When a manager leaves a football club, it is often assumed that he has either been dismissed or has resigned. But the reality is far more nuanced. Over the years, Tony Pulis has experienced and witnessed countless partings at every level of the English game, from the lower leagues to the Premier League. Some exits are amicable, while others are messy and impersonal. Pulis recalls managers being sacked over the phone, by text message, or even hearing the news through the grapevine.

The Cruelty of Speculation

One of the most agonizing aspects of a manager's job is the speculation that precedes a sacking. Pulis describes how some individuals even put their names forward for jobs before the current manager has been dismissed, approaching clubs through agents or directly to owners. Clubs have also been known to leak potential replacements to the press to gauge fan reaction. For the manager still in place, this can be devastating. Pulis himself endured such a situation for months, which eroded his confidence in both himself and the club's hierarchy.

He recalls having to bite his lip and carry on because he and his staff were under contract. Despite pulling out results that delayed the inevitable, he knew his time was up.

A Postcard Farewell

Pulis shares a story of a manager who was placed on gardening leave while the club negotiated his permanent release. Still being paid, the manager took his family on a sunny holiday. After watching his old team lose on TV, he sent his chairman a postcard that read: "Wish you were here!" He was sacked upon his return, but Pulis suspects he relished the gesture.

Most managers, however, do not get such satisfaction. Often, they are denied the chance to say a proper goodbye to players and staff. Pulis's first spell at Stoke ended while he was driving to pre-season training in 2005. The club's Icelandic owners had been silent for weeks. Just as he neared the stadium, the chairman called to inform him he was no longer manager and was barred from entering the ground. The new manager had already arrived. Pulis simply turned his car around and drove home.

The Wisdom of Frank Burrows

Pulis remembers Frank Burrows, a former Swansea manager, who kept an empty cardboard box next to his desk. Burrows explained that it was for his belongings, so that whenever he lost his job, he could sweep everything into the box and move on. That box, Burrows said, had traveled with him throughout his career. Pulis never forgot that lesson in the precariousness of management.

His own first sacking came in 1994, when Bournemouth's chairmanship changed. With a year left on his contract, he was out. The blow was compounded by the fact that it was his hometown club, and his children faced teasing at school. He also had a mortgage and family to support, and the club was not helpful with the money owed. Pulis was fortunate to get another chance, but many young managers are not.

Happier Endings

Not all partings are bitter. Pulis speaks warmly of Peter Coates and his family at Stoke City, who handled his 2013 departure with respect and honesty. Similarly, Steve Gibson at Middlesbrough, whom Pulis describes as a class act, ensured his exit was on good terms. After the 2018-19 season, Pulis and Gibson met in London, had a few drinks, and agreed it was time to part. The evening ended so late that Pulis missed breakfast the next morning, but the friendship remained intact.

Pulis's experiences reveal the full spectrum of managerial exits, from the humiliating to the dignified. Through it all, he maintains a sense of humor and a deep respect for those who handle such transitions with humanity.