Predictions for the Allen era

[Daggers]

I firmly predict that ... the Martin Allen bandwagon jumpers will ...

What would you prefer, that everyone that didn't name him as their favourite for the job maintained a cold distance from his appointment? I wanted Keegan, does that now disbar me from supporting MA in the job or being critical if he fails?

Doesn't the phrase "Martin Allen bandwagon jumpers" seem a little daft and condescending?

Might make a good name for an album though

[l444ry]

What would you prefer, that everyone that didn't name him as their favourite for the job maintained a cold distance from his appointment? I wanted Keegan, does that now disbar me from supporting MA in the job or being critical if he fails?

Doesn't the phrase "Martin Allen bandwagon jumpers" seem a little daft and condescending?

Might make a good name for an album though

After having read so much anti "hoof", anti Adams, anti-Bassett, anti-Warnock and anti-anything not similar to Holland total football, and now all this Martin Allen hero worship, I cannot think of a better description. Feel free to think it daft and condescending.

[Don't call me Mad Dog]

Why would we want to shell out a seven figure sum for a League Two player...?!

As for McLeod, from his record he strikes me as a player who found his level in the lower leagues and wouldnt hack the step back up to the championship... why should we get some mardy-bum from the lower leagues?

Having watched Izale for 3 seasons, if I'm honest it comes down to Izale himself if he reaches the highest tier(s)

Even under Danny Wilson I thought that all he needed was a 'head coach' / sports psychologist to turn into the best player he can be. To my knowledge he didn't have this under DW or Martin Allen.

If Leicester can give him this support, or even get him working with an ex-Premiership goal getter, £1.5m could be a bargain for you. If you don't, he will end up staying in the lower leagues.

[Thracian]

After having read so much anti "hoof", anti Adams, anti-Bassett, anti-Warnock and anti-anything not similar to Holland total football, and now all this Martin Allen hero worship, I cannot think of a better description. Feel free to think it daft and condescending.

He's no hero to me. He was my third choice. But I don't think there'll be early condemnation of the bloke.

Why?

Because Kelly seemed to abandon the attacking principles that brought him success as Blackburn's youth coach.

He set us up to play one-goal seesaw football - whereby is if they scored first he'd try to cancel it but if we scored first he'd try to defend it. Consequence: too many draws and defeats, not enough goals.

ButI don't see Allen changing his approach. He'll get some strikers, he'll aim to score some goals and to win. Drawing and losing won't figure in his plans one bit.

It might not be pretty but it will be exciting and committed.

Indeed commitment ouses from the bloke. Whatever else he is one passionate football man. compromise doesn't appear to be a word in his vocabulary.

I have reservations about how far that passion will take him and I hope those concerns are unfounded. But Martin Allen is the sort of clever and inspiring communicator we've needed for so long. I likened him to Shankly and that's the biggest football ompliment I can pay anyone.

With his sort of oratory he won't always have to be right. He will steer people to some wins on a wave of sheer bloody-minded determination.

I can cope with exciting rather than pedigree football. No problem.

What I've never found easy is compromise or that shittiest of football phrases: "we'll be going to get something out of the game". In other words a sodding point will do.

That's the vocabulary of a loser - a phrase that should be printed on our dressing-room's bog paper as a reminder of exactly how billious it is.

Games are played for two reasons only. For three points and for the opportunity to wind your fans up into a frenzy of excitement ready for the next one.

Allen might not be a tactical genius, at least according to some. He might be a dogmatic and autocratic sod. But if he ticks both boxes in going for every point and exciting the fans, he'll do for me.

Besides, he makes me laugh. And as mywife said when we first went skinny dipping on a cold day: "If in doubt go for someone who makes you laugh."

[l444ry]

He's no hero to me. He was my third choice. But I don't think there'll be early condemnation of the bloke.

Why?

Because Kelly seemed to abandon the attacking principles that brought him success as Blackburn's youth coach.

He set us up to play one-goal seesaw football - whereby is if they scored first he'd try to cancel it but if we scored first he'd try to defend it. Consequence: too many draws and defeats, not enough goals.

ButI don't see Allen changing his approach. He'll get some strikers, he'll aim to score some goals and to win. Drawing and losing won't figure in his plans one bit.

It might not be pretty but it will be exciting and committed.

Indeed commitment ouses from the bloke. Whatever else he is one passionate football man. compromise doesn't appear to be a word in his vocabulary.

I have reservations about how far that passion will take him and I hope those concerns are unfounded. But Martin Allen is the sort of clever and inspiring communicator we've needed for so long. I likened him to Shankly and that's the biggest football ompliment I can pay anyone.

With his sort of oratory he won't always have to be right. He will steer people to some wins on a wave of sheer bloody-minded determination.

I can cope with exciting rather than pedigree football. No problem.

What I've never found easy is compromise or that shittiest of football phrases: "we'll be going to get something out of the game". In other words a sodding point will do.

That's the vocabulary of a loser - a phrase that should be printed on our dressing-room's bog paper as a reminder of exactly how billious it is.

Games are played for two reasons only. For three points and for the opportunity to wind your fans up into a frenzy of excitement ready for the next one.

Allen might not be a tactical genius, at least according to some. He might be a dogmatic and autocratic sod. But if he ticks both boxes in going for every point and exciting the fans, he'll do for me.

Besides, he makes me laugh. And as mywife said when we first went skinny dipping on a cold day: "If in doubt go for someone who makes you laugh."

Agree with you, Thracian. Martin Allen is all attack. The problem (for the fans) is that sometimes direct football can look like a blunt instrument. When this happens, however, the answer is to continue doing the same things....only better. Better balls into the crossing areas. Better crosses. And better attacking runs from the strikers. Unfortunately, I feel that some fans, in their naivety, will demand he change all his principles, go Superman like into the nearest telephone box and come out as Arsene Wenger in Y fronts.

[Lets Be having You]

[ some fans, in their naivety, will demand he change all his principles, go Superman like into the nearest telephone box and come out as Arsene Wenger in Y fronts.

Rofl

[Thracian]

Agree with you, Thracian. Martin Allen is all attack. The problem (for the fans) is that sometimes direct football can look like a blunt instrument. When this happens, however, the answer is to continue doing the same things....only better. Better balls into the crossing areas. Better crosses. And better attacking runs from the strikers. Unfortunately, I feel that some fans, in their naivety, will demand he change all his principles, go Superman like into the nearest telephone box and come out as Arsene Wenger in Y fronts.

His basic principles have served him well enough so far and I see no reason why he'd want to change them in a general sense. And, as you say, it is right to keep honing the skills needed to make those principles work better.

But MA talks about learning and continually improving and I hope he applies that to himself.

That's not a criticism of him particularly. I think some of our top managers need to do the same after watching their teams perform recently.

And if MA's going to be a a real expert at his job he needs to examine why he's stumbling at the final hurdle.

By definition, with play-offs for instance, you're likely to be up against a good manager and MA might ask himself whether he's too predictable in his approach or whether his approach has inherrent weaknesses against well organised or particular types of opposition.

Anyone can lose a play-off tie. But when you keep losing them then it might be because you're not good enough at playing your "best" way or because that way might not be right way to beat a particular opponent.

Getting your players to be so knowledgeable, so aware that they can play more than one system efficiently, or even at a different tempo, is a valuable ability but one which I am sure MA could demand effectively if he tried because of the supreme confidence he can inject into his team.

Many people are fearful of change. It shows on here sometimes when people say don't change a winning team or that we'll never change from 4-4-2. Kelly and Levein refused to change or to learn from their mistakes while they were here - with humbling consequences.

In a way refusing to contemplate change is stiffling to yourself and an insult to the players. It shows you lack belief in them and it should be the opposite.

Change makes players get used to thinking/adapting and players who can adapt are more accomplished than those who can't.

That's why it is important to practice playing different systems - players then become familiar with the peculiarities of all the systems and with any vulnerabilities or benefits they have. They become more knowledgable.

Such work is refreshing anyway and guards against boredom and too much on-the-job repetition - something that is far more destructive than you might think - as any pair of struggling lovers might testify (so Im told!!!).

[davieG]

After having read so much anti "hoof", anti Adams, anti-Bassett, anti-Warnock and anti-anything not similar to Holland total football, and now all this Martin Allen hero worship, I cannot think of a better description. Feel free to think it daft and condescending.

However you're assuming that they are the same people. As an "anti "hoof", anti Adams, anti-Bassett, anti-Warnock (for different reasons)" supporter, I cannot see how that equates to "not similar to Holland total football", I would have thought there was plenty in between, I'm certainly not in the "Martin Allen hero worship" and reserve the right to criticise him as and when I please thank you very much. However I'll give him a fair crack of the whip, if we're still hovering around in the relegation zone or in mid-table obscurity criticism will be inevitable.

Caviate: The problem with these 'hoof merchants' is that it was awful football and more often than not associated with failure. hoofing and promotion is just about acceptable as the means justifies the ends as per Brian Little.

[ibbosuk]

I take MA to achieve a Top 6 finish, & spend 6 million in the transfer market, and recoup around 1 million in out goings.

[RedOnRed]

Andrews was useless when he joined - Accrington Stanley's midfield played him off the park at their ground. Over the last month though, he has looked more confident as captain, and passed much better.

I have to disagree with you there, I thought Andrews was at his best when he first joined the Dons and then slowly deteriorated over the course of the season. Funnily enough, under Allen's coaching and tactics.

[blue blood]

All,

Let’s not forget at the moment, i think most fans can only judge Allen on his ability to communicate. He is very good at this I am sure all will agree.

The man is 41 years old and this is his first job in the champ. He has stated he is a learning man. An improving man. This surely means what we have is not the final product - not by a long shot, he will probably never be the final product if he wants to keep on improving.

All young managers have risk that they being with them. It was up to Milan to calculate the risk and he deems it to be justifiable for the rewards he and we may get. We as fans can only trust Milan's judgement on this.

Martin Allen has previously shown in the lower leagues, to get results teams must play with an element of direct football. This works in the lower leagues. Direct football is hit the ball up hold it up and then build an attack form 60-70 yards up the pitch instead of 10-20 yards up the pitch. Its effective if executed well.

This leads me onto my next question - How have teams gained success in this league?

In recent history successful champ teams are built around a spine of players that can play quality attacking football and a well drilled solid defence. Successful teams also know to get out of this hard league an element of long ball is required for those matches that are a scrap - if you cant beat em join em.

To win matches in this league a mix of 'total football' and 'long ball footaball' is required, I am sure of it, furthermore i think Martin Allen knows it too.

The 1 thing that we now know is that Martin Allen hates loosing, he loves winning, he has made this crystal clear.

Personally i will be surprised if we do not finish the coming season above where we finished the previous season. I expect Martin Allen to instil the never say die attitude we associate with our Leicester City. I also expect Martin Allen to get it wrong at times - this is the risk factor that comes with young managers being played out. I expect Martin Allen to be a better rounded manager at the end of the season than he is now.

I expect Leicester City to be a stronger, more feared and competent champ team at the end of the season than they are now. If my expectations are fulfilled i for one will be satisfied.

Regards

Blue Blood

[reynard]

Hopefully I will be wrong but his appointment has to be the biggest gamble ever in the history of our club's managerial appointments.

In his favour he will no doubt show a lot of passion and has a good win to loss ratio. The football will not be pretty and we should expect a lot of direct in the air long balls coupled with an aggressive in your face all action approach. I also anticipate a considerable amount of "gamesmanship" from our players. I believe during his time at Brentford they had more players sent off against them than any other team.

His judgement in the transfer market inculdes the acquisition of one paul Brooker and we all know how good he was! Also his coaching team is likely to include one Junior Lewis a thought that can only bring tears to the eyes of any true Leicester fan.

Also why did he leave brentford? a move to MKD can hardly be called an upward one? Little lost 2 play off finals but stuck it to get us up at the 3rd attempt so why didn't he stay to see the job done.

3 playoffs and not 1 success.

Also is he the right profile of manager to attract good quality players to our club?

for me the most interesting thing to look forward to will be his relationship with Milan. Neither seens to suffer fools gladly! Also who will really be signing the players?

At the moment I remain to be convinced.He could well prove to be an inspired gamble but he could equally prove to be the opposite. Let's hope he is the former and we can return to where we belong.

[davieG]

Hopefully I will be wrong but his appointment has to be the biggest gamble ever in the history of our club's managerial appointments.

In his favour he will no doubt show a lot of passion and has a good win to loss ratio. The football will not be pretty and we should expect a lot of direct in the air long balls coupled with an aggressive in your face all action approach. I also anticipate a considerable amount of "gamesmanship" from our players. I believe during his time at Brentford they had more players sent off against them than any other team.

His judgement in the transfer market inculdes the acquisition of one paul Brooker and we all know how good he was! Also his coaching team is likely to include one Junior Lewis a thought that can only bring tears to the eyes of any true Leicester fan.

Also why did he leave brentford? a move to MKD can hardly be called an upward one? Little lost 2 play off finals but stuck it to get us up at the 3rd attempt so why didn't he stay to see the job done.

3 playoffs and not 1 success.

Also is he the right profile of manager to attract good quality players to our club?

for me the most interesting thing to look forward to will be his relationship with Milan. Neither seens to suffer fools gladly! Also who will really be signing the players?

At the moment I remain to be convinced.He could well prove to be an inspired gamble but he could equally prove to be the opposite. Let's hope he is the former and we can return to where we belong.

Paul Brooker was part of a play off team wasn't he? He got him for nothing and he served his purpose well.

Just because Junior was crap on the pitch doesn't equate to crap off the pitch.

Why did he leave Brentford for MKDs well I guess money had a fair say in that, money in his pocket (wouldn't most people move for more money) money to spend on new players, money for a new stadium and money to take the club forward. I guess the same reason he's now left MKDs for us.

As for being a gamble I thought every managerial appointment was a gamble.

[Poakey]

Sure ive just seen him in fat cats in town,looked like him,am i dreamin?anyone confirm this as im too pissed to be sure.

[Manwell Pablo]

Do we all know for certain he's going to play percentage long ball football? No. I know it's all he's done in the past but Brentford had the lowest budget in League One while he was there and the Dons were hardly flush. He's approach might be totally different if he's given a decent budget to do his job.

[RedOnRed]

As an MK Dons fan i've watched Martin Allen's brand of football over the past year and yes it's definitely NOT pretty. His style of football has been very, very, direct. In fact, to the point where the only thing that has mattered is getting the football as quickly and directly to the oppositions goal as possible.

Unless he swats up and modifys his game for the Championship then you should expect to see a lot of very long balls, the ball up in the air a hell of lot like beach volley ball and a lot of long throws.

In our play off games he left out one of our best players in favour of a player who's only redeeming feature is being able to take long throws! I've never seen so many throws aimed at the other teams goal that were even taken from within our own half! Many of which had to be retaken because they didn't even go into play!

Yes, we got a shed load of goals with Allen's play but we also let more in then most other teams in the top half of the table and missed out on automatic promotion because of it.

His entire track record to date is walking out on teams after having failed at all of the play offs he's been in and playing god ugly football in the process. Sorry to be a party pooper but i'm amazed that Leicester have come in for him.

[Manwell Pablo]

As an MK Dons fan i've watched Martin Allen's brand of football over the past year and yes it's definitely NOT pretty. His style of football has been very, very, direct. In fact, to the point where the only thing that has mattered is getting the football as quickly and directly to the oppositions goal as possible.

Unless he swats up and modifys his game for the Championship then you should expect to see a lot of very long balls, the ball up in the air a hell of lot like beach volley ball and a lot of long throws.

In our play off games he left out one of our best players in favour of a player who's only redeeming feature is being able to take long throws! I've never seen so many throws aimed at the other teams goal that were even taken from within our own half! Many of which had to be retaken because they didn't even go into play!

Yes, we got a shed load of goals with Allen's play but we also let more in then most other teams in the top half of the table and missed out on automatic promotion because of it.

His entire track record to date is walking out on teams after having failed at all of the play offs he's been in and playing god ugly football in the process. Sorry to be a party pooper but i'm amazed that Leicester have come in for him.

Jude Stirling? Fantastic player

You say but alot of teams play like that in your League, and do you think that but do you think you'd of scored as many goals if you had played the ball into McLeod and Platts feet? I think I'm right in saying the Dons do have more money than most in League Two but it's still a very tight budget?

I agree with you RE last season. I look as his season with you as more of a blotch against his name than the big shiny gold star that most Leicester Fans are seeing, with the squad of players you have I expected you to go up, and as you have said it was down to the goals you conceaded, which I was suprised to see as I would of thought with players Like Dyer O'Hanlon and Lewington you'd be very hard to break down.

[Moreton]

I have every confidence in Allen i think he will have a long and successful manigerial career at city and we should all give him our full support, after all does this manager remind u all of another who rose in the ranks, came to leicester and went on to become one the the all time best??? *cough* Martn O'neil *cough*

[RedOnRed]

I have every confidence in Allen i think he will have a long and successful manigerial career at city and we should all give him our full support, after all does this manager remind u all of another who rose in the ranks, came to leicester and went on to become one the the all time best??? *cough* Martn O'neil *cough*

What resemblance does Allen have to O'Neil?

Has Allen performed a miracle like at a club like Wycombe? Has he won similar honours as a player? Sorry mate, but you've got me struggling there?

Unless O'Neil had a history like Allen's of spending a lot of money and losing in the play offs repeatedly then walking out I fail to see a likeness.

[lcfc_jme]

I know we're going to have a fitter squad, and more than likely are going to return to playing hoofball for the majority of the game. I predict that we're going to finish probably mid table next season, and that Mr. Allen will not see out the entirety of his contract with us.

[Manwell Pablo]

What resemblance does Allen have to O'Neil?

Has Allen performed a miracle like at a club like Wycombe? Has he won similar honours as a player? Sorry mate, but you've got me struggling there?

Unless O'Neil had a history like Allen's of spending a lot of money and losing in the play offs repeatedly then walking out I fail to see a likeness.

I'm stuggling with this "lot of money" Thing, the only players you've paid a fee for was Sean O'Hanlon and Scott Taylor at a combined price of about 350k the rest are were all frees, the bloke effiectively sorted your team out on what is a large League Two budget, but still a modest amount, and he had to get in a lot of players, as you got rid of most of your League One team (which was absloutley dire)

[RedOnRed]

I'm stuggling with this "lot of money" Thing, the only players you've paid a fee for was Sean O'Hanlon and Scott Taylor at a combined price of about 350k the rest are were all frees, the bloke effiectively sorted your team out on what is a large League Two budget, but still a modest amount, and he had to get in a lot of players, as you got rid of most of your League One team (which was absloutley dire)

You're right about Sean O'Hanlon being one of the main Allen signings with a transfer fee involved but Scott Taylor was signed by Danny Wilson.

The "lot of money thing" hasn't so much to do with actual transfer fees but was in terms of the budget and was consumed most likely by wages and signing on fees, presumably going on the likes of Keith Andrews (Wolves), Lloyd Dyer (WBA), Leon Knight (Swansea), Jamie Smith (ex Wolves & Crystal Palace) and also Drissa Diallo and John-Paul McGovern (both Sheff Weds).

TBH it's a shame we didn't give Danny Wilson the same transfer kitty as he would probably have taken us up.

[Manwell Pablo]

You're right about Sean O'Hanlon being one of the main Allen signings with a transfer fee involved but Scott Taylor was signed by Danny Wilson.

The "lot of money thing" hasn't so much to do with actual transfer fees but was in terms of the budget and was consumed most likely by wages and signing on fees, presumably going on the likes of Keith Andrews (Wolves), Lloyd Dyer (WBA), Leon Knight (Swansea), Jamie Smith (ex Wolves & Crystal Palace) and also Drissa Diallo and John-Paul McGovern (both Sheff Weds).

TBH it's a shame we didn't give Danny Wilson the same transfer kitty as he would probably have taken us up.

And they were all released because they weren't good enough for the level they were playing at, I think you under estimate alot of the other teams you were playing against this season. Alot of them have Ex Championship squad fillers playing for them as well.

[RedOnRed]

And they were all released because they weren't good enough for the level they were playing at, I think you under estimate alot of the other teams you were playing against this season. Alot of them have Ex Championship squad fillers playing for them as well.

I think Anrdrews, Dyer and McGovern were/are good enough to play in the Championship. You can certainly tell that Andrews is a quality player but in Div 2 looks dragged down a bit by the quality around him.

I'm not too sure about under estimating the opposition. If Allen has the equivalent budget ratio for Leicester but multiplied for the Championship I think you'd expect success.

One thing that can be very damaging is clearing more then half the team out. That in itself is so unsettling that you can lose half the season on that alone.

Imagine this analogy... a builder comes in and guts half your house with a view to refurbishing it and then legs it half way through because he's got a better job. Another builder comes in and says "that's going to cost you even more to put right, the last builder shouldn't have done it that way"...no doubt that scenario's happened round your club a few times and in a inexcusable way is part of football.

When players leave mid contract it's often just business and avoiding a Bosman, but when managers do it in less then a year at a club after clearing out over half a team I think the FA needs to step in and stop this sort of thing from happening in future. Especially when you think that the chairman and the club gave that person a free reign to complete an overhaul which should take years.

By the way...like your signature, i've only just read it - .

[reynard]

With Martin Allen's arrival I predict the following.

a) Our teams will be properly fit.

b) No more than three or our current regulars will survive in the team for more than three months from the season's start.

c) The average age of the side will increase considerably.

Looks like you didn't get this one quite right!