Gateshead sack Lee Cattermole after four months in his first managerial job

[Danny47]

Gateshead have sacked Lee Cattermole after four months in his first job as a manager, the Mirror reports. The former Sunderland midfielder, now 39, leaves a club bottom of the National League with one win from 12 matches and eight points from safety. Ben Clark has been appointed interim manager. It is a short and difficult first step into management for one of the North East's best known former players

The sacking followed some pointed comments from Cattermole after a 2-1 defeat to Worthing. He suggested that people inside the club were holding the team back. "There are people in this building that don't want the team to move forward and I know that," he said. Publicly criticising your own club is rarely a good way to keep your job

The context matters, though. Gateshead are in serious financial trouble. Staff and players were not paid for September after shareholder Mark Nellist withdrew his support. Managing a team in that situation, with players unsure whether they will be paid, is an enormous challenge for any manager, let alone one in his first job

Non-league clubs often live on the edge financially, and Gateshead's situation is a reminder of how quickly things can go wrong. The club has a loyal following and a long history, including spells in the Football League. Fans will hope the financial problems can be sorted out before they cause lasting damage. For Cattermole, the experience might be a tough lesson, but it is unlikely to be the end of his coaching career

Was it fair to sack Cattermole given the club's financial problems? And should more be done to protect non-league clubs from financial collapse?

Premier League icon sacked from first managerial role at crisis club after cryptic interview - AOLwww.aol.co.uk