PHIL Parkinson feels the on-going managerial cull in the Football League is “beyond belief”.

The first two months of the season have seen an incredible 17 hot-seat changes – compared with four at the same stage a year ago.

There have already been two in League Two this week. Nigel Worthington quit York, just five months after steering them into the play-offs, and Tranmere fired rookie boss Rob Edwards after they dropped to the bottom.

Parkinson is currently the 11th-longest serving manager in the country after taking over the Valley Parade helm in August 2011.

The average managerial shelf life is now one and three-quarter seasons – and only eight months in the Championship.

Parkinson admitted: “It’s an incredible stat that 17 managers have lost their jobs already. It really is beyond belief.

“The dividing line is so tight. You look at the different squads, certainly outside the Premier League, and there is often very little between them.

“Anybody can have a good run and a bad one – it affects everyone.

“Even in seasons where you have success, there are going to be periods when you have a poor run. At those times, you need a board to look at the overall picture rather than just the short term.

“During a bad run, there can be circumstances that mitigate towards that. Losing key players at key times can be very costly.”

Parkinson is the longest-serving City boss since Trevor Cherry in the early 1980s. He has now been in charge for 177 games since replacing Peter Jackson.

Between them, West Yorkshire neighbours Huddersfield and Leeds have had nine full-time managers during his tenure.

Parkinson added: “It’s a volatile industry. It’s not for everybody because it’s all-consuming.

“I’ve known a lot of coaches who have wanted to be a manager. They get the chance and say ‘never again’.

“Some people obviously relish it but experience is a great thing. You have to learn to deal with the pressures.

“It does occupy your mind so much of the day. This week for instance we’ve had a poor result on Sunday, we’ve got another game coming up and there are one or two injury problems.

“So it does take over a lot of your time and you need strong people behind you, like your family.

“I also think the best assistant managers are the ones who’ve had a taste of doing the job. That’s also key.

“Steve (Parkin) works well with me and understands the situation. It’s the same with people like Brian Horton, the assistant at Doncaster, and Dave Penney at Southend.”

Parkinson believes the influx of overseas owners is having an impact. Leeds chairman Massimo Cellino is on his third different manager; the Italian Pozzo family, who control Watford, have just appointed their sixth since June 2012.

“A lot of the foreign owners are more volatile than the English ones,” said Parkinson. “We’ve seen examples of that this season already with Cardiff.

“Maybe some of the foreign owners come over and haven’t got an understanding of the division. The longer they are here, they will understand the difference and how tough it is being a manager.

“You look at the Championship and how few points separate top from bottom at the moment. That tells you everything you need to know.”

Meanwhile, Parkinson is considering his squad options again after Derby recalled Mason Bennett early from his youth loan.

The 18-year-old striker, who had been due to stay until January, scored once in 13 appearances. But he started only five of those games after arriving at Valley Parade way behind in terms of fitness.