Gary Rowett

[Pliskin]

On 07/04/2026 at 21:08, 1972 Fox said:

 

The poor quality and stinking attitude of this squad is nowhere near the play-offs, with Enzo or any other manager, even without the 6 point deduction.

I disagree, Enzo would have because he was able to get the best out of the payers he had. They would buy into his philosophy. Faes wanted to leave, and he stayed and recently said how good things were under Enzo. 
 

Plus Enzo genuinely wouldn’t have taken any shit. The players who aren’t functioning wouldn’t be playing. 
 

We certainly wouldn’t be getting relegated under Enzo put it that way. 

[1972 Fox]

44 minutes ago, Pliskin said:

I disagree, Enzo would have because he was able to get the best out of the payers he had. They would buy into his philosophy. Faes wanted to leave, and he stayed and recently said how good things were under Enzo. 
 

Plus Enzo genuinely wouldn’t have taken any shit. The players who aren’t functioning wouldn’t be playing. 
 

We certainly wouldn’t be getting relegated under Enzo put it that way. 

Agree with your last paragraph but this squad is not play-offs material under any manager.

[Pliskin]

52 minutes ago, 1972 Fox said:

Agree with your last paragraph but this squad is not play-offs material under any manager.

On paper it should be, from the off, under the right type of manager it could be. Let’s not pull shit or bullshit, the wages this lot are on and the PL and experience a lot of the group have, and taking into consideration the absolute shit state of this league, this group is more than capable of at least making the play offs. But such is the rotten culture at the club, it won’t. Our days of success now hinge purely on hiring a top class manages, which ain’t going to happen. 

[filbertway]

The joys of playing a low scoring random game. Roy Hodgson getting noshed off and Rowett's getting absolutely battered.

 

Gotta love the power of result based thinking haha.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Broof]

It's absolutely wild to me people are still doubting Enzo. It's going to be a very long time before we get a manager in that ever ends up working in a top half Premier league club. Meanwhile, Enzo will spend the next ten seasons in the champions league. 

[inckley fox]

9 hours ago, SafewayFox said:

Whilst I agree with the majority of this post, do you genuinely believe that Enzo signs Skipp, Ayew and Reid?

 

Those signings alone, made us weaker than the year before (losing our best player in KDH).

 

For me, it was so simple, replace KDH with a like for like player - don’t spunk £70m on the above and even Bilal (we had Buonanotte on loan already).

 

Search Europe for a striker who can play up top on his own and has the benefit of learning from Vardy/rotating.

 

We’d have been in such a better position, or in even simpler terms….do what Sunderland did this year….look at their signings compared to ours, hideous mis-management from our two clowns and Glover, when will he get the much deserved criticism that he deserves on here btw?

I wouldn't argue with you for one second on Glover. I appreciate that this environment might not be a great one for him to thrive in, but the track record - on expensive and budget signings at both this level and higher - suggests a major overhaul is needed at recruitment level. That'd cover his unceremonious dismissal and that of Rudkin, you'd tend to think.

 

For that reason, the failures of our post-Puel managers in the marketplace (and I'd include Enzo in that for the money spent on Cannon, Coady, Winks etc.) has to be put in the context of five different managers, some of which haven't been entirely awful in their recruitment elsewhere, failing at LCFC. Rodgers will get zero sympathy for that because he brought in his own incompetent Head of Recruitment, but he still had to deal with Rudkin, and everyone since him has additionally been saddled with Glover and a whole raft of financial difficulties.

 

So when I say that Enzo did well, I'm not just saying it for a little balance before I go on a rant about how his achievement was nothing remarkable, how the wheels were already coming off, or how his team-building did nothing to establish foundations for on-going development. He really does deserve ample credit for what he achieved. He was a good City boss in an era of managers who were either substandard, or unable to cope with the cascade of **** splashing down from 'them upstairs'. That doesn't apply to him. Was he a shining light in the darkness? Hardly. But he did a sound enough job for a while.

 

Would he have signed Okoli, Skipp, Ayew or Reid? Regardless of them being well-known players, and Cooper publicly embracing the need for experience, it still doesn't mean that the recruitment department weren't the main players in preparing that shortlist. Nor does it mean that Enzo had had no involvement in creating the shortlist, or disagreed about the need for top flight 'know-how' in the months before his exit. After all, targets are usually prepared over a period of months rather than weeks.

 

Enzo's own aforementioned errors in the market mean that we can suppose he would have (together with Glover and co., of course) made mistakes of his own, whether they were the same mistakes or not.

[AKCJ]

3 hours ago, Broof said:

It's absolutely wild to me people are still doubting Enzo. It's going to be a very long time before we get a manager in that ever ends up working in a top half Premier league club. Meanwhile, Enzo will spend the next ten seasons in the champions league. 

He's going to be the manager of choice for the one of the richest clubs in Europe to replace the best manager of all time and yet you still get people on here who would rather have a plodder like Rowett.

 

[AKCJ]

5 hours ago, filbertway said:

The joys of playing a low scoring random game. Roy Hodgson getting noshed off and Rowett's getting absolutely battered.

 

Gotta love the power of result based thinking haha.

 

 

 

 

 

 

If it was October i'd agree with you but results are going to keep us in the division, not xG.

[HankMarvin]

5 hours ago, filbertway said:

The joys of playing a low scoring random game. Roy Hodgson getting noshed off and Rowett's getting absolutely battered.

 

Gotta love the power of result based thinking haha.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Great we battered teams on paper and they come away with points at a pivotal point of the season.

Rowet has had 9 games and only scored more than 1 on three occasions

 

We shouldn’t be shocked at the poor results both were terrible appointments.

Newly relegated prem team appoint manager that finished 15th in the championship 

Sacked 8 months later in 14th.

 

Rowet sacked by relegation threatened Oxford with 1 win in 10.

Currently with 1 win in 9

Both had/have similar points per game to their last jobs

It’s just further incompetence from the board.

[filbertway]

9 minutes ago, AKCJ said:

If it was October i'd agree with you but results are going to keep us in the division, not xG.

Well sure, but I'm not sure what more the manager can do if we're putting up those kinds of stats. It's individual errors at key moments that are causing the poor results, clearly we're doing enough to dominate and create chances and we're not conceding a great deal of chances.

 

I'm sure the beloved Roy Hodgson or any gaffer would be experiencing similar pains if their players keeps conceding chances and missing good chances.

[AKCJ]

4 minutes ago, filbertway said:

Well sure, but I'm not sure what more the manager can do if we're putting up those kinds of stats. It's individual errors at key moments that are causing the poor results, clearly we're doing enough to dominate and create chances and we're not conceding a great deal of chances.

 

I'm sure the beloved Roy Hodgson or any gaffer would be experiencing similar pains if their players keeps conceding chances and missing good chances.

If it's not the responsibility of the manager to ensure that players aren't making consistent defensive errors or not finishing chances then whose it it?

 

Rowett keeps playing the players that are letting him down.

[HankMarvin]

4 minutes ago, filbertway said:

'm sure the beloved Roy Hodgson or any gaffer would be experiencing similar pains if their players keeps conceding chances and missing good chances.

Isn’t that part of the managerial package though, to install belief into players and get them at their best?

These are not players that have spent their careers in the lower leagues.

Mukasa looked a world beater for the first few games and now blends right in.

 

Bloomfield came in at Oxford with the same set of players and is getting better results. 
Yet people could’ve argued they just were not good enough before his appointment 

[filbertway]

33 minutes ago, AKCJ said:

If it's not the responsibility of the manager to ensure that players aren't making consistent defensive errors or not finishing chances then whose it it?

 

Rowett keeps playing the players that are letting him down.

I'd say the players.

 

Obviously if he's leaving Mbappe and Reuben Dias on the bench then fair play, but every single player in the squad aside from James has come in for criticism and and played poorly. Not sure what people are expecting from the guy. Some kind of mad magic.

 

I'm gonna chalk it down to frustration to be fair, it is annoying.

 

However looking at it objectively and not through a lens of absolute misery and disgust at the club for hiring a manager like Rowett, we're playing as well as we have done this season overall. 

 

Would be class if it clicked one game and we didn't have 5 or 6 brain farts in a game. Ideally soon, like this weekend.

[filbertway]

Feels like the Rodgers days again, just in reverse

 

I was right about Rodgers and by god I'll be right about Rowett! (Don't let me down Gary)

[AKCJ]

3 minutes ago, filbertway said:

I'd say the players.

 

Obviously if he's leaving Mbappe and Reuben Dias on the bench then fair play, but every single player in the squad aside from James has come in for criticism and and played poorly. Not sure what people are expecting from the guy. Some kind of mad magic.

 

I'm gonna chalk it down to frustration to be fair, it is annoying.

 

However looking at it objectively and not through a lens of absolute misery and disgust at the club for hiring a manager like Rowett, we're playing as well as we have done this season overall. 

 

Would be class if it clicked one game and we didn't have 5 or 6 brain farts in a game. Ideally soon, like this weekend.

I don't think that anyone that has watched us play against PNE or Sheff Wed could honestly say that we've played well.

[inckley fox]

9 hours ago, Pliskin said:

I disagree, Enzo would have because he was able to get the best out of the payers he had. They would buy into his philosophy. Faes wanted to leave, and he stayed and recently said how good things were under Enzo. 
 

Plus Enzo genuinely wouldn’t have taken any shit. The players who aren’t functioning wouldn’t be playing. 
 

We certainly wouldn’t be getting relegated under Enzo put it that way. 

They did buy into it, but after the six-month mark they weren't in automatic promotion form. After the eight month mark, they weren't even in play-off form. There were plenty of players out of form who were still in the squad and in the first team. We limped over the line and it was clear to all and sundry that the tactics were going to need a rethink in the PL. And this was a guy who had significant funds in the market, often misspent, no pending points deductions, and who inherited far better players (Vardy, Ndidi, KDH, the younger Pereira etc.) than our last few managers.

 

The downturn which still afflicts us today began over two years ago, when he was in charge. Faes deciding to hang around as a result of Enzo's faith in him merely meant that he was a disaster for the next two managers in the PL, and the manager after that in the FLC, just as he'd been a complete disaster for Enzo's two predecessors. It's not much of an argument in Maresca's favour or legacy that, instead of working on Nelson or Souttar, he prioritised such a straightforward disaster of a player. You could argue that it was the lesser of the evils - especially given the failure of the defender he himself brought in at great cost - and ultimately justifiable as a result of him actually achieving what he was appointed to achieve. But I'm unconvinced that any of that represents a significant achievement on his part.

 

Would he have done a better job than Cifuentes? It's very possible because I think he was a manager with a clearer vision and greater ability to get people (initially at least) on board than those who followed him, but the circumstances in which he achieved his success were very different to the ones that Marti faced. Many, many managers would have achieved what Enzo achieved with what he inherited. And many, many would have struggled as severely as Cifuentes and Rowett with what they inherited. The two situations are barely comparable. And the key factors dictating the outcomes were not the specific bosses in charge at the time, but rather the worsening chaos in the boardroom.

[HankMarvin]

3 minutes ago, AKCJ said:

I don't think that anyone that has watched us play against PNE or Sheff Wed could honestly say that we've played well.

Yeah against teams on worse runs of form than us 7 defeats in their last 6 games combined and one win.

 

Edited 9 April by HankMarvin

[Fox92]

39 minutes ago, HankMarvin said:

Isn’t that part of the managerial package though, to install belief into players and get them at their best?

These are not players that have spent their careers in the lower leagues.

Mukasa looked a world beater for the first few games and now blends right in.

 

Bloomfield came in at Oxford with the same set of players and is getting better results. 
Yet people could’ve argued they just were not good enough before his appointment 

Oxford signed about 10 players in January and got rid of about 10 players too, either permanently or on loan. 

 

Meanwhile we signed a defender that hasn't played for about two years, a midfielder criticised at Southampton and two players that have barely played (granted Mukasa has been good for us).

[HankMarvin]

31 minutes ago, Fox92 said:

Oxford signed about 10 players in January and got rid of about 10 players too, either permanently or on loan. 

 

Meanwhile we signed a defender that hasn't played for about two years, a midfielder criticised at Southampton and two players that have barely played (granted Mukasa has been good for us).

That makes it sound far more important than it was, net spend was zero for January.

 

Oxford net spend: January 2026

Oxford total spend January 2026: £0m

Oxford total income January 2026: £0m

Oxford net spend January 2026: £0m

 

The destination of the players that left into the lower leagues for frees and loan transfers tells you their value to the club.

 

Looking at some of their values 

of players in, Its like highlighting Richards loan that doesn’t get a game time here or a mention. 

All the loan signings we have made walk straight into that team which highlights the difference in quality and is never used favourably in terms of why if anything Rowet should be doing better than Cifuntes.

Yet is used as a reason for Oxfords upturn in results 

 

Jamie Donley Tottenham Hotspur (Loan). 1m value

Myles Peart-Harris(Confirmed early Jan).600k Value 

Yunus Emre Konak Brentford (Loan).2m Value

Jamie McDonnell Nottingham Forest.700k value

Jin-Woo Jeon). 600k value

Christ Makosso: Luton Town (Loan). 500k value

 

 

 

Edited 9 April by HankMarvin

[Enyoueffsea]

1 hour ago, Fox92 said:

Oxford signed about 10 players in January and got rid of about 10 players too, either permanently or on loan. 

 

Meanwhile we signed a defender that hasn't played for about two years, a midfielder criticised at Southampton and two players that have barely played (granted Mukasa has been good for us).

 

Oxford squad value - £37.65m

Leicester squad value - £145.15m
 

If you went on squad cost…

 

Oxford squad cost - £3.91m

Leicester squad cost - £186m

 

Or maybe wages…

 

Oxford annual wage bill - £14m

Leicester annual wage bill - £42.6m

 

Yet a few loan signings and free transfers in January have made all the difference?

Edited 9 April by Enyoueffsea

[Fox92]

1 hour ago, HankMarvin said:

That makes it sound far more important than it was, net spend was zero for January.

 

Oxford net spend: January 2026

Oxford total spend January 2026: £0m

Oxford total income January 2026: £0m

Oxford net spend January 2026: £0m

 

The destination of the players that left into the lower leagues for frees and loan transfers tells you their value to the club.

 

Looking at some of their values 

of players in, Its like highlighting Richards loan that doesn’t get a game time here or a mention. 

All the loan signings we have made walk straight into that team which highlights the difference in quality and is never used favourably in terms of why if anything Rowet should be doing better than Cifuntes.

Yet is used as a reason for Oxfords upturn in results 

 

Jamie Donley Tottenham Hotspur (Loan). 1m value

Myles Peart-Harris(Confirmed early Jan).600k Value 

Yunus Emre Konak Brentford (Loan).2m Value

Jamie McDonnell Nottingham Forest.700k value

Jin-Woo Jeon). 600k value

Christ Makosso: Luton Town (Loan). 500k value

 

 

 

I wasn't comparing fees or anything like that, just talking about getting players in. Oxford signed players that have since played (I'm not sure of their starting 11 now compared to earlier this season) and we signed players that have added nothing to our team (again, aside from Mukasa). Quality is relevant as we are more attractive than Oxford, no disrespect, so should be able to pull in better quality players/players that would have improved our starting 11. Unfortunately we didn't. 

 

3 minutes ago, Enyoueffsea said:

 

Oxford squad value - £37.65m

Leicester squad value - £145.15m
 

If you went on squad cost…

 

Oxford squad cost - £3.91m

Leicester squad cost - £186m

 

Or maybe wages…

 

Oxford annual wage bill - £14m

Leicester annual wage bill - £42.6m

 

Yet a few loan signings and free transfers in January have made all the difference?

Hank said "Bloomfield came in at Oxford with the same set of players and is getting better results" and I pointed out they've signed about 10 players since his arrival so it's not really the same set of players. I don't watch Oxford every week but loan signings and free transfers may have been a difference, who knows, football isn't played on squad values or squad costs and we should know that more than most.

 

It's clear that Rowett faded at Oxford. He started so well, kept them up, made them better and it faded away this season for whatever reason. Bloomfield has made a good impact, achieving results Rowett should have (and did do last season) but time will tell if the same happens to him too. 

Edited 9 April by Fox92

[Enyoueffsea]

Just now, Fox92 said:

I wasn't comparing fees or anything like that, just talking about getting players in. Oxford signed players that have since played (I'm not sure of their starting 11 now compared to earlier this season) and we signed players that have added nothing to our team (again, aside from Mukasa). Quality is relevant as we are more attractive than Oxford, no disrespect, so should be able to pull in better quality players/players that would have improved our starting 11. Unfortunately we didn't. 

 

Hank said "Bloomfield came in at Oxford with the same set of players and is getting better results" and I pointed out they've signed about 10 players since his arrival so it's not really the same set of players. I don't watch Oxford every week but loan signings and free transfers may have been a difference, who knows, football isn't played on squad values or squad costs and we should know that more than most.

 

I think the key point here is in a road race Rowett is driving a Ferrari and Bloomfield a Fiat 500, the fact you’re still in a relegation fight tells you Rowett has under performed.

 

This Leicester squad may not have the quality and personality to get promoted, but there is enough talent in that dressing room to be way beyond a relegation battle.

[Foxin_Mad]

5 minutes ago, Enyoueffsea said:

 

I think the key point here is in a road race Rowett is driving a Ferrari and Bloomfield a Fiat 500, the fact you’re still in a relegation fight tells you Rowett has under performed.

 

This Leicester squad may not have the quality and personality to get promoted, but there is enough talent in that dressing room to be way beyond a relegation battle.

Its a very different dynamic to come into a team thats shite 2/3rds into a season that can not defend or keep a clean sheet, has the worst pressing stats, the worst running stats, the worst distance covered per game, to worst xg. Has genuinely been coached awfully. 

 

All of this mess is down to Cifuentes and Cifuentes only. 

Edited 9 April by Foxin_Mad

[Fox92]

3 minutes ago, Enyoueffsea said:

 

I think the key point here is in a road race Rowett is driving a Ferrari and Bloomfield a Fiat 500, the fact you’re still in a relegation fight tells you Rowett has under performed.

 

This Leicester squad may not have the quality and personality to get promoted, but there is enough talent in that dressing room to be way beyond a relegation battle.

Rowett has been here for less than 10 games, he was brought in because we were in a relegation battle. if we weren't in a relegation battle he would not be our manager. We are not in a relegation battle because he has "under performed".

 

He walked into a team already in a relegation battle and struggling to keep clean sheets.

[Pliskin]

8 hours ago, filbertway said:

The joys of playing a low scoring random game. Roy Hodgson getting noshed off and Rowett's getting absolutely battered.

 

Gotta love the power of result based thinking haha.

 

 

 

 

 

 

But, Roy has got two results. 
 

I don’t give a shit if we literally touch the ball once in a game, wins and three points is the only thing that keeps us up, at the moment, performances mean ****…. I’d rather we win 5 in a row 1-0, with the majority defending for our lives than playing well…..