LEVEIN NEEDS LONGER...

[Anish]

I tend to side with SilverFox and The People's Hero on this.

I genuinely don't see any improvement since last season, and in terms of results we are just as bad, if not worse.

It's all well and good saying Levein is building an empire and Rome wasn't built in a day, but the way we are going we could easily be dragged into the relegation mire.

Levein clearly has his favourites and we all hated Micky Adams for having his. Until Levein drops the likes of Kisnorbo and De Vries and shows some bottle in throwing caution to the wind, I will continue to have my reservations.

I have yet to be taken to Levein, despite all that he's done off the pitch. I will give him my backing until the end of the season, but in no way am I saying he is a good manager or he has done a good job. In fact he's not done a good job. But we are in no position to be firing managers at this stage and there is no obvious replacement.

Plus, when we look back on this era in years to come, we will all think whether Levein should have been given more than 1 year in the job. And I definitely think he does deserve more than 1 year, but he should be working his damned hardest and should realise that his job is on the line if things don't improve for the rest of the season.

[The People's Hero]

Off the pitch, he's done very well indeed.

On the pitch, he's been pretty unconvincing. In fact, very poor so far. And NO signs of improvement.

[Louise]

On the subject of favourites I'd say that every manager has them. The problem with Micky's was that he would use them at the expense of the team (not that he would have seen it that way), I'm not sure if Craig is doing that at the moment. We're only 14 games in, using the same player in consecutive games could be seen as him being a favourite at this point. (My assumption about favourites for managers is that either the manager really believes they're a great player - and obviously good players can be favourites too - or he just believes that player is an honest loyal player who he'd like out there playing when things aren't going well in the league.). I would have said Maybury was one of his favourites but he didn't bring him straight back in and instead, rightly, stuck with Stearman. So I don't know if he really has favourites in the way Micky's favourite was Scowcroft.

Personally I don't think de Vries should be dropped as he offers us something different up front, he's not a 20 goal a season man and has never sold himself as such, he needs to be playing beside someone like that. I wasn't at Derby so I've not seen Hume and Hammond play together as a partnership, but Hume didn't score until de Vries came on. Kisnorbo I would drop and I'd bring back in Joey, and that would be my test for Levein, if he persists with Kisnorbo through several bad performances (not just yesterdays as that could just have been a blip...).

[Hullfox]

It's all well and good saying Levein is building an empire and Rome wasn't built in a day, but the way we are going we could easily be dragged into the relegation mire.

How long does he get though?

God apparently had the world sorted in 7 days, including a bit of rest.

Levein's had about 375 and can't get 11 blokes to string two passes together.

[Anish]

How long does he get though?

God apparently had the world sorted in 7 days, including a bit of rest.

Levein's had about 375 and can't get 11 blokes to string two passes together.

True, and that's the board's decision on how long to give him.

I can see why people would want him out and I don't think they are wrong, but I can't see anybody else who could come in and take us to the next level.

[Michael Doyle]

All of your frustrations are based on the games you have seen and the moves you believe should or should not have happened. I have the extra frustration of not being able to watch my beloved Leicester City Football Club play on a weekly basis. I do how ever manage to see them three or four times most seasons and that is what I base my somewhat incomplete assessment of the team. For instance I watched Leicester City play against Luton, Sheffield Wednesday, Blackpool and Brighton this season. I loved it although they were not a convincing team. In fact against Luton they were particularly poor. However I liked the looks of Sheehan, Stearman, Hughes, Williams, McCarthy all of whom show a GREAT deal of potential as does young Chambers and Henderson (had to say that as he is from Australia) (yes I know Kisnorbo and Tiatto are as well but I didn't see enough of Kisnorbo to form an opinion and Tiatto is much older).

Some of the established players like Dublin and Gudjonsson are also showing that they are able to cope with confidence in this league. Considering most of the squad have never even being in the same changing rooms its not surprising that the team is not playing as well as their potential. That's the key word I think!. Potential, that needs to develop. In these early stages everyone including the manager and the fans are trying to determine their preferred team. Some say MDV and Hammond some say not. Some say Hammond and Hume some say not. Some say MDV and Hume some say not. You cant win and nor can CL as he try's to blend what he considers the best team to compete against the regular changing opposition for the next game.

I will stand corrected but its my understanding that including cup ties and substitutions MDV has put in 16 performances for 6 goals. Hammond has put in 10 performances for 1 goal. Regardless if many more chances have been missed or if either player is not having a good game (or games), from a team selection point of view you would have to pencil in MDV as a starter as he is the teams leading goal scorer. On this thread it appears that this is one of the main issues of content that Hammond should be picked in front of MDV as a striker. Reality does not suggest that.

Some say CL should go some say he should stay. The reality is again highlighted that their is no manager that could come in and replace CL overnight. If they did everyone would be saying give him time to develop his own team. CL is trying to do this and with HIS current squad needs to be given more than 16 games (including cup ties).

Like some others posts. I was gutted to see we had lost to struggling Burnley on our home ground. I to question what was going wrong and can only come up with the solution that we will not be challenging for promotion this year and that if we survive mid table and things start to click (as happened with MON when everyone was calling for him to go and shouting what a load of rubbish at the end of his games) we can grow as a team and move forward with CL in charge.

COME ON YOU FOXES

[Gené and Tonic]

Levein clearly has his favourites and we all hated Micky Adams for having his. Until Levein drops the likes of Kisnorbo and De Vries and shows some bottle in throwing caution to the wind, I will continue to have my reservations.

Agree with that, I know I might sound like I want him out, and that I am in some way in love with Steve Tilson after all I've said about him, but Tilson does not have favourites. He even dropped Eastwood for a few games because the other striker pairing was working. If De Vries was fit, and Hume and Hammond were working well up front, could you see him being on the subs bench?

[elsiefc]

I think the problem lies with the quality of the players he has signed- mainly from his old club. Has anyone seen the Scottish Premier table recently? They don't seem to be missing any of our guys. It used to be said that apart from Rangers and Celtic the rest of the Scottish Premier set up was about on a par with our Coca Cola League One. It looks to me that CL has done the same as Peter Taylor in bringing in players from a lower standard and hoping to develop them. Sometimes it works but it's a gamble because at the end of the season it will be the points on the board that decide. Right now we are flirting with the LDV Vans trophy for next season. That said I don't think a change of manager at this stage will do much good for the simple reason that I don't think that the Club would appeal to anyone decent . We just have to hope that CL gets it right- starting soon!

[NFFC Chris]

My opinion on Leicester is:

I've never seen a team that have shot themselves in the foot so many times,when it appears that they may find some form,they go and lose,I was suprised one year ago you appointed Levein and did'nt think he would be a success for you,he has done nothing to change my opinion over the year.

[Thracian]

Agree with that, I know I might sound like I want him out, and that I am in some way in love with Steve Tilson after all I've said about him, but Tilson does not have favourites. He even dropped Eastwood for a few games because the other striker pairing was working. If De Vries was fit, and Hume and Hammond were working well up front, could you see him being on the subs bench?

Big point that. Every manager has favourites, people he gets on with better than others but when picking a football team he should be ruthlessly obvjective. I would pick my worst enemy over my brother if it was the best choice for winning the game.

Statistics can help you do this. When choosing, say, a striker look at the facts. How many does he score a season? How many has he scored in the last three months? How many strikes has he had on goal etc.

Similarly with support players. Statistics are readily available now. How many goal assists? How many strikes on goal, how many passes per match?. How many found their target?

Statistics don't provide all the answers all the time but they do offer a good guide.

Then you've gotta look at the team as a whole. Find the best available specialists for each position but ask the further question. Can they shoot, can they score? If they can do their principal job and pose a threat in and around their opponents penalty area then its a bonus.

With attackers the additional bonus would be can they do a safe job, if required, in defending, are they useful at defensive set pieces etc.

Next there are free-kicks and corners. So many goals come from these if yoiu've got a good team you, as a manager, have to be sure you've got people who can deliver these. Imaginative, clinical, varied free kicks and corners produce goals.

That's how to decide a football team. On facts not friends.

[wirralsimon]

I think the problem lies with the quality of the players he has signed- mainly from his old club. Has anyone seen the Scottish Premier table recently? They don't seem to be missing any of our guys. It used to be said that apart from Rangers and Celtic the rest of the Scottish Premier set up was about on a par with our Coca Cola League One. It looks to me that CL has done the same as Peter Taylor in bringing in players from a lower standard and hoping to develop them. Sometimes it works but it's a gamble because at the end of the season it will be the points on the board that decide. Right now we are flirting with the LDV Vans trophy for next season. That said I don't think a change of manager at this stage will do much good for the simple reason that I don't think that the Club would appeal to anyone decent . We just have to hope that CL gets it right- starting soon!

I am not sure you understand the financial position CL was in.

The wage bill needed cutting from £11 million down to £5-6 million (according to reports) so sticking with the squad he had was never going to be an option. Bringing in established Championship players of a similar or better standard wasn't an option either, as we couldn't have afforded the wages let alone the transfer fees. Bringing in older players on frees is what got us into trouble in the first place.

Incidentally Hearts now have a millionaire backer and have been able to replace the departees with decent players and they have an excellent manager, so there is more to it that players leaving to join CL.

The PT comprison is unfair, he spent millions bringing in players of a lower standard on 20k a week deals, while CL has bought in payers for (mostly) small/no fees on maybe 4-5k a week or less.

There is a grain of truth in your comment about bringing in players of a lower standard and looking to develop them, but I still wouldn't say that the squad as a whole is weaker than under MA. It is also a squad that is getting stronger with younger players who will get batter rather than fading jorneymen.

Simon

[Dr The Singh]

I think most people would like to see CL succeed but what get's me and probably most people is the fact that the team play very poor football both on an individual basis and as a team, and after 17 games this season nothing has improved. I'm afraid CL does not have alot of time cus if we do not improve we will get relegated.

You can only judge a team/squad on it's performance's so the squad is the 18th best in the league and considering clubs like Luton, Watford and many more have less money than city, I believe Levien has no excuses for city's poor start, he is the manager and the buck stops with him!!

[Hullfox]

Incidentally Hearts now have a millionaire backer and have been able to replace the departees with decent players and they have an excellent manager, so there is more to it that players leaving to join CL.

Burley still has managed to get his team playing for him.

Levein has not.

[Hullfox]

I think most people would like to see CL succeed but what get's me and probably most people is the fact that the team play very poor football both on an individual basis and as a team, and after 17 games this season nothing has improved. I'm afraid CL does not have alot of time cus if we do not improve we will get relegated.

You can only judge a team/squad on it's performance's so the squad is the 18th best in the league and considering clubs like Luton, Watford and many more have less money than city, I believe Levien has no excuses for city's poor start, he is the manager and the buck stops with him!!

Great Post from The Singh.

[BenFilbert]

My opinion on Leicester is:

I've never seen a team that have shot themselves in the foot so many times,when it appears that they may find some form,they go and lose,I was suprised one year ago you appointed Levein and did'nt think he would be a success for you,he has done nothing to change my opinion over the year.

He's got rid of rubbish and brought in quality.

[Hullfox]

He's got rid of rubbish and brought in quality.

Quality that has not delivered yet unfortunately.

[BenFilbert]

Quality that has not delivered yet unfortunately.

No it hasn't. It will though in my opinion. We were going nowhere with Micky. Our team was full of oldies. It wasn't long before they would have to be replaced anyway. We've now got a much younger team. Craig has put us in a good position. Some of Craig's players might turn out to be not good enough but at least he's going the right way with things. We need to give them time.

[Dr The Singh]

It's all if's, but's, maybe's!!!

The facts are all there for all to see, 18th in the league!!!

The players and manager have yet to prove themselves and there quality is certainly debatable!

I'm not anti/for CL, but the club is in potentially serious situation with relegation form, dwindling support and below par performances. The questions I would like to ask you all

1. How much time do we give CL?

2. Under what circumstances do we sack CL ie if we are in the bottom 3 at xmas he gets the boot?

[Thracian]

It's all if's, but's, maybe's!!!

The facts are all there for all to see, 18th in the league!!!

The players and manager have yet to prove themselves and there quality is certainly debatable!

I'm not anti/for CL, but the club is in potentially serious situation with relegation form, dwindling support and below par performances. The questions I would like to ask you all

1. How much time do we give CL?

2. Under what circumstances do we sack CL ie if we are in the bottom 3 at xmas he gets the boot?

Anyone can ask questions like that. What exactly do you propose if the club gets rid of Levein (at presumably horrendous cost) brings in another manager (who, for Heaven's sake) and then has to wait while he, presumably, gets in his own players/staff around him and City go through another expensive upheaval which might fail just the same.

There's a few pay lip service to building for the future but don't have the patience to ride a few rapids on the way.

What did you all expect...a fairy Godmother with a magic wand?.

Look how patient I've had to be trying to get him to play our best full-back!. You'd think he'd WANT to play our best team but he can be a stubborn so-and-so - and sometimes he just HAS to learn things the hard way.

Anyway, when Gold-Smith's back it won't matter. We'll start collecting points, start moving up the table and everyone'll reckon Craig's a magician. Gold-Smith will gie him one vital thing, breathing space. I hope he uses it well. He has much to learn as a manager but so have most of the others we are likely to get as replacements.

So let him learn and let's try to help him on the way.

[BenFilbert]

It's all if's, but's, maybe's!!!

The facts are all there for all to see, 18th in the league!!!

The players and manager have yet to prove themselves and there quality is certainly debatable!

I'm not anti/for CL, but the club is in potentially serious situation with relegation form, dwindling support and below par performances. The questions I would like to ask you all

1. How much time do we give CL?

2. Under what circumstances do we sack CL ie if we are in the bottom 3 at xmas he gets the boot?

I didn't use many. I was pointing out facts.

1 - Christmas 2006 but we can't really put a time on it. It depends how things go.

2 - We won't be in the bottom 3 at christmas. You're using an if there.

[Dr The Singh]

Anyone can ask questions like that. What exactly do you propose if the club gets rid of Levein (at presumably horrendous cost) brings in another manager (who, for Heaven's sake) and then has to wait while he, presumably, gets in his own players/staff around him and City go through another expensive upheaval which might fail just the same.

There's a few pay lip service to building for the future but don't have the patience to ride a few rapids on the way.

What did you all expect...a fairy Godmother with a magic wand?.

Look how patient I've had to be trying to get him to play our best full-back!. You'd think he'd WANT to play our best team but he can be a stubborn so-and-so - and sometimes he just HAS to learn things the hard way.

Anyway, when Gold-Smith's back it won't matter. We'll start collecting points, start moving up the table and everyone'll reckon Craig's a magician. Gold-Smith will gie him one vital thing, breathing space. I hope he uses it well. He has much to learn as a manager but so have most of the others we are likely to get as replacements.

So let him learn and let's try to help him on the way.

Again it's, but's and maybe's

In an ideal world, CL would get all the time in the world and if city win here next 5 games this discussion would have been irrelevant and I would be the happiest man in the world. But if things continue as they are and on current form we will be in a relegation battle, the support will dwindle etc, etc, so do we keep the faith??

Is the cost of relegation more than the cost of regime change, I don't know??? Replacement?? They are all the boards decision, all I care about is the wellbeing and future of the club, if CL's the one to take the club forward, if not, then the board decides on a replacement. Yes you are correct, there aren't many managers out in the market who we would deem suitable and it's still a gamble. But we have had CL for 12 months and we still play garbage football, so which gamble do we take, CL or Another???

What did you all expect...a fairy Godmother with a magic wand?.

No, just some entertaining football would do!!!

Let's hope CL learns quickly then!!!

[l444ry]

Nobody likes to see Craig Levein struggle like this, but you've got to wake up and smell the coffee if you think he'll turn this round. Us older fans can remember the same old rubbish about giving more time when David Pleat was boss. It surely can't go unnoticed that we are now in a worse position than when he left. On the field of play, we are in the worst state in our history. Craig Levein does't even know his best team yet. He messes the side about too much. Unfortunately he has lost his way because the Scottish League was uncompetitive and it made him seem better than he is. I would love to be proved wrong....but I doubt I will.

[Steven]

Nobody likes to see Craig Levein struggle like this, but you've got to wake up and smell the coffee if you think he'll turn this round. Us older fans can remember the same old rubbish about giving more time when David Pleat was boss. It surely can't go unnoticed that we are now in a worse position than when he left. On the field of play, we are in the worst state in our history. Craig Levein does't even know his best team yet. He messes the side about too much. Unfortunately he has lost his way because the Scottish League was uncompetitive and it made him seem better than he is. I would love to be proved wrong....but I doubt I will.

I am sadly coming to that conclusion myself.

A Hearts poster posted this on another forum

1. His tactics were mind numbingly boring.

2. A 0-0 at home seemed acceptable to him - first priority safety first and do not lose.

3. He played players totally out of position.

4. His signings were p*ss poor.

5. Any players that didn't run around like headless chickens for 90 minutes were OUT - no matter how skilful.

6. He is an arrogant S*D.

7. He is tactically inept.

These observations were based on watching Hearts for the 3 years he was in charge however (perhaps understandably) some LCFC fans saw my critiscms as sour grapes.

We all recognise this in CL and it suggests to me that indeed the standard of the SPL is significantly lower than that of the Fizzy with the current exception of Hearts, Celtic and Rangers.

[Hullfox]

I'm nervous about it all.

It's in danger of becoming like the Emperor's new clothes. Nobody dare say how it really is.

We shouldn't be approaching must win games at this stage of the season.

[davieG]

I'm nervous about it all.

It's in danger of becoming like the Emperor's new clothes. Nobody dare say how it really is.

We shouldn't be approaching must win games at this stage of the season.

Well we should, but it should be to get to the top/playoffs not to avoid a relegation situation