I DON'T have much sympathy with managers who get the chop. As I see it, being treated badly evens up the poor treatment many of them see as their right to dish out to whosoever they wish when they've got a job.

Having cut my teeth as a football reporter on Sam Ellis - the mere mention of the name still sends shivers down my spine - and then dealt in varying degrees of proximity with dozens of managers, my respect for them as a breed - and there are exceptions - is the same as the disrespect they show for others.

However, I wouldn't wish the dubious task of working for Southampton chairman Rupert Lowe on any of them.

One boss who I understand is a thoroughly decent chap, Stuart Gray, was given the job of managing Southampton by Lowe who then took it away from him after just 17 games in charge, seven at the end of last season and eight at the start of this.

Lowe also replaced David Jones with Glenn Hoddle after the former had become the subject of a long-running police investigation which eventually proved him totally innocent.

Jones had been doing a good job and was in no danger of losing his job before the allegation. Through no fault of his own Jones found himself out of work until a return with Wolves has given him the chance to show what a good manager he is.

Glenn Hoddle's loyalty was questioned when he walked out on the Saints for his spiritual home of White Hart Lane. Lowe got the same lack of loyalty then that he had earlier shown to Jones and that he has now shown to Gray.

If it is true that a manager is only as good as his chairman then I fear for Strachan.