My Two penneth

[Janx]

But the other half of that side team were scarcely made up from the youth team, were they? Bruce was 35, Scheichel was in his 30s, Cantona, Irwin and Pallister were all 29/30.

Welll said Maestro

[Thracian]

But the other half of that side team were scarcely made up from the youth team, were they? Bruce was 35, Scheichel was in his 30s, Cantona, Irwin and Pallister were all 29/30.

If anyone's talking about that calibre of player I'm 100% converted. It wasn't a lame Cantona, or an eternally injured Irwin though, was it?. And those four had two things in common that I would love as a first requirements for all City signings - they had unyeilding passion and were outstanding at their job. You've not mentioned one single journeyman.

[Thracian]

Not all young players are Richard Stearman

Not all old players are Danny Tiatto

We need some leadership in midfield.

Great. I don't disagree. Get a young and hungry leader. We've got young and hungry centre-backs, young and hungry centre-forwards, why settle for old and cynical midfielders?

[Swedging]

If anyone's talking about that calibre of player I'm 100% converted. It wasn't a lame Cantona, or an eternally injured Irwin though, was it?

Well, there was also Parker who spent almost all of that season, and pretty much all of the one after, on the physio's couch.

But that's kind of misleading - Ferguson has often been keen to sign a lot of young players, rather than a proven few of those in their late 20s or older, and then filter them out. United's wedge also allowed them to buy up other proven players in their early/mid 20s in that team - such as Stam and Keane - on then massive transfer fees. If we had the budget, we'd expect to see the same. If we had Chelsea's budget, we'd also expect to see the best players in the world bought in - and then parked up in the reserves.

But the point remains - what you consider Man Utd's most exciting side was made up with a mix of younger players and senior (some very senior) pros. Shouldn't we be looking for the same mix, if we want success?

[Guest]

Obviously any players we sign must be world class otherwise what would be the point.

[Thracian]

Obviously any players we sign must be world class otherwise what would be the point.

If that is sarcasm then, sadly, you appear totally resigned to the status quo.

Is there any point in not signing anyone who isn't/cannot be top end of the Championship class?

Yet we do! All the time.

[Manwell Pablo]

If that is sarcasm then, sadly, you appear totally resigned to the status quo.

Is there any point in not signing anyone who isn't/cannot be top end of the Championship class?

Yet we do! All the time.

Its hardly that simple is it, seeing as top end championship players don't come cheap, and our reservers certainly aren't! So what are we going to do?

[Thracian]

Its hardly that simple is it, seeing as top end championship players don't come cheap, and our reservers certainly aren't! So what are we going to do?

I'm off to golf cos I played the club pro yesterday and was 30 yards short off the tee so a total swing rethink seems worth pursuing and, as for City, they will keep treading water at best from what you say.

[Manwell Pablo]

I'm off to golf cos I played the club pro yesterday and was 30 yards short off the tee so a total swing rethink seems worth pursuing and, as for City, they will keep treading water at best from what you say.

Well we can all moan about not having a good enough team, but withut an actually soloution to the problem thats exactly all you are, a moaner.

[Guest]

If that is sarcasm then, sadly, you appear totally resigned to the status quo.

Is there any point in not signing anyone who isn't/cannot be top end of the Championship class?

Yet we do! All the time.

You will not get out of this league playing pretty football.

[Thracian]

Manwell....I think I and others have voiced some positive ideas for improvements over many months.

I know you still consider that my solution is to pack the team with kids which has never been true and would be totally ridiculous and irresponsible, despite how well young players have performed for us.

What I do want is an increase within the team attacking players from roughly three per team to roughly eight per team.

I want us to stop playing when I consider to be negative players. That is people who do nothing other than harrass others but do very little when in possession.

I want us to make the system fit the players rather than vice-versa.

I want us to be far more effective at attacking set pieces than we are at present.

I want us to stop even thinking of signing ordinary players on the way down who are too old to be financial assets. If genuinely good and still enthusiastic and reliable players are available then fine. I can cope with that.

I want us to have more faith in some of our young players and make sure they get the chance to become part of the first team set up - especially in view of the number of weak pplayers we still have both on the field and on the bench. I also want us to find a way of developing players right through to first team level instead of four fifths of the way.

I want us to stop leaving strong, mobile, effective players like O'Grady on the sidelines while continuing to use ineffective people and if the system has to change, fine.

I want the club to stop guaranteeing players a place in the team as it surely has done in the recent past and to operate a genuine meritocracy which is what Kelly paid lip-service too although he never seemed quite convincing to me when I saw his selections but I'm happy to give him the benefit of the doubt.

I want us to stop signing players who serve no purpose and have no effect. I won't name them all, it upsets some posters, but there were about seven such players last season whose presence was of no great consequence. Everyone manager makes mistakes but not a third of a squad full, especially if the club does its homework properly.

For example Hammond was by no means our biggest mistake (indeed I still have some faith in him with the right coaching and inspiration) but signing him for cash when we could have had him on loan until Christmas was ludicrous.

I'm sure you will disagree with the above but please don't suggest I, or indeed others, haven't put forward any ideas for improvement.

[Fez of Mahrez]

I want us to stop signing players who serve no purpose and have no effect. I won't name them all, it upsets some posters, but there were about seven such players last season whose presence was of no great consequence. Everyone manager makes mistakes but not a third of a squad full, especially if the club does its homework properly.

I think this point is very important. Of course no manager goes out into the transfer market thinking to himself "hmm, could really do with a player that serves no purpose and will have no effect" but the number of these players we have is ludicrous.

I'm far from pessimistic about the group of players we currently have. We obviously have a handful of very talented youngsters (ooher missus!) but there are still SEVEN first-team players I would love to replace, given the chance - players that have never shown consistently the potential to be part of a top-six Championship side. I've never felt like that about any other Leicester City squad.

[Thracian]

You will not get out of this league playing pretty football.

No and you won't get out of it playing rubbish when you are in possession and being short of attacking players because you are forever having to make up for the deficiencies of defensive ones.

Assuming no serious change to our defence and a likely goal a game conceded we need 20 goals a season more to have any chance of promotion next season and at this time I cannot see where they are coming from.

No-one is suggesting a Nottingham Forest approach. Every team needs a couple of killers but hopefully, killers who can also pass the ball and play a bit. Frank McLintock was a good example in my day - and Colin Appleton or Graham Cross.

I remember a builder from Mowmacre called Neil Stewart, who although staunchly semi-pro, epitomised what I mean. He would put a dent in a tank to get the ball but was accuracy personified in possession and would crack a decent shot from anywhere.

The difference between him and Tiatto was that he was always properly placed to make his tackles and when they landed he would make people shudder 50 yards away. But he stayed on the field too. "When I have to foul em I'm admitting they're better than me and I might as well pack up," he used to say.

[Benji]

The thing is though Thracian, how many talented, top 6 championship quality players are available on a free.

It's almost a chicken and egg problem. Do you splash out money for someone and hope they perform leaving your clubs financial history on a thin thread, or do you be conservative, get a couple of 'older' players in, get promoted, and then invest for the future?

There has to be a balance, personally I would not like us to pursue only in one or the other. We do have some very talented youngsters at the club and i'm sure in 2-3 years time we'll have another 3 or 4 players come through the ranks and into the first team. But in principle, I think we do need to bring in 2 or 3 players who know what it takes to win the games that your not playing well in.

One thing we did well when we went up with MA was to grind out 1-0 or 2-1 wins in games that were simply awful to watch. Yes, we pay for excitement and attacking football, but we're not in the same position (unfortuately) as Chelsea et al to splash the money about and expect both quality and results.

We should be looking to play every academy player that can prove their worth and be a good addition to the team, but you still need one or two characters, that I personally feel we are missing. Experience doesn't automatically mean rubbish, that's down to Rob Kelly to be shrewd with his scouting. Yes, I would hate us to buy another Tiatto/Wilcox etc who have offered this club very little; but Gilbert and Hammil were supposed to be potentially talented youngsters with points to prove in the English league, yet they offered just as little as the former named players. Surely players should play irrespective of their age, if a quality 28/29 year old player is available on a free, with promotion experience (especially a midfielder) then we should surely try to snap him up, even if it's only for 1 or 2 years. The only way we will afford the better youngsters is by getting into the Premiership and earning the money.

[Thracian]

The thing is though Thracian, how many talented, top 6 championship quality players are available on a free.

It's almost a chicken and egg problem. Do you splash out money for someone and hope they perform leaving your clubs financial history on a thin thread, or do you be conservative, get a couple of 'older' players in, get promoted, and then invest for the future?

There has to be a balance, personally I would not like us to pursue only in one or the other. We do have some very talented youngsters at the club and i'm sure in 2-3 years time we'll have another 3 or 4 players come through the ranks and into the first team. But in principle, I think we do need to bring in 2 or 3 players who know what it takes to win the games that your not playing well in.

One thing we did well when we went up with MA was to grind out 1-0 or 2-1 wins in games that were simply awful to watch. Yes, we pay for excitement and attacking football, but we're not in the same position (unfortuately) as Chelsea et al to splash the money about and expect both quality and results.

We should be looking to play every academy player that can prove their worth and be a good addition to the team, but you still need one or two characters, that I personally feel we are missing. Experience doesn't automatically mean rubbish, that's down to Rob Kelly to be shrewd with his scouting. Yes, I would hate us to buy another Tiatto/Wilcox etc who have offered this club very little; but Gilbert and Hammil were supposed to be potentially talented youngsters with points to prove in the English league, yet they offered just as little as the former named players. Surely players should play irrespective of their age, if a quality 28/29 year old player is available on a free, with promotion experience (especially a midfielder) then we should surely try to snap him up, even if it's only for 1 or 2 years. The only way we will afford the better youngsters is by getting into the Premiership and earning the money.

Some good points Benji and especially about needing some characters. That was the biggest thing about MON's team - it seemed to be full of contrasting characters. I honestly don't know how Kelly would take to the likes of Walshie and Marshall but I loved watching em.

[Guest]

No and you won't get out of it playing rubbish when you are in possession and being short of attacking players because you are forever having to make up for the deficiencies of defensive ones.

Assuming no serious change to our defence and a likely goal a game conceded we need 20 goals a season more to have any chance of promotion next season and at this time I cannot see where they are coming from.

No-one is suggesting a Nottingham Forest approach. Every team needs a couple of killers but hopefully, killers who can also pass the ball and play a bit. Frank McLintock was a good example in my day - and Colin Appleton or Graham Cross.

I remember a builder from Mowmacre called Neil Stewart, who although staunchly semi-pro, epitomised what I mean. He would put a dent in a tank to get the ball but was accuracy personified in possession and would crack a decent shot from anywhere.

The difference between him and Tiatto was that he was always properly placed to make his tackles and when they landed he would make people shudder 50 yards away. But he stayed on the field too. "When I have to foul em I'm admitting they're better than me and I might as well pack up," he used to say.

Perhaps he was semi-pro for an obvious reason.

We all have a wish list of players, we would all love to see free flowing attacking football, but real life is not like the fantasy. It's shit. We will be scratching around for whatever bargains there are for the foreseeable, unless something short of miraculous happens. Don't confuse this with pessimism, I'm being realistic.

[Benji]

I think it would have been funnier seeing Walsh and Marshall under Levein. It would probably take around 5 minutes of the training session before either or both of them were stuck on the bench for ''causing an atmosphere''.

[Swedging]

I remember a builder from Mowmacre called Neil Stewart, who although staunchly semi-pro,

----

The difference between him and Tiatto was that ....

No-one offered him a professional contract (probably with good reason). Tiatto might have been pretty shite last season, but I reckon I'd still rather see him play than some focking builder. Any takers for the next Vinnie Jones?

[Ric Flair]

Manwell....I think I and others have voiced some positive ideas for improvements over many months.

I know you still consider that my solution is to pack the team with kids which has never been true and would be totally ridiculous and irresponsible, despite how well young players have performed for us.

What I do want is an increase within the team attacking players from roughly three per team to roughly eight per team.

I want us to stop playing when I consider to be negative players. That is people who do nothing other than harrass others but do very little when in possession.

I want us to make the system fit the players rather than vice-versa.

I want us to be far more effective at attacking set pieces than we are at present.

I want us to stop even thinking of signing ordinary players on the way down who are too old to be financial assets. If genuinely good and still enthusiastic and reliable players are available then fine. I can cope with that.

I want us to have more faith in some of our young players and make sure they get the chance to become part of the first team set up - especially in view of the number of weak pplayers we still have both on the field and on the bench. I also want us to find a way of developing players right through to first team level instead of four fifths of the way.

I want us to stop leaving strong, mobile, effective players like O'Grady on the sidelines while continuing to use ineffective people and if the system has to change, fine.

I want the club to stop guaranteeing players a place in the team as it surely has done in the recent past and to operate a genuine meritocracy which is what Kelly paid lip-service too although he never seemed quite convincing to me when I saw his selections but I'm happy to give him the benefit of the doubt.

I want us to stop signing players who serve no purpose and have no effect. I won't name them all, it upsets some posters, but there were about seven such players last season whose presence was of no great consequence. Everyone manager makes mistakes but not a third of a squad full, especially if the club does its homework properly.

For example Hammond was by no means our biggest mistake (indeed I still have some faith in him with the right coaching and inspiration) but signing him for cash when we could have had him on loan until Christmas was ludicrous.

I'm sure you will disagree with the above but please don't suggest I, or indeed others, haven't put forward any ideas for improvement.

Some great points, but what i'm interested to hear is what would be your team you would pick right now from the current crop of Leicester players and the formation and tactics you would use. Also, if you have any ideas on potential signings i'd like to hear them aswell.

You raise some excellent ideas, but it would be nice to see how you'd go about putting these ideas in to practice.

[Thracian]

Perhaps he was semi-pro for an obvious reason.

We all have a wish list of players, we would all love to see free flowing attacking football, but real life is not like the fantasy. It's shit. We will be scratching around for whatever bargains there are for the foreseeable, unless something short of miraculous happens. Don't confuse this with pessimism, I'm being realistic.

He was semi-pro because he and his father owned a bloody good business and he played football because he loved playing football.

It was before the days when modest players were payed ridiculous money, often for playing badly, and full-time football would probably have meant a wage cut at the time when his work was considered alongside his part-time money.

But had he ever clashed with the likes of Stephen Hughes he would have rattled every bone in his body within minutes of the kick off and then showed exactly what a marauding midfielder could play like.

You never sound like a real believer in attacking football - like others you always seem to cautious - but, while you say real life is shit rather than fantasy I believe it is exactly what you make it.

Loads of people do nothing in their lives, or live their lives through others, because they don't have the belief

or the bottle to follow dreams.

Instead, they are forever neutralised by thoughts of losing/giving up their job and their comfortable security or being sacked. Being scared is not just about physical things, like heights as you cling to the side of a mountain, it can also be mental fear of the unknown.

Life's only shit if you let it be and football's just the same. Football is all about fairy tales and if you don't believe in them then in my view you're in danger of losing your soul and the motive power within you that makes life so potentially exciting.

I don't have a wish list of players - I have heroes but have never have been much of a hero worshipper. Instead I'd always be more inclined to take what we've got and make them play in a manner they would never believe possible.

Every year I hear the same lament about new players being the answer but the first job is to make the best of those we have.

But you don't do that if you're chained to the floor by a nebulous cloud of fear. You only do that if you believe in something - and really, really want to live the dream.

We've got some good footballers in our club who are being wasted. If any potential new signings aren't better than them then I don't want to see them.

We also have some shocking players who should never be privileged to ever handle or wear a City shirt. They need replacing from within or without at the earliest moment possible.

What I most want to see from Leicester City is some genuine conviction. And an end to the sort of football which would only be perceived as entertainment in a Gulag.

* Talking about life being shit instead of fantasy. I remember my teenaged son inviting three or four mates to go to America with him. They were all enthusiasm but one by one all dropped out because they had jobs, debt problems, girlfriends or insufficient cash.

Instead of moaning my son made friends with an American family, arranged to meet them, worked endlessly and saved tirelessly for his plane ticket. started dating their daughter, travelled the southern Sates in a Winnebago two summers running, found a job which he could use around the World and is now planning a year as night time chef and daytime snowboarding instructor in Canada.

Life is all about dreams and what matters is wanting them enough - and that goes for Leicester City.

[Bloomer]

He was semi-pro because he and his father owned a bloody good business and he played football because he loved playing football.

It was before the days when modest players were payed ridiculous money, often for playing badly, and full-time football would probably have meant a wage cut at the time when his work was considered alongside his part-time money.

But had he ever clashed with the likes of Stephen Hughes he would have rattled every bone in his body within minutes of the kick off and then showed exactly what a marauding midfielder could play like.

You never sound like a real believer in attacking football - like others you always seem to cautious - but, while you say real life is shit rather than fantasy I believe it is exactly what you make it.

Loads of people do nothing in their lives, or live their lives through others, because they don't have the belief

or the bottle to follow dreams.

Instead, they are forever neutralised by thoughts of losing/giving up their job and their comfortable security or being sacked. Being scared is not just about physical things, like heights as you cling to the side of a mountain, it can also be mental fear of the unknown.

Life's only shit if you let it be and football's just the same. Football is all about fairy tales and if you don't believe in them then in my view you're in danger of losing your soul and the motive power within you that makes life so potentially exciting.

I don't have a wish list of players - I have heroes but have never have been much of a hero worshipper. Instead I'd always be more inclined to take what we've got and make them play in a manner they would never believe possible.

Every year I hear the same lament about new players being the answer but the first job is to make the best of those we have.

But you don't do that if you're chained to the floor by a nebulous cloud of fear. You only do that if you believe in something - and really, really want to live the dream.

We've got some good footballers in our club who are being wasted. If any potential new signings aren't better than them then I don't want to see them.

We also have some shocking players who should never be privileged to ever handle or wear a City shirt. They need replacing from within or without at the earliest moment possible.

What I most want to see from Leicester City is some genuine conviction. And an end to the sort of football which would only be perceived as entertainment in a Gulag.

* Talking about life being shit instead of fantasy. I remember my teenaged son inviting three or four mates to go to America with him. They were all enthusiasm but one by one all dropped out because they had jobs, debt problems, girlfriends or insufficient cash.

Instead of moaning my son made friends with an American family, arranged to meet them, worked endlessly and saved tirelessly for his plane ticket. started dating their daughter, travelled the southern Sates in a Winnebago two summers running, found a job which he could use around the World and is now planning a year as night time chef and daytime snowboarding instructor in Canada.

Life is all about dreams and what matters is wanting them enough - and that goes for Leicester City.

So, are you everything you dreamed you would be?

[Manwell Pablo]

Some great points, but what i'm interested to hear is what would be your team you would pick right now from the current crop of Leicester players and the formation and tactics you would use. Also, if you have any ideas on potential signings i'd like to hear them aswell.

You raise some excellent ideas, but it would be nice to see how you'd go about putting these ideas in to practice.

Which is exactly what I wanted him to post instead of regurgatating his views.

Granted we need more attacking players I think about for or five in a team instead of a gung ho eight but we will put a pin in that for a second. I dont think we have the money to buy two good championship attacking midfielders, never mind wingers and full backs as well. If you going introduce your youngsters slowly who do you play when they aren't? How are you theroies going to work in practise, truth is they wont. this team will have weakness's as long as its in the championship, like all other championship teams.

[Ric Flair]

He was semi-pro because he and his father owned a bloody good business and he played football because he loved playing football.

It was before the days when modest players were payed ridiculous money, often for playing badly, and full-time football would probably have meant a wage cut at the time when his work was considered alongside his part-time money.

But had he ever clashed with the likes of Stephen Hughes he would have rattled every bone in his body within minutes of the kick off and then showed exactly what a marauding midfielder could play like.

You never sound like a real believer in attacking football - like others you always seem to cautious - but, while you say real life is shit rather than fantasy I believe it is exactly what you make it.

Loads of people do nothing in their lives, or live their lives through others, because they don't have the belief

or the bottle to follow dreams.

Instead, they are forever neutralised by thoughts of losing/giving up their job and their comfortable security or being sacked. Being scared is not just about physical things, like heights as you cling to the side of a mountain, it can also be mental fear of the unknown.

Life's only shit if you let it be and football's just the same. Football is all about fairy tales and if you don't believe in them then in my view you're in danger of losing your soul and the motive power within you that makes life so potentially exciting.

I don't have a wish list of players - I have heroes but have never have been much of a hero worshipper. Instead I'd always be more inclined to take what we've got and make them play in a manner they would never believe possible.

Every year I hear the same lament about new players being the answer but the first job is to make the best of those we have.

But you don't do that if you're chained to the floor by a nebulous cloud of fear. You only do that if you believe in something - and really, really want to live the dream.

We've got some good footballers in our club who are being wasted. If any potential new signings aren't better than them then I don't want to see them.

We also have some shocking players who should never be privileged to ever handle or wear a City shirt. They need replacing from within or without at the earliest moment possible.

What I most want to see from Leicester City is some genuine conviction. And an end to the sort of football which would only be perceived as entertainment in a Gulag.

* Talking about life being shit instead of fantasy. I remember my teenaged son inviting three or four mates to go to America with him. They were all enthusiasm but one by one all dropped out because they had jobs, debt problems, girlfriends or insufficient cash.

Instead of moaning my son made friends with an American family, arranged to meet them, worked endlessly and saved tirelessly for his plane ticket. started dating their daughter, travelled the southern Sates in a Winnebago two summers running, found a job which he could use around the World and is now planning a year as night time chef and daytime snowboarding instructor in Canada.

Life is all about dreams and what matters is wanting them enough - and that goes for Leicester City.

Has it occured to you though that these crap footballers you talk about like Hughes, etc were actually some of the best players in their age group when they broke through. If this wasn't the case they wouldn't have broken through, because as you are aware it's very hard to make it as a young footballer in an academy, yet Hughes who was Rangers best youngster 6 years ago managed to defy this problem and broke through. It's now that he's established as a first team player that he's getting criticism, so there is a very big chance that could happen to many of our youngsters in our academy. It's a hard business, that can be made out to be easier than it is.

But for the record, I do share alot of your views on the football i'd like us to try and advocate and that every player starts off as a youngster in the academy so we should look to always bring through youngsters each season.

[Thracian]

So, are you everything you dreamed you would be?

Not for one instant - the joy is probably in the journey rather than the arrival.

But even at 57 I still believe in fairy tales and every day presents the chance of another one.

Yesterday, in another thread, I explained about being privileged to play our teenaged golf pro and being so short off the tee by comparison that it was embarrassing.

I'm under no illusion. I'll never hit with his power and grace off my rustic knees. But I spent the afternoon trying to install a few aspects of his swing and finished by adding 20 yards to my distance and inspired enough to have a go on the Seniors amatuer circuit.

What with that and trying to help make an entity out of the number plate F4 CUP, (via films, promotions, advertising etc) the next year seems to carry enough promise, challenge and excitement to be going on with.

There are few people who might justly consider they became everything they dreamed off. One of my former school Old Boys, David Attenborough, the late violin maestro Yehudi Menuhin, Pele and perhaps someone like Andrew Lloyd Webber come to mind.

But that is from a distance. They might think or have thought differently themselves.

All I'm saying is embrace life. Believe in your dreams and do everything you can to make them come true.

[Manwell Pablo]

He was semi-pro because he and his father owned a bloody good business and he played football because he loved playing football.

It was before the days when modest players were payed ridiculous money, often for playing badly, and full-time football would probably have meant a wage cut at the time when his work was considered alongside his part-time money.

But had he ever clashed with the likes of Stephen Hughes he would have rattled every bone in his body within minutes of the kick off and then showed exactly what a marauding midfielder could play like.

You never sound like a real believer in attacking football - like others you always seem to cautious - but, while you say real life is shit rather than fantasy I believe it is exactly what you make it.

Loads of people do nothing in their lives, or live their lives through others, because they don't have the belief

or the bottle to follow dreams.

Instead, they are forever neutralised by thoughts of losing/giving up their job and their comfortable security or being sacked. Being scared is not just about physical things, like heights as you cling to the side of a mountain, it can also be mental fear of the unknown.

Life's only shit if you let it be and football's just the same. Football is all about fairy tales and if you don't believe in them then in my view you're in danger of losing your soul and the motive power within you that makes life so potentially exciting.

I don't have a wish list of players - I have heroes but have never have been much of a hero worshipper. Instead I'd always be more inclined to take what we've got and make them play in a manner they would never believe possible.

Every year I hear the same lament about new players being the answer but the first job is to make the best of those we have.

But you don't do that if you're chained to the floor by a nebulous cloud of fear. You only do that if you believe in something - and really, really want to live the dream.

We've got some good footballers in our club who are being wasted. If any potential new signings aren't better than them then I don't want to see them.

We also have some shocking players who should never be privileged to ever handle or wear a City shirt. They need replacing from within or without at the earliest moment possible.

What I most want to see from Leicester City is some genuine conviction. And an end to the sort of football which would only be perceived as entertainment in a Gulag.

* Talking about life being shit instead of fantasy. I remember my teenaged son inviting three or four mates to go to America with him. They were all enthusiasm but one by one all dropped out because they had jobs, debt problems, girlfriends or insufficient cash.

Instead of moaning my son made friends with an American family, arranged to meet them, worked endlessly and saved tirelessly for his plane ticket. started dating their daughter, travelled the southern Sates in a Winnebago two summers running, found a job which he could use around the World and is now planning a year as night time chef and daytime snowboarding instructor in Canada.

Life is all about dreams and what matters is wanting them enough - and that goes for Leicester City.

Whilst your views on life are quite right, it is what you make of it, it is totally differnt to a football club. The main differnce being you have direct control over your life, you dont have direct control over Leicester City.

You will also find that if we had not signed any new players over the past say two or three years and attempted to get the ones we have to play like Brasil, we would more then likely be in League Two. As Mr Flair says Stephen Hughes was suppouse to be the best thing in Scottish football at one point, much higher rated then any youngster we have had here. Yet you think he shold be replaced.. What happens when you bring the youth into the first team and they fall flat on their face ala Sheehan. Whats Plan B?

There have been plenty of teams who have concentrated on growing there own assets with a long term manager. It doesn't equal success, look at Crewe.