Our system detected that your browser is blocking advertisements on our site. Please help support FoxesTalk by disabling any kind of ad blocker while browsing this site. Thank you.
Jump to content
ealingfox

Dr. Stevewalsh or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love our Scouting System

By ealingfox, in Leicester City Forum

Recommended Posts

MPH

MPH

Posted
Posted

It is absolutely imperative that we sign a striker in the next couple of days. Failure to do so will leave us short and could potentially cost us the title or worse, a place in the champions league. If we have been chasing this Musa fella but are being tight with funds then I must ask the question, where is your ambition Leicester? Just pay the money and get him in because it will likely be critical to any short term success we have.

 

 

 

I wouldn't go as far as saying it's imperative. We managed to be 3 points clear at the top of the prem without this mystery striker.

4everfox

4everfox

Posted
Posted

I wouldn't go as far as saying it's imperative. We managed to be 3 points clear at the top of the prem without this mystery striker.

I would to be honest, we have three in the squad currently which isn't enough for a team in a title challenge that uses a 4-4-2 system. We should have signed one before letting Kramaric go.

Gerard

Gerard

Posted
Posted

I would to be honest, we have three in the squad currently which isn't enough for a team in a title challenge that uses a 4-4-2 system. We should have signed one before letting Kramaric go.

 

 

englebert

englebert

Posted
Posted

I would to be honest, we have three in the squad currently which isn't enough for a team in a title challenge that uses a 4-4-2 system. We should have signed one before letting Kramaric go.

 

I think you're right, but as things stand now I'll just be okay with getting through this window without losing anyone.

merlin1969

merlin1969

Posted
Posted

The various striker threads are getting a bit hysterical. I know I'm not one to talk about not overreacting, but I have not been concerned about our transfer dealings and their quality for some time now, and neither should you.

 

The set-up we have is smart, the scouting is exceptional, the pursuits and tracking are dedicated and thorough, and we do our business as privately as possible. They have shown they they are not afraid to use smokescreens, cloaks and daggers, set up deals they have no intention of completing etc, manipulation tactics to get what we want. Ranieri has bought into it all.

 

Pelle, Musa, Eder - I'd wager they haven't all been targets, approached in an order of preference. I bet at least one is a decoy, or false speculation. They could all be. We could be embarking on another completely unexpected deal. Sometimes we have done deals in a day over the last couple of seasons.

 

Chill, he's got this.

 

ad_190558451-e1449841984757.jpg

aaah Mr Pearse ................... I see you want to return to the game and your 53 did you say ??? 

foxoffderby

foxoffderby

Posted
Posted

I would to be honest, we have three in the squad currently which isn't enough for a team in a title challenge that uses a 4-4-2 system. We should have signed one before letting Kramaric go.

Worst case Kramaric has a recall clause.

Vardinio'sCat

Vardinio'sCat

Posted
Posted

 Great thread title!

 

This is all very exciting, I'm loving it. Musa has been my new favourite player for nearly 3 days now, so I think we should accept we will pay a bit extra at this time of year. But I trust in the present set up doing a professional job. Que sera, sera.

 

Will we drop the money bomb?  :claudio:

 

 

HankMarvin

HankMarvin

Posted
Posted
 

 

 

Nigel French/PA WireRobert Huth celebrates scoring the first goal of the game with team matesFlying Foxes: The next three games could make Leicester championship FAVOURITES

The man who, more than any other individual, has shaped the unlikeliest success story of the Premier League era is not even the most famous Steve Walsh connected with Leicester City.

 

Walsh, who combines the roles of head of recruitment and assistant manager at the league leaders, has often been amused when photos of the Steve Walsh who captained Leicester under Martin O'Neill have been used to illustrate occasional articles about him.

 

All scouts love to travel under the radar. It's the nature of the talent-spotting business.

 

So this 'there's only two Steve Walshes' ploy is a perfect cover story.

 

The more famous Walsh was a rugged 6ft 3in centre-half with a fine head of hair, whose Wikipedia entry erroneously states he is now assistant manager of the Foxes.

 

 

The Steve Walsh who, as Nigel Pearson's most trusted lieutenant oversaw the assembly of the squad which has caused the greatest sensation in English football since the glory days of Brian Clough, is a slightly-built bald fella in his 60s.

 

This Steve Walsh is an old-school scout who, for many years, worked part-time for Chelsea in the north of England while holding down a day job as a PE teacher in a Chorley comprehensive.

 

Only in the past decade or so has he worked full-time in football with Chelsea, Newcastle then Leicester.

 

But he oversaw the signings of Jamie Vardy from Fleetwood and those of Riyad Mahrez and N'Golo Kante from teams in the French second division.

 

As the old saying doesn't go - 'You pay peanuts, you get diamonds'.

 

 

 

Danny Drinkwater and Danny Simpson were unwanted at Manchester United, Robert Huth was ditched by Chelsea during Jose Mourinho's first reign and initially allowed out on loan to the Foxes by Stoke before being bought last summer, while winger Marc Albrighton was surplus to requirements at relegation-bound Aston Villa.

 

Skipper Wes Morgan and target-man Leo Ulloa were picked up from Championship rivals.

 

 

 

It was to Leicester's immense credit that when Pearson was forced out last summer, they kept hold of his trusted allies, Walsh and coach Craig Shakespeare.

 

And it is to Claudio Ranieri's credit that he allowed two men with such close links to his predecessor to stay on. Many with greater egos but lesser judgment would have sent them both packing.

 

The Foxes are now keen to hand both men new contracts, with Walsh having attracted Arsenal's interest.

 

After Leicester played the Gunners early last season, Arsene Wenger is said to have asked Walsh where he'd found Mahrez. The answer was 'In what used to be your backyard' at French club Le Havre.

 

Leicester beat the rest of the Premier League to Le Havre's Mahrez

Arsenal have since poached Walsh's young head of technical scouting, Ben Wrigglesworth.

 

But at a time when stats are becoming increasingly important in his field, Walsh remains resolute that targets must also be closely studied in the flesh before they are signed - a practice no longer as common as you may imagine.

 

Leicester are already odds-on for a Champions League place - ten points clear of a fifth-placed Manchester United side who are everything they are not, expensively assembled but lacking attacking penetration.

 

Watch — Ranieri plays down title chances despite being top:

 

 

Over three matches in the next 12 days, we will find out whether the team Walsh built can really win the Premier League.

 

Gain six or seven points from Tuesday's home match against Liverpool and the following visits to Manchester City and then Arsenal and the Foxes could be actual title FAVOURITES heading down the final 12-game stretch.

 

Should the unthinkable happen and they do get crowned as champions in May, Walsh is unlikely to be on the podium when the champagne sprays.

 

He'll be in the background, hoping nobody realises he's not the other Steve Walsh, then popping under the cover of anonymity to spot the next diamond.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...