But it is also an understandable response to an entity that has become a content machine, perfectly structured to meet the requirements of any moreishly successful streaming drama. Those requirements are: action that is endlessly repeatable but always essentially the same. Nothing ever really happens. But there is still a strong sense of things always happening. And the main characters must appear to be stuck together inexorably in the same space, at least until they can be replaced by others who are also stuck together in the same space.
There have been a number of stunning managerial changes in recent weeks -- from Xabi Alonso at Real Madrid to Ruben Amorim at Manchester United -- and the cutthroat nature of a career in football management will not be lost on Gary Rowett. The 51-year-old former Derby County, Birmingham City and Leicester City defender was sacked as head coach of Championship side Oxford United just two days before Christmas. The call on Dec. 23 came just over a year after the one that appointed him.
So, when they fired their manager Ruben Amorim earlier this month -- without a replacement lined up -- where were they sitting in the table? It must've been 16th, right? Or, maybe 12th? A tiny bit of progress, but not enough progress for the fourth-richest club in the world, right? When Manchester United fired Ruben Amorim, they were tied for fifth place.
Wolves did not want to make a change, and even leading into the weekend the club's hierarchy was still backing Pereira, but that changed after a disastrous afternoon in west London. Stability and consistency was sought but the axe fell on Sunday morning with the club eight points from safety and now looking for a fifth permanent manager in four years.