Simon Parker column

Maybe it was for the best that City did not win the Capital One Cup – for Phil Parkinson’s job security at least.

Michael Laudrup’s sudden exit from Swansea this week, with the anniversary of their Wembley triumph still a fortnight away, revealed some staggering figures.

The League Cup, whatever its sponsored guise, has become the ultimate poisoned chalice. Forget managing England, that’s as safe a seat as a labour politician in the north-east compared with the dangers of touching that particular silverware.

Laudrup became the latest victim of a curse that has seen every winning manager bar one since 2007 lose their position within the next 12 months.

The exception, inevitably, was Sir Alex Ferguson. But for the mere mortals of management, it’s a cautionary tale.

And thanks to the City fan on Twitter for pointing out that Parkinson is one of only two Wembley gaffers from last season to still be in the same post.

Parkinson and Yeovil’s Gary Johnson may be going strong but the other seven teams to play in finals at the national stadium have seen a change at the top.

Two went willingly. Roberto Martinez moved on from relegated Wigan to Everton and Uwe Rosler left Brentford to take that vacancy at the FA Cup holders.

Ian Holloway, Gianfranco Zola, Aidy Boothroyd, Roberto Mancini and now Laudrup were not such masters of their own destiny.

The average life of a football manager was just 1.88 seasons over the last five years. With the rash of changes during the current campaign, that has shot down to 1.66 – one and two-thirds.

Parkinson is now the 14th longest-serving boss in the country after two and a half years.

Management seems to get more precarious with each year. Now it seems that even a day out at Wembley won’t buy you time.