“It’s a huge concern” – Rehan Skinner on coaches’ mental health

Between 2020 and 2023, Skinner lived apart from her partner to manage Tottenham. She felt “burned out” at the time of her dismissal.

While Premier League managers often have multiple members of support staff, a lucrative financial package when they join, longer contracts, and security with better payment terms, this is often not the case in the Premier League.

Managers are expected to move out of their homes, leave their full-time jobs, and leave their partners temporarily, despite only being offered an 18-month contract.

They often have a range of responsibilities, with women’s clubs having few senior staff, which puts increased pressure on them to recruit players in the transfer window, for example.

Their average salaries, although not disclosed, are thought to be around £70,000, although this figure may be skewed by some abnormally high wages at wealthier clubs.

Internationally, Lionesses coach Sarina Wegman is said to earn an annual salary of £400,000, plus performance-related bonuses, while men’s manager Thomas Tuchel earns £5m a year.

So the reality is that they cannot remain unemployed for long.

Former Manchester United manager Casey Stoney has been sacked as head coach of US club San Diego Wave while she temporarily returns to England to attend a funeral. She and her family were unable to return to their home in California as their visas were terminated.

“There’s pressure on every game, scrutiny of what you do and little understanding of what’s going on behind the scenes – lack of infrastructure, headcount and availability of players,” Skinner added.

“A lot of clubs don’t have strong senior staff due to lack of resources, so it requires more from the manager. What you get is not in line with expectations.

“It was difficult for me when I left Tottenham because of how much I personally invested in it. When you look back, you say to yourself: ‘I’m not sure why I did that?’

“You’re alone a lot and this is a lonely place.”