There have been some strange decisions at Coventry City over the years.
Selling Highfield Road might have been one. Sacking Eric Black certainly fell into that category.
Current owners SISU handing over their cash to Ray Ranson? Ouch.
Dismissed: Andy Thorn was axed by Coventry after three league draws
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Yes, after an unbeaten start to the season with his heavily-changed squad.
I accept that it must have been gut-wrenching to see a two-goal lead slip away at the Ricoh against Bury, just 24 hours before that decision was made.
Just as I accept it must have been galling to see a hatful of chances go begging at Yeovil.
And I know also that the performance - as admitted on Radio Five afterwards by goalscorer Kevin Kilbane - wasn't up to scratch against Dagenham and Redbridge.
But the good news is that the Sky Blues progressed in the Capital One Cup. And were able to beat Birmingham City on Tuesday night.
Five matches with the same players and undefeated to boot.
At a time when managers, we are told, are accountable through results, Thorn was in credit this season.
The players have been put through their paces in pre-season. Systems have been worked upon.
And with the sacking, all of that goes out of the window.
When Coventry City end their due diligence on their prospective manager, they are likely to have to adapt to the new guy's method of working. He may want to bring in his new players.
Another period of transition and change.
Now, I have no particular support for Thorn. He had a difficult job last year but I'm not convinced that relegation was a natural consequence for Coventry City when the campaign kicked off 12 months ago.
Thorn's record over 57 games was poor. Did it change that much over 60?
However, my problem is this: If you are going to back him during the close-season and allow him to bring in his own players, then surely he needs more than 270 minutes to put his plans into operation?
At this point, I know there will be supporters pointing to Bryan Gunn's sacking at Norwich City and Paul Lambert's subsequent appointment.
New squad: Thorn had several new players to manageBut the Canaries actually had played two matches - winning at Yeovil and then drawing at Exeter before the Scot's arrival was confirmed. Who knows what might have happened had Gunn stayed? And, ergo, had Thorn.
Off-the-field Tim Fisher, Coventry City's de facto chief executive, appears to be heading in the right direction. Negotiations with various parties over the rent, Ricoh Arena ownership issue and the city council are on-going.
But he needs to be mindful of the fact that of the 'big' clubs who have dropped into League One, only Leicester City have made it out at the first time of asking. Leeds United, Nottingham Forest, Charlton Athletic, the two Sheffield clubs - none of those jumped straight back into the Championship.
It is not an easy league to escape.
In fairness, Fisher suggested there were 'other factors' in the statement which followed Thorn's. One day, when the legalities have no doubt been sorted out, we might find the truth.
And, I suppose the point is this: If Coventry do end in the top six - as was the stated aim at the start of the season - then the board's decision will be vindicated.
If not, supporters will point to Thorn's sacking and ask why he wasn't given time.
As possibly we all expected prior to last Sunday's announcement, results will determine all come May next year.
Clark must make his markI witnessed Lee Clark's Birmingham City side take on Barnet in the Capital One Cup to see his team first-hand, not being able to get to early-season Championship matches due to Premier League commitments.
Barnet could have been three or four goals to the good during a first-half performance that was, quite frankly, worrying for Bluenoses. I know, and they won 5-1.
Never mind what has happened since then, an observer such as myself could see that the midfield was a problem area. Everyone wanted to go forward with the ball. No-one actually was of a mind to track towards their own goal and get it. That night, Blues got away with it.
After watching a re-run of the Watford game on Sky+, it was plain to see that the new manager does not really have much of a clue as to his best formation or his best personnel. Frankly, that's worrying. And surely the purpose of a glut of pre-season games.
Impact: Lee Clark needs to stamp his authority on BirminghamListening to match summariser Geoff Horsfield say on radio (repeatedly) on the way back from Villa Park that Blues needed to close down Villa old boy Jonathan Hogg, I was left to wonder why, if the problem was clear to 'Horse,' why it wasn't to the manager.
I've interviewed Clark and he's a personable guy, but his interview after the match at Vicarage Road did not show him in a good light at all. The inquisitor was asking perfectly reasonable questions. It doesn't come across well.
Clarks' defence has now let in an average of two goals per game. I know Blues scored plenty last season, but that is history now.
Between now and the October break for the international double-headers, Clark's team has two home matches against Peterborough and Barnsley - and three tricky fixtures at Forest, Brighton and Cardiff.
Supporters are no mugs and the message-boards are full of disgruntled punters, particularly among the 3,000 who made the short trip down the M6 following Tuesday's defeat at Coventry.
Clark must stamp his authority on the club and decide on a consistent course of action. And quickly.
West Brom dominate VillaJust for fun, I put together a combined West Brom/Villa XI the other day. The best team I could muster from the resources available and on current form.
The following was what I came up with: Foster, Reid, Vlaar, Olsson, Ridgewell; Morrison; Mulumbu, Yacob, Odemwingie; Long, Bent.
One of few: Darren Bent would make it into a joint XII could mount a significant case too for the inclusion of McAuley alongside Olsson. Not one of Villa's other players would get in ahead of their counterparts at the Baggies.
So, never mind the dreadful showing at Villa Park against Everton, that tells you everything you need to know about the current state of Paul Lambert's squad. And the current state of Steve Clarke's.
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