Sly Posted 23 December 2007 Posted 23 December 2007 We've all suffered the horrors and heard the rumors omitting from the Walkers Stadium this year. It has been like a comedy of errors but if you piece the jigsaw together, no one person is at fault. It is quite clear that some people have had larger parts to play in leading us to our current position that others. If you asses the madness we have had to witness from the start of the season you really do have to wonder if we are following a football team or a soap opera. We've had Martin Allen who seemed like a pleasant chap and he quickly built up a good report with the fans. We all enjoyed reading and hearing about his wacky ideas and how he was preparing us for the promotion push towards the Premier league. We were treated to a whole host of signings, to improve the squad from the inadequate underachievers that we've had to witness over the past 3 or 4 years. The players who we were buying came with reputations, some bigger than others but still we were being treated to something special. To long had out club gone without success, Martin Allen was assembling a squad of big name players. Then the whispers started to kick in, the players were unfit, the dressing room was divided, players were only their to take the money and we had a manager who had been like a child in a sweet shop and was grabbing everything he could and what we'd ultimately been left with was a lot of square pegs to fit into round holes. Allen didn't command the respect of the players, in fact the players didn't even have the respect of their own fellow players. Allen was seen as a clown by the squad, he'd told his worshipers how hard they were working yet, the playing staff were aware that throughout the summer they were not being pushed hard enough, not sharp enough, not reaching peak fitness to face the challenge ahead. Allen banished key personnel from the training ground, so that they could not observe the goings on. Unfortunately for him this was not enough to save his job. His actions or maybe lack of had no escaped the attention of the Chairman of our football club who acted sooner rather than later and terminated Allen’s contract. The pressure had already been turned up on Allen prior to this debalacle as should the rumors be correct; he'd relied heavily on a certain scout when purchasing his players due to him having very little knowledge himself. Apparently this scout is now under investigation by the FA. It had become obvious that the players purchased were not good enough to do the job in hand. Milan had reacted to Allen’s spending earlier in the summer and purchased only one player, Bruno N'Gotty. Milan felt the backlash of the fans by removing Allen, they were upset that following a 4-1 victory over a very good Watford team, they felt he'd abused his position of power and sacked Allen due to personal differences. The fans were unaware of the behind the scenes goings on and Milan neither felt inclined or was unable to discuss these due to legal implications. The fans chanted Allen’s name which saddened our Chairman further, causing him to angrily reacted and arrange a face to face meeting with them, allowing his charm to once again win them over, sow the seeds of doubt about Allen but reveal no details regarding his departure. Milan quickly set about replacing Allen and looked to bring in someone who would instill discipline, someone who would work the team hard and stabiles the ship, that man was to be Gary Megson. Away from the game for an extended period, Milan felt Megson deserved an opportunity to return to the game by allowing him to clean up the mess left by the previous management. Megson opted for a defensive strategy, battening down the hatches, the club needed to walk before it could run, it required safety before if could chases it’s dream of promotion. Unfortunately for Milan and Leicester, the gamble he’d taken decided to strike back and bite the hand that had fed it. Megson walked away from Leicester at the first opportunity he was given, did he really want to work this poor unhappy squad, where factions of it did not even speak to each other, some that couldn’t even speak English at all. Was Megson the man to realize Milan’s dream, or was the grass actually greener on the other side? Megson thought so and decided he’d chance his arm elsewhere. Should we have not realized then that we were in a real mess? A man given a opportunity by Milan, should be in debt to him but when posed with the dilemma of managing Leicester City choose to walk away. Mandaric then took his time, he had to get things right. He turned to a man who was what some would say, was a cross between the two disappointments before him. A man that enjoyed a challenge, this man was to be Ian Holloway. Upon Holloway arrival he wiped the slate clean for every member involved at the club. This was to be a fresh start for everyone; he would watch and ponder giving everyone a chance to prove themselves. Everyone was giving a new beginning, some took the bull by the horns and grasped the opportunity with both hands, others have fallen by the wayside and have proved that they lack both the desire, commitment and drive to play for Leicester City. He now needs to remove the rotting core from the apple and remove players from our squad. He will not simply cast them aside like previous management though; he will work with them, to find them new homes, treat them with respect, unlike those before him. In a weeks time he has 31 days to begin to assemble a squad of players, knit them closer together with further additions. Holloway believes that he is the man to take this club forwards, he has realized that the work required is greater than when you stand on the outside looking but he has not chosen to walk away from the challenge. This is Holloway’s chance to prove he can make a difference. Younger members of the playing staff have been known to get down heartened, even cry in the dressing room due to the fans booing them. We are not helping the teams cause by doing this. We need to cheer our team, support our team through the bad times and the good. If we stand by Holloway stand by the team that he builds, allow him the time he requires, he will bring success to out football club. Rome was not built in a day and neither shall our great football team.
barmy76uk Posted 23 December 2007 Posted 23 December 2007 It went wrong when Martin Allen was sacked and when Holloway was given the job! I can see him bringing some right pish intop the club! He seems to have just pissed the whole squad off and if players like Hume are allowed to go and replaced by pish he should go now!
James. Posted 23 December 2007 Posted 23 December 2007 It went wrong when Martin Allen was sacked and when Holloway was given the job! I can see him bringing some right pish intop the club! He seems to have just pissed the whole squad off and if players like Hume are allowed to go and replaced by pish he should go now! You're boring and you don't know what you're talking about. ----- Sly that's a great summary of the season so far and an important message in terms of supporting the team. It is absolutely critical we get behind the players and Holloway. Wolves has given me back a little bit of confidence. If that is built upon through results and transfers then things may start looking a bit more positive.
barmy76uk Posted 23 December 2007 Posted 23 December 2007 You're boring and you don't know what you're talking about.----- Sly that's a great summary of the season so far and an important message in terms of supporting the team. It is absolutely critical we get behind the players and Holloway. Wolves has given me back a little bit of confidence. If that is built upon through results and transfers then things may start looking a bit more positive. Sorry Mr interesting expert!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sly Posted 23 December 2007 Author Posted 23 December 2007 It went wrong when Martin Allen was sacked and when Holloway was given the job! I can see him bringing some right pish intop the club! He seems to have just pissed the whole squad off and if players like Hume are allowed to go and replaced by pish he should go now! Mandaric did the correct thing by removing Martin Allen. How anyone can't see that I simply can't understand. On your second point, I'm of the opinion that unless he upsets people, then we won't actually be a success. If he upsets Hume, then maybe he deserves it. I still can't get my head aroun why the crowd actually love Hume the way they do. Technically he's a decent player....good enough to play at a higher level on a consistent basis, I'm not so sure.
Asha Posted 23 December 2007 Posted 23 December 2007 It went wrong when Martin Allen was sacked and when Holloway was given the job! I can see him bringing some right pish intop the club! He seems to have just pissed the whole squad off and if players like Hume are allowed to go and replaced by pish he should go now! Sorry Mr interesting expert!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You are wrong though, we were never exactly owning the division with Martin Allen, it was with Martin Allen that we bought 'pish', and Megson in between didn't exactly highlight our history
barmy76uk Posted 23 December 2007 Posted 23 December 2007 You are wrong though, we were never exactly owning the division with Martin Allen, it was with Martin Allen that we bought 'pish', and Megson in between didn't exactly highlight our history We wasnt in relegation was we,and all the players bought wasnt pish as they proved against Watford!
Sly Posted 23 December 2007 Author Posted 23 December 2007 Holloway is only using the players he has. We have more right backs at our club than you can shake a stick at.....but no wingers....clever purchasing by Allen that. So we beat Watford 4-1. I once remember Manchester United losing to York....freaky results happen, football is a funny old game.
Bryn Posted 23 December 2007 Posted 23 December 2007 It went wrong when Martin Allen was sacked and when Holloway was given the job! I can see him bringing some right pish intop the club! He seems to have just pissed the whole squad off and if players like Hume are allowed to go and replaced by pish he should go now! You're a brainless dick
davieG Posted 23 December 2007 Posted 23 December 2007 Well I don't now how you can all be so sure about Allen being right or wrong because we don't know why he left other than it being none-football reasons, there is considerable confusion over who was responsible for identifying and signing individual players and he never really got a chance to have a major influence on how the team would progress. So any comments re Allen are all conjecture and therefore pretty meaningless in terms of apportioning blame for our current demise. Besides I would say it was an accumulation of 4/5 years of mismanagement at many and various levels within LCFC.
barmy76uk Posted 23 December 2007 Posted 23 December 2007 You're a brainless dick What does that make you then???????????
Simi Posted 23 December 2007 Posted 23 December 2007 We wasnt in relegation was we,and all the players bought wasnt pish as they proved against Watford! The Watford game should never be spoke of. The players that Allen bought in were poor as they are now proving against every team in this division.
Sly Posted 23 December 2007 Author Posted 23 December 2007 Well I don't now how you can all be so sure about Allen being right or wrong because we don't know why he left other than it being none-football reasons, there is considerable confusion over who was responsible for identifying and signing individual players and he never really got a chance to have a major influence on how the team would progress.So any comments re Allen are all conjecture and therefore pretty meaningless in terms of apportioning blame for our current demise. Besides I would say it was an accumulation of 4/5 years of mismanagement at many and various levels within LCFC. I do not disagree with that comment at all. You are quite correct and we have been in a state of freefall for some time. My summary above was based on conversations I've had and my opinion based around these conversations.
davieG Posted 23 December 2007 Posted 23 December 2007 Holloway is only using the players he has. We have more right backs at our club than you can shake a stick at.....but no wingers....clever purchasing by Allen that. So we beat Watford 4-1. I once remember Manchester United losing to York....freaky results happen, football is a funny old game. This 7 rightbacks is a bit of myth to be honest, we have seven players that can play right back in Chambers, Stearman, Kenton, N'gotty, McAuley Maybury Kaebi. N'Gotty & McAuley are first and foremost CB Kenton & Maybury were transfer listed so shouldn't count and could still be here next June Kaebi he can play both right back & right midfield but no one had any idea how long it would take for him to settle and was a bit of a gamble amyway. In effect under Allen we only had 2, what might be termed out and out right backs first choice right backs. True we were short elsewhere but do we really know if Allen didn't try to fill those gaps - I don't.
Matt Posted 23 December 2007 Posted 23 December 2007 To be fair to Martin Allen though at most the amount of his players that have played in a team this season is 4, The rest were here before him, Remember last season, Oh yeah we were in this league position last season as well. I think it's too easy to blame Allen's signings I was upset when Allen got sacked, and many other people who are now slagging Allen off we also upset, whether the sacking of Allen was right or wrong we'll never know, and i'm not going to get into that arguement. The problem we have had this season, the season before, the season before that...You get the idea - It was/is the players.
The Stig Posted 23 December 2007 Posted 23 December 2007 It went wrong when Martin Allen was sacked and when Holloway was given the job! I can see him bringing some right pish intop the club! He seems to have just pissed the whole squad off and if players like Hume are allowed to go and replaced by pish he should go now! Idiot. Sorry Mr interesting expert!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Compared to you he is the fountain of football knowledge. Anyway, an excellent post Sly, a fair recolection of a roller coaster season! For me, a number of factors have gone wrong for us. Starting with the departure of Micky Adams. I don't believe he was the right man to take us forward, and after we got relegated he failed to build a team which could challenge for promotion. After that we became a mid table Championship club, which we have stayed ever since. Craig Levien and Rob Kelly were the wrong appontments and in appointing those two the board made sure that our status would not be rising any further. If it were not for Milan, we would have stayed a mid table club for years, but he came in, and the club was given a new lease of life. He got it wrong with Martin Allen, very wrong, but he realised his mistake and quickly corrected it, which is good. However the damage for the 2007 - 2008 season had been done, as Allen had waisted our summer. He appointed Gary Megson, who would have been a good manager. He qucikly realised he had a really bad squad, so he defended his way to some points. Later, a call came from Bolton, and off he went to furthur his career, and fair play to hom for doing so. However, his departure threw is into more confusion. Milan has called on Ian Holloway to save us. He is guilty of not realising how bad the squad is, but when we have some quality in, his system will work and in my opinion he'll be a good manager. So basically thats what I think has gone wrong all these years.
Zingari Posted 23 December 2007 Posted 23 December 2007 it all went wrong when jimmy bloomfield got the sack good post sly , sorry if i've misinterpreted, but it does tend to imply that if we all rally behind the team everything will be fine eventually , is that what you meant ? i agree there is a degree of symbiosis involved but the prime mover in the relationship is the team
kevinwpratt Posted 23 December 2007 Posted 23 December 2007 We wasnt in relegation was we,and all the players bought wasnt pish as they proved against Watford! We weren't in the relegation zone were we..... Like most people have said it is the "pish" that have got us in this position.....
Babylon Posted 23 December 2007 Posted 23 December 2007 It went wrong when Martin Allen was sacked and when Holloway was given the job! I can see him bringing some right pish intop the club! He seems to have just pissed the whole squad off and if players like Hume are allowed to go and replaced by pish he should go now! You don't know how good or bad Allen would have been. You don't know what players will be brought into the club (He has an excellent record of unearthing players with his staff) You don't know the whole squad is pissed off. You don't know Hume would be sold. So basically your argument is complete pish, we have been in this position for the last 3/4 years. With relatively the same players, so I do not understand how Holloway can take so much blame that he deserves the sack. I really don't know what people expect in a month. As the days go by you are looking more and more like a Plymouth fan, or someone who has had a bang on the head.
Nationwider Posted 23 December 2007 Posted 23 December 2007 We've all suffered the horrors......... Rome was not built in a day and neither shall our great football team. That's a great post.
Thracian Posted 23 December 2007 Posted 23 December 2007 Mandaric did the correct thing by removing Martin Allen. How anyone can't see that I simply can't understand.On your second point, I'm of the opinion that unless he upsets people, then we won't actually be a success. If he upsets Hume, then maybe he deserves it. I still can't get my head aroun why the crowd actually love Hume the way they do. Technically he's a decent player....good enough to play at a higher level on a consistent basis, I'm not so sure. Sad to say I think the Championship is as good as it's likely to get for Hume. If 100% honest endeavour was the only box that needed ticking he'd have no problems but it's not.
Thracian Posted 23 December 2007 Posted 23 December 2007 Thanks!! Yeah, welcome back Sly. If you're a pal of Hullfox I'd better get in your good books while I've got the chance.
Sly Posted 23 December 2007 Author Posted 23 December 2007 Yeah, welcome back Sly. If you're a pal of Hullfox I'd better get in your good books while I've got the chance. Thracian, I always enjoy reading your posts. I fully agree with your assessment of Iain Hume and I also campaigned with you for the inclusion of Sheehan. I’ve reserved my opinion of Andy King until I’ve seen more of him at this level. You might be controversial with some of the things that you say but that doesn't mean I disagree with everything that you say. One thing I will add is that you ignite conversation, which is what a forum needs.
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