The next Leicester manager

[Sparky]

I see your point, but I can't see how Dave Bassett is a gamble. We know exactly what we would get with him. Probably not the most attractive football, but can anyone see us going down with Bassett in charge? Personally I think he would guarantee survival which has got to be our only concern - staying up is that important for the future of LCFC.

i see the point . couldnt see bassett taking us down, yeah maybe i aint got a crystal ball but neither has anyone else

[City Fan]

Do you think it would be a gamble giving Bassett the job?

No it wouldn't be a gamble because we all know what we would get with Bassett. Shit performances, shit results, relegation.

[FNQ]

No it wouldn't be a gamble because we all know what we would get with Bassett. Shit performances, shit results, relegation.

You actually think he would relegate us. I just can't see that in a month of sundays.

The likes of Dave Penney, Gary Mac, John Gorman et al are probably all more 'exciting' and probably all have more 'potential' and would show more ambition from the club, but i think the risk associated with them is just too high. We simply can not get this wrong.

[Ultra]

Well he couldn't clear up the mess that Taylor left us.

So what makes you think he'd do any better now?

He's a washed-up has-been. Leave well alone!

[TrickyTrev]

Doesn't this thread make most of you realise that you won't get another manager with the career record of Levein in. Stick with him, he has been very unfortunate during hsi tiem at Leicester. I am not saying I am happy with the way things are going but chriust if the alternative is John Gregory...

[Thracian]

The sad thing is, any replacement manager is likely to be another stop gap, shit solution.

Odds on Dave Bassett returning?

Dave Bassett would not be my choice. Dave Bassett is limited at management like so many other ex-footballers but let's not not mock the man.

He would have managed within his limitations and there is no way he'd have chalked up a run of results like we've had with the resources available to Levein. It's hard to imagine ANYONE overseeing such a run while failing to at least try to deal with our most obvious failings.

Ironically, I believe it all goes back to his dropping Sheehan after the Sheffield Wednesday match, though I don't doubt many of you you will mock me.

Levein affected his confidence with that decision and the fans completed the job after Crewe. His situation was by no means the ONLY reason for our subsequent demise but it WAS the catalyst.

Ironically Leicester took four points from the two games Sheehan played and scored four goals though one perfectly good goal was disallowed.

Sheehan is no superman but he WAS the key to tilting the attacking balance of our side so that we had greater attacking options and so the regular attackers had more space and better passes/free-kicks from which to make chances.

That balance, I am convinced would have left us six to nine points better off if Levein had stuck to one simple 4-4-2 attacking system of play, and committed to it, from the Wednesday game forward.

He has failed because of his perpetual tinkering with players who are not sophisticated enough to move flawlessly from system to system.

Defence-based tactics were never a real option. Even during our goodish defensive spell, the clean sheets were always thanks to some pretty glaring misses by the opposition - not lots of them - but easy misses nevertheless.

The clean sheets therefore flattered to deceive, hiding the real truth that our defence was always flawed and particularly when Dublin was not included. It always needed extra support from midfield to stay tight, thus reducing our attacking potency.

Dublin played against Sheffield Wednesday and guided Sheehan brilliantly throughout. Those two should always have remained key players. We should have borrowed a competent, proven striker and replaced Sylla on the right wing. Simple.

And if Levein or anyone else does that now and refuses to let other teams compromise his system by dictating tactics, we will start collecting points again.

The team we should play now is:

Douglas;

Stearman, McCarthy, Dublin, Sheehan;

Smith, Williams, Gudjonsson, Tiatto (special instructions);

Hume, Hammond.

Subs: Maybury, Gerrbrand, Hughes, Kisnorbo, Chambers.

Look at that side. It is attacking. It is balanced. It has natural left and right side players. It has creativity. It has speed. It has potential goals. It is fairly tough. It has energy. It has passing accuracy and variety. It has no obvious weaknesses providing Tiatto accepts his responsibility for not fouling people and not giving silly free kicks away (a big if and the major potential weakness).

However his energy and potential to cover when Sheehan goes forward make it important that he rather than Hammill plays. We are in a battle now and Hammill is not the ideal man for a battle but we HAVE to score goals to win matches.

I have deliberately left DeVries out altogether, not because he is a bad player but because as soon as he's on the park (or Dublin in attack) we go for the long ball forward and feeding off the flicks.

That would only work in the 4-3-3 system I mentioned earlier in the season with Hume in the hole. No-one has showed any inclination to use that system so why flog a dead horse?

Apart from injuries, the system and personel should remain unchanged for a spell of several games with fringe players being earmarked for particular places within that system in the event of the unavoidable need for changes.

If in the transfer window we get a winger and a striker, they can fit obviously and effortlessly into the system.

[Sparky]

Dave Bassett would not be my choice. Dave Bassett is limited at management like so many other ex-footballers but let's not not mock the man.

He would have managed within his limitations and there is no way he'd have chalked up a run of results like we've had with the resources available to Levein. It's hard to imagine ANYONE overseeing such a run while failing to at least try to deal with our most obvious failings.

Ironically, I believe it all goes back to his dropping Sheehan after the Sheffield Wednesday match, though I don't doubt many of you you will mock me.

Levein affected his confidence with that decision and the fans completed the job after Crewe. His situation was by no means the ONLY reason for our subsequent demise but it WAS the catalyst.

Ironically Leicester took four points from the two games Sheehan played and scored four goals though one perfectly good goal was disallowed.

Sheehan is no superman but he WAS the key to tilting the attacking balance of our side so that we had greater attacking options and so the regular attackers had more space and better passes/free-kicks from which to make chances.

That balance, I am convinced would have left us six to nine points better off if Levein had stuck to one simple 4-4-2 attacking system of play, and committed to it, from the Wednesday game forward.

He has failed because of his perpetual tinkering with players who are not sophisticated enough to move flawlessly from system to system.

Defence-based tactics were never a real option. Even during our goodish defensive spell, the clean sheets were always thanks to some pretty glaring misses by the opposition - not lots of them - but easy misses nevertheless.

The clean sheets therefore flattered to deceive, hiding the real truth that our defence was always flawed and particularly when Dublin was not included. It always needed extra support from midfield to stay tight, thus reducing our attacking potency.

Dublin played against Sheffield Wednesday and guided Sheehan brilliantly throughout. Those two should always have remained key players. We should have borrowed a competent, proven striker and replaced Sylla on the right wing. Simple.

And if Levein or anyone else does that now and refuses to let other teams compromise his system by dictating tactics, we will start collecting points again.

The team we should play now is:

Douglas;

Stearman, McCarthy, Dublin, Sheehan;

Smith, Williams, Gudjonsson, Tiatto (special instructions);

Hume, Hammond.

Subs: Maybury, Gerrbrand, Hughes, Kisnorbo, Chambers.

Look at that side. It is attacking. It is balanced. It has natural left and right side players. It has creativity. It has speed. It has potential goals. It is fairly tough. It has energy. It has passing accuracy and variety. It has no obvious weaknesses providing Tiatto accepts his responsibility for not fouling people and not giving silly free kicks away (a big if and the major potential weakness).

However his energy and potential to cover when Sheehan goes forward make it important that he rather than Hammill plays. We are in a battle now and Hammill is not the ideal man for a battle but we HAVE to score goals to win matches.

I have deliberately left DeVries out altogether, not because he is a bad player but because as soon as he's on the park (or Dublin in attack) we go for the long ball forward and feeding off the flicks.

That would only work in the 4-3-3 system I mentioned earlier in the season with Hume in the hole. No-one has showed any inclination to use that system so why flog a dead horse?

Apart from injuries, the system and personel should remain unchanged for a spell of several games with fringe players being earmarked for particular places within that system in the event of the unavoidable need for changes.

If in the transfer window we get a winger and a striker, they can fit obviously and effortlessly into the system.

you mention the special instruction bit for tiatto thrach but surely every time he goes on the pitch weather it be under adams or levein he MUST have been given those instructions before and still payed no attention to them

[City Fan]

CL: "Danny here are you're extra special instructions: Don't get sent off!"

You would rather Tiatto was in the side than Hughesy?

[Sparky]

All these names people are plucking out of the air and saying "worth a gamble" etc in a rather casual way - this gamble you are talking about could well mean the death of LCFC as we know it; so worth a gamble is not good enough for me.

Sure we can't have a guaranteed nailed on survival, but they have to be more than just a gamble they must have some sort of pedigree of success, preferably in this league othewise I just don't see the point in you wanting to replace Levein with them other than for changes sake, because you could argue that CL himself is " worth a gamble"

the thing is davie , what ever we do is now a gamble

keep levein--- GAMBLE

replace with young inexperianced manager GAMBLE

replace with journeyman experiance manager GAMBLE

i think the keep levein bit is the biggest gamble of all

[Ultra]

The team we should play now is:

Douglas;

Stearman, McCarthy, Dublin, Sheehan;

Smith, Williams, Gudjonsson, Tiatto (special instructions);

Hume, Hammond.

Subs: Maybury, Gerrbrand, Hughes, Kisnorbo, Chambers.

Some observations on your selection:

1) Douglas in goal?

2) THREE youngsters in the back four?

3) Dublin starting, when he has proved repeatedly this season (including yesterday) he is no longer up to 90 minutes?

4) Tiatto accepting, at this late stage in his career, "his responsibility for not fouling people"?

5) A strikeforce which, apart from that glorious afternoon against the blunts, has consistently failed to deliver?

I do however agree that the manager has tinkered far too often with the side, especially in the back four. If and when we find a winning combination, we MUST stick with that and ensure some stability within the side.

[Ash]

I'd want Newell , but i bet we get Gregory.

[Babylon]

its true what u say but is it a gamble worth taking?

bothroyd , pearce , blackwell , mcclaren had little/no experience in managing or done anything to warrent getting there jobs before going on to do fairly well

No it's not a gamble worth taking.

No matter who you appoint it's a gamble as you just don't know what's going to happen. But getting someone with a decent track record would in theory give you a better chance than an unknown.

People are saying Levein will take us down, the fact is we haven't been in the bottom three at any point under him so what facts are they basing these comments on. Considering our last four managers have managed to take the club lower down the table than the previous one, if that happens again we are fooked.

I'll stick with Levein for now and back him.

[breadandcheese]

Interesting viewpoint there Thrac. Don't necessarily agree that our problems can be traced back to anyone decision as you suggest, but different perspectives.

What I find interesting is where you say "It's hard to imagine ANYONE overseeing such a run while failing to at least try to deal with our most obvious failings".

I do not think Levein has been doing nothing, or failing to see our weaknesses. The fact is that with transfer windows, you become hindered if you make a bad start or a bad decision. Terry Venables says the same thing today in the sunday papers, with teams unable to bring in an extra player until January.

There is no doubt that Levein made a mistake with our strikeforce this season. He admits than when he speaks of the need to bring in some new strikers and a right mid. However, he has been unable to do anything since October-November when it was clear we needed a new player or two. The one confidence I have wih Levein is that if he feels a player is not right, he will move them out, whether he brought them in or not.

[Jamesino]

I would prefer Martin O'Neill to sign with Leicester City once again rather than England winning the World Cup....

Well... it would be close, but I think its just worth it

One thing is we have a clueless manager and more and more City fans are starting to see that all we have in charge is a novice who has done quite well in a shit league. GET HIM OUT BEFORE ITS TOO LATE.

[martyn]

Thracian, you imply that 'the fans' have completely shot Sheehan's confidence. All that happened was a few people, posting on a messageboard criticised his perfromance in one game.

If he happened to read any messageboard and had his confidence affected by a few lines of text then I question whether he has the right mentality to be a succesful footballer.

I agree though, he probably should be given an extended run in the first team.

[ilam]

My choice would be Craig Levein..honestly it would!!

Keep the faith, trust me., and if we don`t finish in the top 10 this season, I will buy the top 10 posters here a pint of Everards.

Leicester supporter since 1963, exiled to Nottingham

Ian

[ROSSINDA]

My choice would be Craig Levein..honestly it would!!

Keep the faith, trust me., and if we don`t finish in the top 10 this season, I will buy the top 10 posters here a pint of Everards.

Leicester supporter since 1963, exiled to Nottingham

Ian

Oh I would love you to right and we finish in the top ten but sorry "It Just aint gunna happen"

[Jamesino]

My choice would be Craig Levein..honestly it would!!

Keep the faith, trust me., and if we don`t finish in the top 10 this season, I will buy the top 10 posters here a pint of Everards.

Leicester supporter since 1963, exiled to Nottingham

Ian

Sorry mate but how cany you say that. He has been here for 14 months and we are in a worse position then we were when Adams left. Apart from bringing youth to the side, I cannot see how Craig Levein has been good for this football club. All he is is a novice and the championship has been a right hard lesson for Mr. Levein on management in football.

[ilam]

Oh I would love you to right and we finish in the top ten but sorry "It Just aint gunna happen"

Well, as I've said, I`ll stand the pints!!

Ian

[Chrysalis]

Sorry but I need to dig home the harsh truth to people here.

How often does a manager on a bad run turn it around assuming he isnt sacked?

How often does a incoming manager turn a club round that is on a bad run?

I bet the answer to the 2nd question is higher then the 1st question, and on that basis I would say keeping levein is a risk, getting a new manager in is a risk even if it was MON, but getting a new manager in is LESS of a risk. People keep mentioning palace (they had change of manager when they turned it round) ferguson (did he really come to 2 pts from relegation with a 0.33 pts average?) coppell (he hasnt been near the relegation places at reading) warnock (same as coppell)

Likewise their has been some tremendous achievements in my eyes proving my argument 3 years isnt always needed in this league.

Jones at cardiff.

Palace (2 years back)

Blackwell at leeds.

Redknapp at pompy (4 years back)

Those who think craig can turn it around what are you basing this on (other then match domination)? even the domination argument is fading in recent games when we not playing crewe we dont dominate for the whole game.

[davieG]

the thing is davie , what ever we do is now a gamble

keep levein--- GAMBLE

replace with young inexperianced manager GAMBLE

replace with journeyman experiance manager GAMBLE

i think the keep levein bit is the biggest gamble of all

That's fine to think it, but there are lots of people on here calling for CLs head who are convinced that a change of management will guarantee survival, but all it offers is the same chance. People also say the club should be strong and sack Levein, on the basis of the chances of success being equal, being strong could also mean ignore the criticism and stick with Levein. As for me I'll leave it up to the board to make the decision, rightly or wrongly! they are closer to the manager, coaches, players and outside professional opinion that I'm not.

Doesn't mean to say I'm happy about the situation, in fact I haven't been happy about LCFC since Taylor buggered us up and that includes MA's promotion season as anyone could see that was success built on a vacuum of talent, admittedly the money came in useful but had no future and was going nowhere.

[Chrysalis]

davie I agree changing manager is far from garantueeing survival, but I fail to see how craig can suddenly achieve what he has failed to achieve over the past 12 months, I think the chance of a turnaround in form is greater with a new man at the helm.

[davieG]

davie I agree changing manager is far from garantueeing survival, but I fail to see how craig can suddenly achieve what he has failed to achieve over the past 12 months, I think the chance of a turnaround in form is greater with a new man at the helm.

You could be right, and if the board think the same then they need to act, in fact they should have already been acting. Existing managers and change managers have turned it around before and have both failed before, I don't know what the stats would indicate in any case they provide no answer as each case is unique. In some respects, the position we are in we would be just as likely to get it right if we tossed a coin, but I sincerely hope that the board have their collective fingers in the pulse and can make a more valued/considered judgement than tossing a coin or that we, the fans can make.

[l444ry]

Dave Bassett would not be my choice. Dave Bassett is limited at management like so many other ex-footballers but let's not not mock the man.

He would have managed within his limitations and there is no way he'd have chalked up a run of results like we've had with the resources available to Levein. It's hard to imagine ANYONE overseeing such a run while failing to at least try to deal with our most obvious failings.

Ironically, I believe it all goes back to his dropping Sheehan after the Sheffield Wednesday match, though I don't doubt many of you you will mock me.

Levein affected his confidence with that decision and the fans completed the job after Crewe. His situation was by no means the ONLY reason for our subsequent demise but it WAS the catalyst.

Ironically Leicester took four points from the two games Sheehan played and scored four goals though one perfectly good goal was disallowed.

Sheehan is no superman but he WAS the key to tilting the attacking balance of our side so that we had greater attacking options and so the regular attackers had more space and better passes/free-kicks from which to make chances.

That balance, I am convinced would have left us six to nine points better off if Levein had stuck to one simple 4-4-2 attacking system of play, and committed to it, from the Wednesday game forward.

He has failed because of his perpetual tinkering with players who are not sophisticated enough to move flawlessly from system to system.

Defence-based tactics were never a real option. Even during our goodish defensive spell, the clean sheets were always thanks to some pretty glaring misses by the opposition - not lots of them - but easy misses nevertheless.

The clean sheets therefore flattered to deceive, hiding the real truth that our defence was always flawed and particularly when Dublin was not included. It always needed extra support from midfield to stay tight, thus reducing our attacking potency.

Dublin played against Sheffield Wednesday and guided Sheehan brilliantly throughout. Those two should always have remained key players. We should have borrowed a competent, proven striker and replaced Sylla on the right wing. Simple.

And if Levein or anyone else does that now and refuses to let other teams compromise his system by dictating tactics, we will start collecting points again.

The team we should play now is:

Douglas;

Stearman, McCarthy, Dublin, Sheehan;

Smith, Williams, Gudjonsson, Tiatto (special instructions);

Hume, Hammond.

Subs: Maybury, Gerrbrand, Hughes, Kisnorbo, Chambers.

Look at that side. It is attacking. It is balanced. It has natural left and right side players. It has creativity. It has speed. It has potential goals. It is fairly tough. It has energy. It has passing accuracy and variety. It has no obvious weaknesses providing Tiatto accepts his responsibility for not fouling people and not giving silly free kicks away (a big if and the major potential weakness).

However his energy and potential to cover when Sheehan goes forward make it important that he rather than Hammill plays. We are in a battle now and Hammill is not the ideal man for a battle but we HAVE to score goals to win matches.

I have deliberately left DeVries out altogether, not because he is a bad player but because as soon as he's on the park (or Dublin in attack) we go for the long ball forward and feeding off the flicks.

That would only work in the 4-3-3 system I mentioned earlier in the season with Hume in the hole. No-one has showed any inclination to use that system so why flog a dead horse?

Apart from injuries, the system and personel should remain unchanged for a spell of several games with fringe players being earmarked for particular places within that system in the event of the unavoidable need for changes.

If in the transfer window we get a winger and a striker, they can fit obviously and effortlessly into the system.

Interesting thoughts Thracian. However, you and others are just wasting time selecting your preferred teams. Craig Levein always has played dour, defence first, long ball 4-5-1 tactics, first at Cowdenbeath then Hearts. That is why he rushed to buy De Vries. I just wish all the people who are slagging him off now, although I'm one of them, realised that has always been his style. To ask him to do what is not his nature is pointless. I am sure one of the main reasons he is in such a mess is that he did not have the courage to stick to his beliefs. If he is guilty of anything, then that is it.......I don't think he will make the same mistake again in his future career.

[Sir JJ Wilcox]

Howard Wilkinson and Bassett