not be offered any job back”

These aren’t recent additions – they’re foundational principles documented since the game world’s creation.

The Non-Competitive Problem

Managers who avoid community participation while building elite squads can exploit the system by:

Staying in lower divisions to avoid relegation risk
Asset stripping and youth hoarding without community obligations
Only promoting when guaranteed success
Creating unfair advantages over competitive managers

Division-Based Expectations

While the same basic rules apply to all managers, Top 100 does maintain higher expectations for D1 and D2 managers. This creates a clear progression route for ambitious managers starting in lower divisions.

The Success Model – Doug (Leicester):

Took Leicester to D5 with a clear rebuilding plan
Built elite squad while maintaining maximum community engagement
Won Youth Cup twice and Youth Shield twice
Demonstrated that elite performance AND community participation are possible
Regular blog contributions detailing progress at his club

João’s Path:

Successfully executed the rebuilding strategy (D3→D5→D1)
Built an elite squad comparable to Doug’s achievement
Failed to maintain community engagement that defines D1 expectations
No blog contributions at all

This distinction ensures progression opportunities while maintaining standards at the highest levels.

Application to Other Sacked Managers

The same criteria apply to all relegated managers who demonstrated WCC non-participation:

Stuttgart (Norman): Failed WCC participation – same evaluation standards

Monaco (Tozé): Failed WCC participation – same evaluation standards

Napoli (Mattia): Failed WCC participation – same evaluation standards

Consistent Application: The criteria apply regardless of squad value, historical achievement, or personal relationships with the admin team.

The VAR Standard

Following the Season 23 precedent where decisions took “nearly two days” and caused distress for all involved, we’ve implemented a “VAR standard”:

Reappoint unless there is a clear and obvious error

João’s case presented clear and obvious errors:

Elite squad resources with zero community participation
Mandatory competition non-participation despite capability
Multi-season pattern of declining engagement despite regular updates on newsfeed, blog and social channels

Moving Forward: Clear Expectations

Mandatory Requirements

All Top 100 managers must:

Arrange World Club Cup fixtures when applicable
Maintain basic communication responsiveness
Engage with community platforms and activities
Set teams for competitive matches consistently

Activity Monitoring

The admin team will:

Provide proactive reminders about mandatory competitions
Monitor participation patterns throughout seasons
Offer assistance to managers struggling with requirements
Apply consistent standards regardless of individual circumstances

Communication Improvements

Based on feedback, we will:

Implement clearer mid-season check-ins for struggling managers
Provide explicit guidance on community engagement expectations
Maintain documentation of warnings and support offered

Conclusion

The decision not to reappoint João Alves, while personally difficult given his remarkable journey and gracious response, upholds the community standards that make Top 100 special. These standards apply equally to all managers, with higher expectations naturally accompanying the prestige of managing elite D1 and D2 clubs.

João’s legacy – transforming Sporting from D3 obscurity to D1 prominence – will be remembered alongside Doug’s similar success with Leicester. The difference is that Doug combined elite squad building with exemplary community engagement, setting the standard for what Top 100 expects from its most successful managers.

The criteria are clear, documented, and will be applied consistently to all affected managers. Every manager knows what’s expected, and every manager will be held to the same standards.

João gracefully gave me permission to post his parting statement:

What a journey, guys!

It’s been many years since I joined the T100. It was 2017, and I was getting the job I could get, at Rubin Kazan.

From that day one, I never considered any other team. Sporting was my dream, a team that was broken and unknown to most of you.

One year later, that moment arrived, the dream job arrived, and I managed to take the club of my heart. I started by taking one step back to be able to take two forward, and from that day one, I aimed to become a champion in the first division, something many people laughed.

Step by step, I climbed, until I reached the highest point, but I failed. I failed miserably and was relegated.

After failing i talked with David this morning, he told me I wouldn’t be reapointed because my last season had been disastrous, and I hadn’t participated in the WCC and YC. It was a unanimous decision, and I have to accept it. We already know the rules here exist, but are used in different ways. I know my team is much more interesting today and that there are players who, for me, were untransferable and who will now be very useful on the market.

No problem, my contribution to SM and T100 is done. I’m sure that today all of you know a little more about Sporting Clube de Portugal. And will be easy to find someone to manage “his heart team”.

It’s time to “uninstall” the game and move on. A lot of hours looking for players, scouting and watching game. I missed the part to know how to change tactics in game, and after all, is what matter here.

I will continue to be a soccer fan and closely follow global scouting.

If you need anything from me, this is my contact.

Thank you very much for everything.

João Alves