Neil Lennon

[Thracian]

It's easy for any city fan at the moment to dismiss players over the age of 30 by bringing up Tiatto, AJ and the like but I think we should all be able to agree that the problem wasn't age but ability. Lennon always was and still is a far better midfielder ball winner then either of the above mentioned. He's better then both when all were playing at their own personal peaks. The comparison isn't really there.

We're going to have to disagree about the Celtic situation because i'm not sure how even the hustle and bustle of the Championship compares to Gattuso at the San Siro. The pressure on Celtic, the type of game people try to play against them (aggressive, closing down etc) is far greater then anything he'd have to deal with here. I'm not saying a season for us would be a stroll and i'm sure he'd have to work hard but he has the ability to do it at this level.

I really think it's one of the most physically straining positions on the pitch and it's tough for anyone to play a whole season there so why not share the workload between someone with experience and ability and someone who is up and coming. It's all well and good calling for a young, strong Greek God to come and hold our midfield together but he doesn't exist. The lack of quality in that position is a problem but unless MM can use his contacts to tempt Hargreaves to swap Utd for us, bring in Essien or Mikel from Chelsea or even (down a drop) steal Joey Barton at the last minute from Newcastle I'm failing to see who this young hero coming to save us is...

Trouble is, as you well know, Gattuso and his like only lay against Celtic occasionally.

It might be easier to go for Lennon than to find a genuine and appreciating alternaive but that, to me, is one of the things that really sort a good manager from a middling one.

Doesn't mean its right or best.

But we'll see whether it happens first and even then I wouldn't be wishing it went wrong for him.

It's just how I think it will turn out.

[The People's Hero]

I just love the argument that Lennon might not be up to it because he supposedly gets an easy ride in Celtic's midfield.... from the man who asserts that King, Tejan Sie and the like have proven themselves by consistently bossing the midfield battle against Weymouth under 17s.

[Master Fox]

Right,

Well Stephen Hughes or Neil Lennon…….hmmmmm I need some time to think this one through, tough one to call.

I’ve made my decision

I pick..

Elvis

[Thracian]

Right,

Well Stephen Hughes or Neil Lennon…….hmmmmm I need some time to think this one through, tough one to call.

I’ve made my decision

I pick..

Elvis

Cannot understand the connection. Hughes will be out before the end of the month I imagine. How Lennon equates to the best potential replacement I don't know.

[jaspal1000]

I can not believe what i am reading!

An old lesta face is exactly what we need! With Neil's experience, we can go far!

He would easily be our best player !

Sign him Mandaric!

[Dames]

I just love the argument that Lennon might not be up to it because he supposedly gets an easy ride in Celtic's midfield.... from the man who asserts that King, Tejan Sie and the like have proven themselves by consistently bossing the midfield battle against Weymouth under 17s.

Tbh i could boss Weymouth under 17s midfield.

Now Thrac should love me and call for my including in the Leicester 1st team

[Lineker's Left Foot]

I agree with your sentament about all these older players. But I'd still take Lennon, we've been lacking any sort of leadership of the field for a very very very long time.

Maybe the plan is to use these older players, hoping to get the last good year out of them, to get to the prem rather than building a base for a potential premiership team?

Also I think people forget how young most of the players we've already got are.

Loved Lennon to bits in his day, but he's not the answer we need. We have to move on !! Players returning for a second stint at a club never usually works out similar to before anyway !!

[egg_fried_rice]

Loved Lennon to bits in his day, but he's not the answer we need. We have to move on !! Players returning for a second stint at a club never usually works out similar to before anyway !!

Hey guys, first post.

I agree entirely. Guppy was one of our best performers under MON, hell, he was one of the best performers in the premiership at the time. I remember one season where his assist stats were second only to Mr Beckham.his second stint with us left a lot to be desired. Im not sure if Lennon is the answer. We certainly need someone in his mould though, but surely younger, hungrier players are available? He was great in his time, but i think we could do better.

Plus, surely fuelling the age vs experience debate, we cant look to bring in too many older players as we need to strike the right balance between youth and experience... i think lennon may tip the scales too far in one direction.

cheers,

Matt.

[gazzer]

All the rumours i've seen have linked him with F#&est, I haven't seen 1 linking him with us recently.

Was at a party on the Notts-Lincs border on Saturday and Word up there was that its a done deal with our wooden friends.... I know its not much of a source but slim pickings...

a lennon-at-his-peak-like figure is certainly essential if we're to march back into the Prem, but he's not that player any more and I don't feel he's gonna get the coaching opportunities at the Walkers given the entourage Mr Allen is rumoured to be keen on bringing in

[Blue Bob]

Gotta say I am amazed if this happens. From what they say in the press ( I know half of it is crap) he has had numerous offers. What the hell is so appealing about a third division side that are struggling financially and dont look like they have the ability to get out of the division.

Surely he has got to have been offered something better. Unless he sees this as a quick route into management as he will take over if Calderwood gets sacked.

[Lillehamring]

lennon wants to coach - no chance of that here - can't see it happening, and besides, he'll know that he is a legend here, one crap season and that's up in smoke.

[MPH]

lennon wants to coach - no chance of that here - can't see it happening, and besides, he'll know that he is a legend here, one crap season and that's up in smoke.

If lennon wanted to come back here i would personally go beg him to come play for us if it would help.

You dont go from captaining a side in the champions league to being not good enough for the championship in the matter of a couple of months. Dont also see why he wouldnt be involved in the coaching....

[Finnegan]

Uh, huh, what? Since when is the SPL not a physical league, anyway?

[Jimmy]

Uh, huh, what? Since when is the SPL not a physical league, anyway?

since it helps thracs argument for it not to be

[l444ry]

Neil Lennon was one of the best players to have ever played for this club. It is not rocket science to know that he could play at championship level for another season or so. Like many others I would have loved for him to return. However, he could never function to full effect playing in a Martin Allen style system and therefore it would be a disaster for both parties if it ever happened.

[Fez of Mahrez]

Neil Lennon was one of the best players to have ever played for this club. It is not rocket science to know that he could play at championship level for another season or so. Like many others I would have loved for him to return. However, he could never function to full effect playing in a Martin Allen style system and therefore it would be a disaster for both parties if it ever happened.

Disagree totally. Lennon's game was and is more about combating the opposition than relying on his own team's tactics, i.e. breaking up play and passing it simply. 100% desire and commitment, think he would suit Allen a treat and just because he's a central midfielder, it's too simplistic to say he wouldn't function to full effect in a Martin Allen style system. Firstly, Allen has never had players of Lennon's quality, even relatively speaking for the divisions he's managed in, to play to their strengths before - and secondly, we were accused by all and sundry of what I presume is a Martin Allen style system when Lennon played for us under MON.

[Thracian]

If lennon wanted to come back here i would personally go beg him to come play for us if it would help.

You dont go from captaining a side in the champions league to being not good enough for the championship in the matter of a couple of months. Dont also see why he wouldnt be involved in the coaching....

Don't know but I would guess you've never tried doing both at once. It rarely works in my experience. Players who combine coaching quickly lose their sharpness and their focus.

[l444ry]

Disagree totally. Lennon's game was and is more about combating the opposition than relying on his own team's tactics, i.e. breaking up play and passing it simply. 100% desire and commitment, think he would suit Allen a treat and just because he's a central midfielder, it's too simplistic to say he wouldn't function to full effect in a Martin Allen style system. Firstly, Allen has never had players of Lennon's quality, even relatively speaking for the divisions he's managed in, to play to their strengths before - and secondly, we were accused by all and sundry of what I presume is a Martin Allen style system when Lennon played for us under MON.

I know exactly where you're coming from Fez. However, if Martin Allen gets Leicester playing in the style all his other sides have then-:

a) Neil's legs just won't have it.

b) The ball won't be on the deck long enough for him to influence anything.

Also, I'm not sure that O'Neill's style is/was even in the same stratosphere as Allen's. Couldn't disagree with your view on Lennon's commitment though.

[Fez of Mahrez]

I know exactly where you're coming from Fez. However, if Martin Allen gets Leicester playing in the style all his other sides have then-:

a) Neil's legs just won't have it.

b) The ball won't be on the deck long enough for him to influence anything.

Also, I'm not sure that O'Neill's style is/was even in the same stratosphere as Allen's. Couldn't disagree with your view on Lennon's commitment though.

Fair play. Although I appreciate you were only talking about Lennon, I can't see that Wesolowski or players we have been linked with such as Kishishev and Holland will be any more up to it than Lennon though really, given the former's injury record and the latters' ages.

Personally I'm not convinced we'll be long-ball merchants to the extent that a player of Lennon's quality wouldn't be able to influence games against Championship opposition.

Like all of this idle chit-chat though, we can only wait and see!

[potter3]

Yeah but he wouldn't effective when the ball's coming the other way, when the opponents attacking, assuming they don't hoof it from area to area.

[Thracian]

Fair play. Although I appreciate you were only talking about Lennon, I can't see that Wesolowski or players we have been linked with such as Kishishev and Holland will be any more up to it than Lennon though really, given the former's injury record and the latters' ages.

Personally I'm not convinced we'll be long-ball merchants to the extent that a player of Lennon's quality wouldn't be able to influence games against Championship opposition.

Like all of this idle chit-chat though, we can only wait and see!

Looking at the clips of McLeod's goals, they didn't seem like the result of hoofball.

Hume's not going to benefit from "hoof" and he's got a new long contract. Matt Jarvis, if he signs, doesn't suggest "hoof" nor the apparent continued involvement of people like Fryatt, Wesolowski or even Porter.

There's a way to go with new signings yet but, while I'm certain in my mind we'll be fit and competitive, the threat of "hoof" would seem to be receding rather than developing.

Hopefully, with good passers, we'll be able to get the ball forward quickly and accurately in more ways than one.

[Blue Bob]

Looking at the clips of McLeod's goals, they didn't seem like the result of hoofball.

Hume's not going to benefit from "hoof" and he's got a new long contract. Matt Jarvis, if he signs, doesn't suggest "hoof" nor the apparent continued involvement of people like Fryatt, Wesolowski or even Porter.

There's a way to go with new signings yet but, while I'm certain in my mind we'll be fit and competitive, the threat of "hoof" would seem to be receding rather than developing.

Hopefully, with good passers, we'll be able to get the ball forward quickly and accurately in more ways than one.

sounds like a plan!!!

[l444ry]

Looking at the clips of McLeod's goals, they didn't seem like the result of hoofball.Hume's not going to benefit from "hoof" and he's got a new long contract. Matt Jarvis, if he signs, doesn't suggest "hoof" nor the apparent continued involvement of people like Fryatt, Wesolowski or even Porter.

There's a way to go with new signings yet but, while I'm certain in my mind we'll be fit and competitive, the threat of "hoof" would seem to be receding rather than developing.

Hopefully, with good passers, we'll be able to get the ball forward quickly and accurately in more ways than one.

Just because you have a sneaky admiration for Martin Allen, Thracian, there's no need to rewrite history.

[Babylon]

Just because you have a sneaky admiration for Martin Allen, Thracian, there's no need to rewrite history.

I agree with him (doesn't happen often) but lots of the goals came from through balls from midfielders. Not as many hoofs as I thought there would be.

[mancunianfox]

I agree with him (doesn't happen often) but lots of the goals came from through balls from midfielders. Not as many hoofs as I thought there would be.

I am still not sure where the hoof thing comes from anyway, and the players he seems to be interested in don't support the theory tbh. Supporters of any team seem to say 'all we do is play long balls' just because they don't play Real Madrid.