The Times Mandaric Interview

[davieG]

From The Times October 2,

Milan Mandaric not afraid to put dreams above Leicester fans' wrath

'Leicester City Football Club Chairman Milan Mandaric';

Being interviewed can be a daunting experience, even for a millionaire who owns a football club, but Milan Mandaric is not afraid to speak his mind. It helps that after the events of the past few weeks, the Leicester City chairman has a lot to get off his chest.

So, Mr Mandaric, how do you relax away from the game? "I fire managers." What attracted you to Leicester? "It was run like a holiday camp and I saw a tremendous opportunity." And what about the fans who have turned on you? "A club is like a family and every family needs discipline. Sometimes your children need to be spanked."

Everyone at the Walkers Stadium knew that things were going to change in February, when Mandaric bought the underperforming Coca-Cola Championship club in a £25 million deal. The 69-year-old Serb businessman is used to calling the shots and getting his way.

He had nothing to prove after transforming the fortunes of Portsmouth and selling the South Coast club for £30 million 18 months ago, but football has been in his blood since childhood, when he went to bed as a child in Yugoslavia and dreamt of waking up as a professional player.

Initially, he was welcomed with open arms at Leicester, but that was before he dismissed Martin Allen four matches into the season - the club's third managerial change in less than five months. "I didn't judge Martin over four games, I judged him over three months and things were not working out," Mandaric said. "Martin Allen is a good man, but he was fired because he was not the right man. I might hire and fire another 15 managers. Numbers do not matter. The only thing that matters is making Leicester successful."

A confidentiality agreement prevents Mandaric from going into detail about why he decided to replace Allen with Gary Megson, but he denies that the split was triggered by his desire to interfere in team selection and transfers. "That is absolutely wrong," Mandaric said. "Gary Megson has been here for three weeks and I have only been to the training ground once."

Feelings over Allen's dismissal were running so high in Leicester that Mandaric decided to put his reputation on the line after fans began chanting their former manager's name during the replayed Carling Cup second-round tie against Nottingham Forest two weeks ago. The chairman challenged the disgruntled fans to meet him at the Walkers Stadium on Thursday evening and about 200 turned up for clear-the-air talks.

"I thought the chants were insulting and I challenged these people to come and see me so that we could address the issues," Mandaric said. The meeting ended with the chairman leaving the Gordon Banks Suite with applause ringing in his ears after he had urged fans to get behind the team. "I have a place on the French Riviera, I have a place in Slovenia, I have a place in California and where am I sitting? In Leicester," he said. "I didn't come here for the beautiful weather. I came here because I believe that this club will be a big asset to the community when we turn it around."

The Milan way

On Leicester

"I bought them because they wear blue shirts, just like Portsmouth."

On Roman Abramovich

"All chairman are different. Football is not just about money; it's an emotional business."

On Martin Allen

"I had to fire him because I was worried that we might waste the whole season. I had to act quickly to salvage the season."

On Portsmouth

"Nobody in Portsmouth asks me how many managers I hired and fired. They just talk about what a great job I did there."

On Harry Redknapp

"I don't know what happens to his wallet when we go out to dinner, but I love him to death. Will we work together again? Never say never."

On retirement

"Do you have a dictionary? I don't know what the word means."

[Steven]

[Flynny]

So, Mr Mandaric, how do you relax away from the game? "I fire managers."

On Harry Redknapp

"I don't know what happens to his wallet when we go out to dinner, but I love him to death. Will we work together again? Never say never."

First one: hahahaha.

Second one: I'd love that so much.

[Micky Ruddle]

The Milan way

On Martin Allen

"I had to fire him because I was worried that we might waste the whole season. I had to act quickly to salvage the season."

The season was alright until Allen left. We was alright i thought with him. To get rid of him and install GM...

[Brainy]

Sometimes your children need to be spanked."

:laugh:

[Tevez]

Good times at the walkers...

[Staf]

On Leicester

"I bought them because they wear blue shirts, just like Portsmouth."

Hes joking i hope

[Rocky Dennis]

The season was alright until Allen left. We was alright i thought with him. To get rid of him and install GM...

Thats not exactly true is it?

Allen was slated on here after the Blackpool game.

[Micky Ruddle]

Thats not exactly true is it?

Allen was slated on here after the Blackpool game.

Thats just a natural reaction.

It was slightly better than now.

[crisp monster]

hmmm

French Riviera, Slovenia and California?

do you think he might lend one of them out to me next year?

during the school hols if poss

[WetFlannel]

On Leicester

"I bought them because they wear blue shirts, just like Portsmouth."

Hes joking i hope

i cant think of another valid reason

[Geo V]

i cant think of another valid reason

He got a tip off that some Spanish sides were prepare to offer £5m for Elvis so thought that he wouldn't need to spend to much of his own cash on transfers.

[Master Fox]

Well I must say I'm slightly aroused by the prospect of being spanked!

But reading that brings back that feeling of overwhelming joy and relief when we found out that Manadric had taken control of our club. That feeling after we beat Cov 3-0 at home on the day when Milan gave his plea to crowd that he would bring success. But unfortunately since then things have changed, but maybe one day with a huge amount of luck Milan will be true to his word. I hope so anyway..

[WetFlannel]

He got a tip off that some Spanish sides were prepare to offer £5m for Elvis so thought that he wouldn't need to spend to much of his own cash on transfers.

or the fact he would be actually gone

[Geo V]

or the fact he would be actually gone

I also think MM got confused when he was told he had Douglas at the club and thought it was Michael and his millions and not Rab.

[MPH]

On Harry Redknapp

"I don't know what happens to his wallet when we go out to dinner, but I love him to death. Will we work together again? Never say never."

yes please

[kendalfox]

Did nobody else see that bit at the beginning?

Where he compared supporters to 'naughty children' 'who sometimes need a spanking'.

Rather than berating fans who pile tens of thousands of pounds every week into the club (and have done for decades before the likes of him were around), perhaps he should have compared the string of the second-rate managers and third rate players he has employed to 'work-shy and idle layabouts' 'who need a bloody good kick up the arse'.

[Kilworthfox]

Did nobody else see that bit at the beginning?

Where he compared supporters to 'naughty children' 'who sometimes need a spanking'.

Rather than berating fans who pile tens of thousands of pounds every week into the club (and have done for decades before the likes of him were around), perhaps he should have compared the string of the second-rate managers and third rate players he has employed to 'work-shy and idle layabouts' 'who need a bloody good kick up the arse'.

I believe that we need to get a manager in who will do that! Oh and play attacking football and occasionally look a decent side who play for the shirt! Hmmmmm Let me think

[Jon the Hat]

From The Times October 2,

And what about the fans who have turned on you? "A club is like a family and every family needs discipline. Sometimes your children need to be spanked."

Initially, he was welcomed with open arms at Leicester, but that was before he dismissed Martin Allen four matches into the season - the club's third managerial change in less than five months. "I didn't judge Martin over four games, I judged him over three months and things were not working out," Mandaric said. "Martin Allen is a good man, but he was fired because he was not the right man. I might hire and fire another 15 managers. Numbers do not matter. The only thing that matters is making Leicester successful."

You would hope by now milan would have overcome his irritation and speak a little more sensibly about the fans. Ok there are some idiots, but to suggest they need him to discipline them for venting their feelings is a little hypocritical given he seems to tell everyone exactly what he thinks all the time. For me, he can sack the manager, that is his perogative, but telling me or other fans what we can and can't say is simply not his right. I cannot understand why he thinks dragging this out is making anything better.

To suggest the fans have turned on Milan becuase of Martin's sacking is in my view inaccurate. It seems to me those who welcomed him without question are in the main still follwing obediently. Those who reserved judgement still mostly are unconvinced. There is alot still to do. Milan for me has everything to prove. Done it somewhere else? So has Martin Allen. And he wasn't the right man for the job.

[Geo V]

You would hope by now milan would have overcome his irritation and speak a little more sensibly about the fans. Ok there are some idiots, but to suggest they need him to discipline them for venting their feelings is a little hypocritical given he seems to tell everyone exactly what he thinks all the time. For me, he can sack the manager, that is his perogative, but telling me or other fans what we can and can't say is simply not his right. I cannot understand why he thinks dragging this out is making anything better.

To suggest the fans have turned on Milan becuase of Martin's sacking is in my view inaccurate. It seems to me those who welcomed him without question are in the main still follwing obediently. Those who reserved judgement still mostly are unconvinced. There is alot still to do. Milan for me has everything to prove. Done it somewhere else? So has Martin Allen. And he wasn't the right man for the job.

I personally think he is beging to have less respect for us. When he first arrived it was all about the fans and he couldn't say enough about us, putting on Q and A`s at the ground and always on SSN "bigging" us up. Since the whole MA chant he has seemingly become a bit comfortable with his use of words to some sections of the support and this interview is the perfect example of him lowering his guard to sound almost disrespectful. Lets hope he doesn't lose too much interest or else we will be in serious trouble.

[The Reverend]

You would hope by now milan would have overcome his irritation and speak a little more sensibly about the fans. Ok there are some idiots, but to suggest they need him to discipline them for venting their feelings is a little hypocritical given he seems to tell everyone exactly what he thinks all the time. For me, he can sack the manager, that is his perogative, but telling me or other fans what we can and can't say is simply not his right. I cannot understand why he thinks dragging this out is making anything better.

To suggest the fans have turned on Milan becuase of Martin's sacking is in my view inaccurate. It seems to me those who welcomed him without question are in the main still follwing obediently. Those who reserved judgement still mostly are unconvinced. There is alot still to do. Milan for me has everything to prove. Done it somewhere else? So has Martin Allen. And he wasn't the right man for the job.

Do you mind if i ask you where he's done it?

[Ultra]

Well I must say I'm slightly aroused by the prospect of being spanked!

What - by Mandaric?

[ASH17LCFC]

From The Times October 2,

Milan Mandaric not afraid to put dreams above Leicester fans' wrath

'Leicester City Football Club Chairman Milan Mandaric';

Being interviewed can be a daunting experience, even for a millionaire who owns a football club, but Milan Mandaric is not afraid to speak his mind. It helps that after the events of the past few weeks, the Leicester City chairman has a lot to get off his chest.

So, Mr Mandaric, how do you relax away from the game? "I fire managers." What attracted you to Leicester? "It was run like a holiday camp and I saw a tremendous opportunity." And what about the fans who have turned on you? "A club is like a family and every family needs discipline. Sometimes your children need to be spanked."

Everyone at the Walkers Stadium knew that things were going to change in February, when Mandaric bought the underperforming Coca-Cola Championship club in a £25 million deal. The 69-year-old Serb businessman is used to calling the shots and getting his way.

He had nothing to prove after transforming the fortunes of Portsmouth and selling the South Coast club for £30 million 18 months ago, but football has been in his blood since childhood, when he went to bed as a child in Yugoslavia and dreamt of waking up as a professional player.

Initially, he was welcomed with open arms at Leicester, but that was before he dismissed Martin Allen four matches into the season - the club's third managerial change in less than five months. "I didn't judge Martin over four games, I judged him over three months and things were not working out," Mandaric said. "Martin Allen is a good man, but he was fired because he was not the right man. I might hire and fire another 15 managers. Numbers do not matter. The only thing that matters is making Leicester successful."

A confidentiality agreement prevents Mandaric from going into detail about why he decided to replace Allen with Gary Megson, but he denies that the split was triggered by his desire to interfere in team selection and transfers. "That is absolutely wrong," Mandaric said. "Gary Megson has been here for three weeks and I have only been to the training ground once."

Feelings over Allen's dismissal were running so high in Leicester that Mandaric decided to put his reputation on the line after fans began chanting their former manager's name during the replayed Carling Cup second-round tie against Nottingham Forest two weeks ago. The chairman challenged the disgruntled fans to meet him at the Walkers Stadium on Thursday evening and about 200 turned up for clear-the-air talks.

"I thought the chants were insulting and I challenged these people to come and see me so that we could address the issues," Mandaric said. The meeting ended with the chairman leaving the Gordon Banks Suite with applause ringing in his ears after he had urged fans to get behind the team. "I have a place on the French Riviera, I have a place in Slovenia, I have a place in California and where am I sitting? In Leicester," he said. "I didn't come here for the beautiful weather. I came here because I believe that this club will be a big asset to the community when we turn it around."

The Milan way

On Leicester

"I bought them because they wear blue shirts, just like Portsmouth."

On Roman Abramovich

"All chairman are different. Football is not just about money; it's an emotional business."

On Martin Allen

"I had to fire him because I was worried that we might waste the whole season. I had to act quickly to salvage the season."

On Portsmouth

"Nobody in Portsmouth asks me how many managers I hired and fired. They just talk about what a great job I did there."

On Harry Redknapp

"I don't know what happens to his wallet when we go out to dinner, but I love him to death. Will we work together again? Never say never."

On retirement

"Do you have a dictionary? I don't know what the word means."

The guy is a media tart, just loves to be on skysportsnews giving his opinion on everything and anything.

[Master Fox]

What - by Mandaric?

No actually by you.

I've always fantasised about you wearing a leather gimp mask and tight PVC suit whilst standing hunched protruding with a spanking device .

[ASH17LCFC]

No actually by you.

I've always fantasised about you wearing a leather gimp mask and tight PVC suit whilst standing hunched protruding with a spanking device .

Witty