In this study, we examined the probability of coaches’ survival in the top Brazilian professional football championship considering variation across the competitive seasons between 2012 and 2017, considering a multilevel framework. We also considered whether previous coaching experience in the top Brazilian professional football championship would change the probability of coaches’ survival across the season. The data considered 4,560 games from the top professional Brazilian football league (Campeonato Brasileiro Série A) between the 2012 and 2017 seasons. At the start of each season, the coach from each team was followed, being recorded at the time the event occurred, i.e., the coach being sacked. A total survival of 120 coaches was considered between the seasons of 2012 and 2017, i.e., 20 coaches at the beginning of each season. Coaches were assigned as novice (no previous experience as head coach in the top Brazilian championship) or experienced (with at least some previous experience as head coach in the top Brazilian championship). Data were available and extracted from the official website of the Brazilian Football Confederation 1 . On average and considering un-pooled observations, the median life of a coach was about 16.5 rounds. Considering variation between 2012 and 2017 seasons, only about 26.3% (95% CI: 18.2–36.1) of the coaches ended a season without being sacked. By mid-season, at round 19, the probability of coaches’ survival was 0.42 (95% CI: 0.32–0.53). Variation between season on survival estimates per round was substantial (between-season standard deviation = 0.48, 95% credible intervals: 0.25–0.95; corresponding to an inverse logit = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.56–0.72). There was no substantial variation between novice and experienced coaches’ survival probability. The present results expose the vulnerability of the coaching context in Brazilian football, potentially highlighting an excessive emphasis on short-term results to mediate club management decisions.

O treinador possui papel central na formação de jovens no esporte. O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar os desafios de prática enfrentados por treinadores no basquetebol. Participaram 11 treinadores de Santa Catarina - Brasil. Foram realizadas entrevistas semiestruturadas e analisadas por meio da análise temática. Os treinadores descreveram três temas gerais subdivididos em sete categorias: Desafios para Gerir a Prática – falta de recursos financeiros, gestão do esporte, falta de tempo; Desafios da Carreira – futuro da profissão de treinador, oportunidades de trabalho; Desafios com os Atletas – motivação dos jovens da nova geração, formação cidadã. A falta de recursos e uma gestão profissionalizada do esporte dificultam o trabalho de treinadores que precisam se preocupar com a documentação dos atletas, prestação de contas, entre outras funções ao invés de focar nos treinamentos, o que parece gerar um impacto na qualidade da formação em longo prazo dos atletas. Outro grande desafio apontado pelos treinadores foi a dificuldade sobre a carreira como treinador de formação, sem ter um futuro claro e garantias de oportunidades para se tornar treinador de equipes profissionais. Por fim, os treinadores comentam sobre as barreiras para motivar os novos atletas para a prática e aliar a preparação esportiva com a formação cidadã, sendo o esporte uma importante ferramenta para o desenvolvimento positivo dos jovens da nova geração. Assim, os treinadores parecem ter os recursos mínimos disponíveis e precisam assumir diversos papéis para manter a qualidade de formação de jovens no esporte, o que parece gerar instabilidade, insegurança e incerteza na profissão. The coach has a central role in training young people in sports. The aim of this study was to understand the practice challenges faced by basketball coaches. Eleven coaches from Santa Catarina - Brazil participated. Semi-structured interviews were carried out and analyzed through thematic analysis. The coaches described three general themes subdivided into seven categories: Challenges for Managing Practice - lack of financial resources, sports management, lack of time; Career Challenges - future of the coaching profession, job opportunities; Challenges with Athletes - motivation of young people of the new generation, citizen training. The lack of resources and a professional management of the sport make it difficult for coaches who need to worry about the documentation of athletes, accountability, among other functions instead of focusing on training, which seems to have an impact on the quality of training in sports of athletes. Another major challenge pointed out by the coaches was the difficulty over the coaching career, without having a clear future and guarantees of opportunities to become coach of professional teams. Finally, coaches’ comment on the barriers to motivate new athletes to practice and combine sports preparation with citizen training, and sport is an important tool for the positive development of young people of the new generation. Thus, coaches seem to have the minimum resources available and need to take on several roles to maintain the quality of youth training in the sport, which seems to generate instability, insecurity and incertitude in the profession.

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