The Bald Eagle, Iain Dowie, is en route elsewhere

The debate will rage on and on throughout the 21st century. Will air travel become more, or less expensive. That is the question Charlton left themselves with today with the "hasty" sacking of Iain Dowie. Critics may suggest that putting the Bald Eagle, Dowie, in an opposite "flight path" (aka - unemployment) from the London club may prove a costly decision. Others, like myself, may argue "au contraire". I think Charlton have done the right thing by clipping this bald eagle's wings...

Animal analogies aside, the case for and against sacking managers early leaves us with a relatively evenly balanced scale, on either side, with positives and negatives galore! If you, the club, are thinking about the "long term" future and security of the football club - many suggest that "sticking it out" with managers is the best way to go. A la Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger, par exemple. But some recent examples prove that it is not always the worst idea to play a little cloak and dagger. Newcastle could point to their upturn in fortunes last year, when they axed the vastly unpopular Graeme Souness. Additionally, Liverpool could point to their Champions League campaign of 2005, after the slightly controversial sacking of the hit and miss Gerrard Houllier (although he had been at the post, full time, since 1998). The irony of those two examples are, that both supporters of - Liverpool and Newcastle - are starting sing those deadly chants of "We want ..... Out"! That fateful chorus usually spells the end for MOST Premiership managers, time will only tell if either of those two lambs are sent to the slaughter house.

But back to Charlton, specifically, I think they have made the wise choice. Charlton Athletic have looked a distant, pale shadow of their former selves this year and their performances have matched their run of results ; deplorable. The defending away to Wigan was like watching the Faroe Islands (dare I say it!). The supporters, somewhat ironically, have been right behind Dowie - but all those years of mediocre consistency, and typical sonic the hedgehog like starts to campaigns, with Alan Curbishley at the helm - have led the Charlton board to yield the all too familiar premature axe. So Dowie is the first casualty of the Premiership campaign. Who will be next... Roeder or Benetiz... cheerio or adios... I wonder....???