Thracian Posted 16 October 2005 Posted 16 October 2005 Does anyone else, like me, wonder if Craig Levein can elevate Leicester City into the higher echelons of football where its name has proudly shone on various occasions. Can he match City's greatest managers Matt Gillies and MON in transcending ordinariness and indeed go on to write new chapters of highest excellence in Leicester's history? I say that cos I've been excited by his fundamental commitment to youth (even if he lacks a bit of faith sometimes) and his recognition that pace is vital in good football teams. He also seems willing to work and to learn (his viewing of all those videos and subsequent adjustments to the team were a good example). It's an important quality this. I read MA's quoted comments regarding the demise at Coventry and it was just like ploughing last year's field. What sort of man, in making a monumental mess, goes out and works to exactly the same formula? No, the second half at Derby and the full match at Watford, suggest that Levein has had a re-think. It has given me hope that, given time, he may be able to bring the best out of what he has brought to Leicester, which is a lot and, presumably more to come. As the balloon of achievement starts to rise there will be further boosts from the presence of Goal-Smith, Wesolowski (hopefully), Sheehan (that belief I was talking about), Chambers and maybe more... The question then is: Will Levein have the burning ambition to really write his name into LEICESTER'S book of legends or will he move on to what he may perceive are higher pinnacles?. The problem, of course, with the Arsenals, the Manchester United's, even presently lesser teams like Leeds is that it's all been done before. Can our directors make Leicester an exciting enough proposition to make both Levein and some of the wonderful young players we are bringing on, keen enough to stay, determined enough to become shining lights in our folklore? I hope so. But, what do you think? And does the board even consider it? As Levein works on the team's strategies. Have the board worked on a strategy for ensuring that what is built here is never allowed to crumble back into nothingness?.
Gené and Tonic Posted 16 October 2005 Posted 16 October 2005 Too early to say really, he is probably our best manager since O'Neill, but has made some questionable decisions, and some of our play hasn't been good. However, I do agree that he is beggining to turn it round. He also has a good eye for talent. I just hope the rumours about him and his unhappy personal life aren't true, because he could well be the man to get us back into the prem, and keep us there. Well done to babylon for having faith! BTW Thracian, what do you think?
Head Honcho Posted 16 October 2005 Posted 16 October 2005 I think first and foremost we have to sort our finances out, it's no good getting promoted and not being able to spend any of the rewards. I think CL is aware that much of the Premiership money will not be available for transfers if we are promoted. He was probably made aware of this when he took the job on and is therefore paying more attention then is usual to the youth/reserve teams. I think given the chance he will be here for the long haul and it does look promising, if he does get us promoted, i just hope he isn't sacked, if we are relegated the following season. We need to build some foundations and if that means being a yo-yo team again for a while then so be it.
davieG Posted 16 October 2005 Posted 16 October 2005 With the obsession of the 'Big Clubs' on having foreign Managers it should be easier than it's ever been for a successful 'smaller' club to hang on to their manager. No big clubs have shown any interest in successful British managers like Curbishly or Allardyce, so if we could reach the same heights, I assume we would consider that successful then we should be able to hang on to him. Whether he can get us to that level, I really have no strong opinion.
frenchy_lcfc Posted 16 October 2005 Posted 16 October 2005 All I can say is each team and Manager have got to start from somewhere! And all i can say is if CL gets our finacies out of way and get the team up to scratch we have got a good chance of going into the Prem and being one of the best teams in England!!
Thracian Posted 16 October 2005 Author Posted 16 October 2005 Too early to say really, he is probably our best manager since O'Neill, but has made some questionable decisions, and some of our play hasn't been good. However, I do agree that he is beggining to turn it round. He also has a good eye for talent. I just hope the rumours about him and his unhappy personal life aren't true, because he could well be the man to get us back into the prem, and keep us there. Well done to babylon for having faith! BTW Thracian, what do you think? I think it is up to the board to make the club an attractive enough proposition and to give him all the backing they can afford. There may well be some difficult choices such as having to sell one or two good players to keep the funding coming for improvements but we must show ambition, we must make Leicester City one of love's of Levein's life and show we are a club that is prepared to ride the same big roads as Levein is intent on travelling. Management should also be aware of what they might do if the manager did leave. We would need to follow the same principles, maintain the continuity and such safeguards would need constantly updating. Levein is unusual as a manager in that he does have a long-term vision and his every move seems directed towards it. What a shame if the tyres went flat cos he left. We as supporters can surely help by keeping both his and the players morale up. Show we appreciate him/them. That doesn't mean not criticising. Hopefully Levein and the players will listen and reflect on criticism cos most of it on this forum seems well meant. But constructive, reasoned, criticism is not the same as being destructive and that should be discouraged. Morale and a happy training ground are important and we need to help play our part. If Leicester City is to be a special club again, it needs a special manager, a special board of directors, special staff and equally special supporters who appreciate they are a big part of the team effort especially on forums like this. I may be over-optimistic but I believe we have all those ingredients at Leicester. The trick now is to make the recipe work without anything being overlooked or left to chance. All for one and one for all is what's needed. Applied to the nth degree it creates a bond that is hard to break and one that just might be strong enough to convince Levein that Leicester City can be more than just a sleepy old, underperforming, football club. That this club in the 7th City is ready to shine again.
Kis Kis Kisnorbo Posted 16 October 2005 Posted 16 October 2005 I think that he has signed some brilliant young quality and it is for this reason that i am prepared to give him time. However on results early on this season and last, i am unsure if he knows how to get the best out of these players!
Guest Gist Posted 16 October 2005 Posted 16 October 2005 All I can say is each team and Manager have got to start from somewhere! And all i can say is if CL gets our finacies out of way and get the team up to scratch we have got a good chance of going into the Prem and being one of the best teams in England!! one step at a time hey
Guest Gist Posted 16 October 2005 Posted 16 October 2005 Theres 1 thing i think thats not making us climb the table and thats that he keeps changing the team around
Thracian Posted 16 October 2005 Author Posted 16 October 2005 Theres 1 thing i think thats not making us climb the table and thats that he keeps changing the team around Being fair, most times if not every time, he's been forced to make changes. I think we'll be much more settled now and will benefit because of it. I don't expect more than a couple of changes on Tuesday.
Gené and Tonic Posted 16 October 2005 Posted 16 October 2005 1 reason for changing the line-up could be that the squad is still getting to know each other, and Levein is still trying to work out what his best side is. Hopefully he is somewhere near that now. A step backwards would be to make numerous changes for the Burnley game.
Guest Gist Posted 16 October 2005 Posted 16 October 2005 Does anyone else, like me, wonder if Craig Levein can elevate Leicester City into the higher echelons of football where its name has proudly shone on various occasions. Can he match City's greatest managers Matt Gillies and MON in transcending ordinariness and indeed go on to write new chapters of highest excellence in Leicester's history? I say that cos I've been excited by his fundamental commitment to youth (even if he lacks a bit of faith sometimes) and his recognition that pace is vital in good football teams. He also seems willing to work and to learn (his viewing of all those videos and subsequent adjustments to the team were a good example). It's an important quality this. I read MA's quoted comments regarding the demise at Coventry and it was just like ploughing last year's field. What sort of man, in making a monumental mess, goes out and works to exactly the same formula? No, the second half at Derby and the full match at Watford, suggest that Levein has had a re-think. It has given me hope that, given time, he may be able to bring the best out of what he has brought to Leicester, which is a lot and, presumably more to come. As the balloon of achievement starts to rise there will be further boosts from the presence of Goal-Smith, Wesolowski (hopefully), Sheehan (that belief I was talking about), Chambers and maybe more... The question then is: Will Levein have the burning ambition to really write his name into LEICESTER'S book of legends or will he move on to what he may perceive are higher pinnacles?. The problem, of course, with the Arsenals, the Manchester United's, even presently lesser teams like Leeds is that it's all been done before. Can our directors make Leicester an exciting enough proposition to make both Levein and some of the wonderful young players we are bringing on, keen enough to stay, determined enough to become shining lights in our folklore? I hope so. But, what do you think? And does the board even consider it? As Levein works on the team's strategies. Have the board worked on a strategy for ensuring that what is built here is never allowed to crumble back into nothingness?. nice post Being fair, most times if not every time, he's been forced to make changes. I think we'll be much more settled now and will benefit because of it. I don't expect more than a couple of changes on Tuesday. yeh i know ... thats how it goes someone is either injured or suspended
Nationwider Posted 16 October 2005 Posted 16 October 2005 I think first and foremost we have to sort our finances out, it's no good getting promoted and not being able to spend any of the rewards. I think CL is aware that much of the Premiership money will not be available for transfers if we are promoted. He was probably made aware of this when he took the job on and is therefore paying more attention then is usual to the youth/reserve teams. I think given the chance he will be here for the long haul and it does look promising, if he does get us promoted, i just hope he isn't sacked, if we are relegated the following season. We need to build some foundations and if that means being a yo-yo team again for a while then so be it. I agree with all of that. The board will be concerned 51/49 in favour of finances over results for the next couple of seasons. As dull as it sounds, steady, sustainable growth is our best bet. Unless things are going catastrophically wrong (which they aren't as we're just 4 points off the play-offs) I've always been a believer in giving a manager a couple of seasons to show what he can do. I've got no strong opinion on CL yet. Still, I feel we're on a level footing now and there's the promise, if not the proof, of better things to come over the remainder of this season.
Gené and Tonic Posted 17 October 2005 Posted 17 October 2005 I agree with all of that. The board will be concerned 51/49 in favour of finances over results for the next couple of seasons. As dull as it sounds, steady, sustainable growth is our best bet. Unless things are going catastrophically wrong (which they aren't as we're just 4 points off the play-offs) I've always been a believer in giving a manager a couple of seasons to show what he can do. I've got no strong opinion on CL yet. Still, I feel we're on a level footing now and there's the promise, if not the proof, of better things to come over the remainder of this season. Sad thing is, Levein might be gone if all we have is steady growth over the next couple of seasons. If we don't get at least the play offs next season, the pressure will really be on him.
Babylon Posted 17 October 2005 Posted 17 October 2005 Well done to babylon for having faith! Thanks....
Foxes_Trust Posted 17 October 2005 Posted 17 October 2005 I think first and foremost we have to sort our finances out, it's no good getting promoted and not being able to spend any of the rewards. I think CL is aware that much of the Premiership money will not be available for transfers if we are promoted. He was probably made aware of this when he took the job on and is therefore paying more attention then is usual to the youth/reserve teams. I think given the chance he will be here for the long haul and it does look promising, if he does get us promoted, i just hope he isn't sacked, if we are relegated the following season. We need to build some foundations and if that means being a yo-yo team again for a while then so be it. He wouldn't be sacked under those circumstances. Getting promoted would provide a minimum of 3 years additional funds due to parachute payments if we came straight back down. That would be a great financial boost to the longer term success of the club
Foxes_Trust Posted 17 October 2005 Posted 17 October 2005 I just hope the rumours about him and his unhappy personal life aren't true, because he could well be the man to get us back into the prem, and keep us there. Well done to babylon for having faith! They aren't true, we have checked this with the club following the persistent rumours touted on message boards
Ric Flair Posted 17 October 2005 Posted 17 October 2005 They aren't true, we have checked this with the club following the persistent rumours touted on message boards Do you know whether he's back with his wife and whether she's moved down here yet? It can't be nice living 400 miles away from your wife and kids.
Thracian Posted 17 October 2005 Author Posted 17 October 2005 He wouldn't be sacked under those circumstances. Getting promoted would provide a minimum of 3 years additional funds due to parachute payments if we came straight back down. That would be a great financial boost to the longer term success of the club Good. I hope that proves to be true if it happens (providing he sticks with attack). But, when you're close to the boss, would you be kind enough to ask about Sheehan?. I want to know why he gets left out when far worse left backs get selected. And sticking to a winning team doesn't wash. He changed the winning team when Sheehan played reasonably well against Wednesday - and we won. Indeed he's changed every winning team up to now for various reasons.
Gené and Tonic Posted 17 October 2005 Posted 17 October 2005 They aren't true, we have checked this with the club following the persistent rumours touted on message boards w00t!
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