'Stand By Your Man?'

[Disillusioned]

Most fans interpret the board's willingness to sanction funds for players as a vote of confidence in Craig Levein. Why is it that the Club seems to be standing by its man? Do they believe in the players that Levein has brought in? Do they believe that he is building for the future? Do they believe that the team are simply the victims of bad luck?

The answer to these questions is an emphatic 'NO'. In fact, the majority of the board do not believe that we will gain promotion while Levein remains manager. So why do they keep him on? The reasons for this apparent loyalty are complex.

There is the obvious question of finance. To buy out the remainder of Levein's contract would set the club back somewhere between £750,000 - £1,000,000. A higher profile incumbent would probably be more expensive (the usual suspects doing the rounds would command contracts double or even triple Levein's).

LCFC are not the only club learning the financial facts of life. Anyone notice how many under-performing Premiership managers are hanging on to their jobs at the moment? Some put this down to the blood letting of last season. This is true. But only because blood letting is an expensive business and not just simply an emotional experience and there's a limit to the number of under-performing managers any one club can pay off in the short term.

But suppose LCFC bite the financial bullet and decide to sack Levein. Is there any guarantee his replacement will improve the situation? This, of course, is the $64,000 question and this is the main reason why the club is hesitating. The board has good reason to be cautious. Why? Because of what the stats on managerial appointments say.

Usually a new appointee will enjoy a honeymoon period. On a like-for-like basis results in the short term will improve (more often than not). But then new problems tend to kick in and old ones resurface.

The new problems will invariably be caused by the favoured players of the previous regime losing their status and influence (ostracising new players is a common form of 'retaliation' here). The old problems will be the previously under-performing players (who temporarily raised their game for the new man) reverting to type and/or new signings not working out. Results will then start to deteriorate over the long term (more often than not).

Even if the club decides to ignore the stats the directors don't exactly have a free hand in whom they can appoint. Levein's appointment was a gamble because he was young and largely unknown south of the border. But it isn't working out. So if they decide to get rid of Levein they may feel forced to go for 'a safe pair of hands (code for super-annuated, lecherous, beer swilling, greedy old dog) Trouble is there's no such thing as a safe pair of hands in management.

LCFC appears to be teetering on the edge of it's generational crisis - possible relegation to the third tier of English football ('49 & '91). Last season a late, slight improvement in results (no away or back-to-back wins in that run mind) saw us climb to a flattering 15th.

The board sees our current position as weak but not (yet) irretrievably bad. With one or two new faces in the squad and a slightly poorer showing by the teams currently sitting on the trap door the board reckons Levein might perform his modest escapology routine again (roughly the footballing equivalent of untying one's shoe laces).

Following our disastrous Xmas I reckon Levein's chances of maintaining our Championship status are now below 50/50. I believe that LCFC whilst not exactly in a 'nothing to lose' situation (a new man who takes us down will cost more than Levein doing the same thing) do have an intriguing option: our modest transfer kitty.

We could forego the luxury of SPL rejects and lower league types (we have already had a couple of dollops and are sick enough thanks) and use the kitty to pay-off Levein. The new man (an 'impact warrior!) would have to fund any acquisitions by disposals (even if that means shipping Williams off to City).

Admittedly he would have very little time in which to reshape the squad but now is not the time for Tammy Wynette...

[Chimp]

For those who can't be arsed to read the whole thing: Chandler doesn't think the board have any confidence in CL and he doesn't think CL can rescue us from our current situation. Though bringing in a new manager is a risk and doesn't guarantee success, he thinks we should use the funds just made available for buying new players to pay off CL and release/sell other players (e.g. Williams to Man City) to fund new transfers.

Ahh, the ability to summarise one's thoughts if an often forgotten gift.

[Ultra]

I think the more relevant track by the late Ms Wynette is "D.I.V.O.R.C.E"

Something which most fans want between our club and CL except it appears we can't afford the settlement!

[Hitesh]

For those who can't be arsed to read the whole thing: Chandler doesn't think the board have any confidence in CL and he doesn't think CL can rescue us from our current situation. Though bringing in a new manager is a risk and doesn't guarantee success, he thinks we should use the funds just made available for buying new players to pay off CL and release/sell other players (e.g. Williams to Man City) to fund new transfers.

Ahh, the ability to summarise one's thoughts if an often forgotten gift.

Cheers for that Chimp.

[Guest]

Most fans interpret the board's willingness to sanction funds for players as a vote of confidence in Craig Levein. Why is it that the Club seems to be standing by its man? Do they believe in the players that Levein has brought in? Do they believe that he is building for the future? Do they believe that the team are simply the victims of bad luck?

The answer to these questions is an emphatic 'NO'. In fact, the majority of the board do not believe that we will gain promotion while Levein remains manager. So why do they keep him on? The reasons for this apparent loyalty are complex. ............

You know this as fact? Or is your essay merely disguising more speculation?

[Manwell Pablo]

Most fans interpret the board's willingness to sanction funds for players as a vote of confidence in Craig Levein. Why is it that the Club seems to be standing by its man? Do they believe in the players that Levein has brought in? Do they believe that he is building for the future? Do they believe that the team are simply the victims of bad luck?

The answer to these questions is an emphatic 'NO'. In fact, the majority of the board do not believe that we will gain promotion while Levein remains manager. So why do they keep him on? The reasons for this apparent loyalty are complex.

There is the obvious question of finance. To buy out the remainder of Levein's contract would set the club back somewhere between £750,000 - £1,000,000. A higher profile incumbent would probably be more expensive (the usual suspects doing the rounds would command contracts double or even triple Levein's).

LCFC are not the only club learning the financial facts of life. Anyone notice how many under-performing Premiership managers are hanging on to their jobs at the moment? Some put this down to the blood letting of last season. This is true. But only because blood letting is an expensive business and not just simply an emotional experience and there's a limit to the number of under-performing managers any one club can pay off in the short term.

But suppose LCFC bite the financial bullet and decide to sack Levein. Is there any guarantee his replacement will improve the situation? This, of course, is the $64,000 question and this is the main reason why the club is hesitating. The board has good reason to be cautious. Why? Because of what the stats on managerial appointments say.

Usually a new appointee will enjoy a honeymoon period. On a like-for-like basis results in the short term will improve (more often than not). But then new problems tend to kick in and old ones resurface.

The new problems will invariably be caused by the favoured players of the previous regime losing their status and influence (ostracising new players is a common form of 'retaliation' here). The old problems will be the previously under-performing players (who temporarily raised their game for the new man) reverting to type and/or new signings not working out. Results will then start to deteriorate over the long term (more often than not).

Even if the club decides to ignore the stats the directors don't exactly have a free hand in whom they can appoint. Levein's appointment was a gamble because he was young and largely unknown south of the border. But it isn't working out. So if they decide to get rid of Levein they may feel forced to go for 'a safe pair of hands (code for super-annuated, lecherous, beer swilling, greedy old dog) Trouble is there's no such thing as a safe pair of hands in management.

LCFC appears to be teetering on the edge of it's generational crisis - possible relegation to the third tier of English football ('49 & '91). Last season a late, slight improvement in results (no away or back-to-back wins in that run mind) saw us climb to a flattering 15th.

The board sees our current position as weak but not (yet) irretrievably bad. With one or two new faces in the squad and a slightly poorer showing by the teams currently sitting on the trap door the board reckons Levein might perform his modest escapology routine again (roughly the footballing equivalent of untying one's shoe laces).

Following our disastrous Xmas I reckon Levein's chances of maintaining our Championship status are now below 50/50. I believe that LCFC whilst not exactly in a 'nothing to lose' situation (a new man who takes us down will cost more than Levein doing the same thing) do have an intriguing option: our modest transfer kitty.

We could forego the luxury of SPL rejects and lower league types (we have already had a couple of dollops and are sick enough thanks) and use the kitty to pay-off Levein. The new man (an 'impact warrior!) would have to fund any acquisitions by disposals (even if that means shipping Williams off to City).

Admittedly he would have very little time in which to reshape the squad but now is not the time for Tammy Wynette...

amazing

26 posts that have said exactly the same thing, and they way of saying it getting more and more stupid each time.

[FNQ]

The only option then is to force him to resign (bring back memories anyone?). ABUSE.

[Disillusioned]

You know this as fact? Or is your essay merely disguising more speculation?

Yes Lisa this is 100% fact. Most of the board gave him the benefit of their doubt at the end of last season. There was a feeling that the Club had not yet recovered from the double whammy of relegation and La Manga. More on La Manga in a mo.

The mood changed by the end of September. The general consensus then was that it was the recent acquisitions that were failing and that Levein's remoteness was a problem when it came to raising morale and building confidence. There was hope though that things might just sort themselves out as other big clubs with recent experience of the Prem were also struggling.

The general attitude at the moment is that if we just close our eyes HMS LCFC might just steam past the iceberg. The board were mindful of what happened to Kinnear @ F****t at a similar stage of the campaign last season. Megson has proved a bigger disaster.

Re. La Manga the board's feeling now is that Adams was hung out to dry over the affair and that he should have received much more support from the club over it. Adams took things very personally and felt let down by certain players (particularly Dickov) whom he had stood by during the crisis.

If the club's backing for Adams had been more public most board members think that Adams would have ridden out the knee jerk response from fans to poor post relegation form and that we would have made the play offs as results had improved significantly by the time he left (11 points from last 6 games).

So there you have it.

PS I won't thank you little Ms Hitler for reinsertig my post. Firstly it was removed by one of your cronies. Secondly it was tagged on to someone elses thread. You've also got rid of my 'Wrong Kind of Jock' thread (bowing to PC pressure no doubt). I also notice that the semi-literate ****wit who came on here masquerading as our spineless Chief Exec received similar treatment but only after being 'outed' by yours truly.

No crime worse than duping the humourless gullible mod eh Lisa?

[Guest]

Yes Lisa this is 100% fact.

Your source?

PS I won't thank you little Ms Hitler for reinsertig my post. Firstly it was removed by one of your cronies. Secondly it was tagged on to someone elses thread. You've also got rid of my 'Wrong Kind of Jock' thread (bowing to PC pressure no doubt). I also notice that the semi-literate ****wit who came on here masquerading as our spineless Chief Exec received similar treatment but only after being 'outed' by yours truly.

No crime worse than duping the humourless gullible mod eh Lisa?

Yet again you get it wrong. I have not deleted, moved or merged any of your threads, unless you admit to being Chandler, in which case I hold my hands up.

I can see you have a terrible problem with your ego; the rhetoric, the insistence in starting new threads instead of adding to one already on the same topic, etc, shows this. However, throwing your teddy out of the pram in my direction isn't going to help, is it. Just because one mod doesn't like your style, doesn't mean we all treat you in the same manner.

Obviously I've done something to upset you. Are you sure you aren't Chandler? I've missed our little 'chats'.

[Anish]

For those who can't be arsed to read the whole thing: Chandler doesn't think the board have any confidence in CL and he doesn't think CL can rescue us from our current situation. Though bringing in a new manager is a risk and doesn't guarantee success, he thinks we should use the funds just made available for buying new players to pay off CL and release/sell other players (e.g. Williams to Man City) to fund new transfers.

Ahh, the ability to summarise one's thoughts if an often forgotten gift.

Thank you for that

Don't suppose you could do that after some of Thrac's essays too?

[Disillusioned]

Your source?

Yet again you get it wrong. I have not deleted, moved or merged any of your threads, unless you admit to being Chandler, in which case I hold my hands up.

I can see you have a terrible problem with your ego; the rhetoric, the insistence in starting new threads instead of adding to one already on the same topic, etc, shows this. However, throwing your teddy out of the pram in my direction isn't going to help, is it. Just because one mod doesn't like your style, doesn't mean we all treat you in the same manner.

Obviously I've done something to upset you. Are you sure you aren't Chandler? I've missed our little 'chats'.

I take it that you are admitting to censored Chandler's graffiti (which is a matter for him/her) and not mine rather than offering me a quid pro quo? Well one of your cronies deleted at least two of my threads (and don't you pretend you don't know who it is you little minx) and I hold the excutive collectively responsible.

As you know journalists never reveal their sources when they are briefed off the record. However the somewhat guarded statements of the Chief Exec in recent days and the hostile line taken by one or two of the 'approved' hacks on the Merc over the last few weeks should persuade the sceptical that the broad thrust of my remarks are a fair reflection of the board's views.

I don't have a problem with my ego. YOU have a problem with my ego. I have a problem with posters' illiteracy, ignorance and stupidity.

Re. Mr Chandler, having read his posts on this and another board I have three observations to make:

1) There are at least two posters using this name.

2) One of them is a homocidal maniac the other is a clairvoyant (his/her predictions about Adams and Levein are startling accurate - has anyone asked him/her for the name of this year's Grand National winner?)

3) Lisa, you are clearly infatuated with him/her.

[Guest]

I take it that you are admitting to censored Chandler's graffiti (which is a matter for him/her) and not mine rather than offering me a quid pro quo? Well one of your cronies deleted at least two of my threads (and don't you pretend you don't know who it is you little minx) and I hold the excutive collectively responsible.

No I don't. How many more times?

As you know journalists never reveal their sources when they are briefed off the record. However the somewhat guarded statements of the Chief Exec in recent days and the hostile line taken by one or two of the 'approved' hacks on the Merc over the last few weeks should persuade the sceptical that the broad thrust of my remarks are a fair reflection of the board's views.

The feeling of deja vu is startling uncanny....

I don't have a problem with my ego. YOU have a problem with my ego. I have a problem with posters' illiteracy, ignorance and stupidity.

Don't flatter yourself lol

Re. Mr Chandler, having read his posts on this and another board I have three observations to make:

1) There are at least two posters using this name.

2) One of them is a homocidal maniac the other is a clairvoyant (his/her predictions about Adams and Levein are startling accurate - has anyone asked him/her for the name of this year's Grand National winner?)

3) Lisa, you are clearly infatuated with him/her.

You wish.....

[Finnegan]

Haha. The internet's full of sad bastards, you can go on any messageboard and there'll always be some melodramatic "omg im not tellin u who i am" nonce trolling the board.

If you're so pissed off mate, stop posting.

[Busby8]

Hi guys, first post here.

Though that I'd check up on how our old manager CL was being reviewed by Leicester fans.

I take it from reading a few posts that you are not too enamoured with him.

Strange,..............he did OK up here with a shoestring budget.

How about the rest of the defectors, Maybury, DeVries, Kisnorbo, Hammil ?

These guys were all playing European football at the group stages last year !

What's happening ??

Mind you, the Hammil signing was a mystery to a lot of Hearts fans.

Seemed always to have the ability to beat a defender, but lacked the pace and drive to get away from him.

Does DeVries still get pulled up for inocuous fouls all the time ?

Thought that you may have gone for Burley if CL wasn't to your liking,..............but it looks as though that ship has sailed.

I'd say good luck for the rest of the season, even though I was a bit miffed when Levein left initially.

Mind you, going by your results this year, it seems a blessing in disguise.

You wouldn't want our corrupt referees aswell would you ?

[Guest]

Mind you, the Hammil signing was a mystery to a lot of Hearts fans.

Seemed always to have the ability to beat a defender, but lacked the pace and drive to get away from him.

I'm afraid that's still the case.

Does DeVries still get pulled up for inocuous fouls all the time ?

Yes! It's quite embarrassing now, especially when MDV shows his frustration!

You wouldn't want our corrupt referees aswell would you ?

We've enough of our own thank you!!