There was a time when West Ham used to pride themselves on the longevity of their managers. They figured that continuity equalled success and generally, that philosophy worked for them.

Things have moved on though and in recent years, the managerial turnover at Upton Park has rapidly increased.

Having been run by just three managers - Ted Fenton, Ron Greenwood and John Lyall - between 1950 and 1989, they have been through seven since that date.

But West Ham are not alone, as top-flight English football is going through a period of wholesale change and there are bound to be casualties.

The latest victims are Alan Curbishley at West Ham and, bar a dramatic U-turn, Kevin Keegan at Newcastle. Both men are traditional managers. They like to be in control and on top of things.

Old traditions though, are being swept away with an astonishing rapidity as an increasing number of owners adopt the European style of football decision-making. There the coaches coach, the directors of football identify the targets and the power brokers decide where, when and how to spend the money.

That is the way the game is now progressing but some, accustomed to an all-powerful manager model, find it difficult to stomach.

Curbishley says he was promised the final say on transfer dealings while the West Ham board contend that he shouldn't sign up to a premeditated transfer policy and then moan when it is put into practice.

The chaotic situation up on Tyneside is another example of an old-school manager not being able to accept that the rules are changing - that he that pays the piper (the owner), really does now call the tune.

Even over at Eastlands, manager Mark Hughes was on the golf course when the new Abou Manchester City regime bought Robinho. His input was non-existent.

How many current managers in the English Premiership, in fact, do exercise significant control within their clubs?

Sir Alex Ferguson definitely, Arsene Wenger certainly, Martin O'Neill and Gareth Southgate probably. Beyond that short list, you begin to struggle.

David Pleat was a prototype English director-of football at Tottenham and he is uncomfortable with many aspects of the way football is moving.

He said: "At Spurs I had an excellent relationship with the manager, George Graham. I used to identify players who were within my budget, such as Simon Davies, Matthew Etherington, Gary Doherty, and George would say 'go out and get them.'

"Now, often the directors of football are appointments of the board and there is tension between them and the managers.

"I do believe the concept of a director of football is a sound one but he has to complement the manager. But I am very concerned about the route we are taking."

"The money being paid to players at the top level is just grotesque and is haemorrhaging from our game.

"What is happening defies sensible logic and we need to put it right before it is too late."

Another highly successful manager with traditional values is Harry Redknapp, whose name has been linked with a return to Upton Park in some quarters. He has had to deal with directors of football at Portsmouth and Southampton and been forced to accept diminished involvement in player deals.

Redknapp said: "Managers as we know them now could be a thing of the past in the next decade.

"I can see the manager's role being reduced. Now owners will go 'we'll have him, him and him and the managers must get on with it. For sure that is detrimental to football and the art of football management.

"Soon every club in the Premiership will be owned by mega-rich foreign investors. That's how it will go." Recent events would appear to confirm Redknapp's opinion, which is perhaps why foreign owners are now favouring foreign managers who are more comfortable with this concept.

English football is rightly proud of its traditions and its history, so it is not surprising there are members of the older generation struggling to adapt to the new order.

Those British managers who want to stay in the game at the very top had better come to terms with their diminished status or follow Curbishley out of the door.