Thanks Nigel

[Prospero]

Re dpjfox

As this is only my second post, I am reluctant to disagree with more established members of the site. However, whilst I agree that we do support the team through thick and thin - and we have had some thin years, I cannot agree that the manager does not matter. Perhaps some younger supporters are only used to the sustained mediocrity that existed between Martin O'Neil's departure and Nigel Pearson's arrival.

Managing a football team carries a number of obligations. One is to foster the careers of the players and to improve their performance. This leads to an improved team performance and good results. Martin O'Neill took players, such as Neil Lennon, Muzzy Isset and Matt Elliot and enabled them to become formidable footballers of the highest quality. He built his team around them, whilst developing the talent of Emile Heskey. He has always acknowledged his debt to them. Lennon, of course, went on to captain Celtic and Heskey has returned to play under O'Neill at Villa. The captain of Derby, who thinks we are over achieving and do not deserve our place in the playoffs, owes his ability and past success to O'Neil. Good managers leave a legacy and contribute to the quality of football in the UK and ultimately to the quality of life.

Unsuccessful managers of Leicester like Peter Taylor, Craig Leveine and Ian Holloway leave no legacy, although the latter two might still achieve something in their current roles. Yes, most of us still rally round our unsuccessful managers but they detract from the sum total of human happiness. When our club is badly managed, our players are not performing, results are poor, the club is unsuccessful, the national game suffers and we are unhappy.

It is a quality of life issue. Everyone knows Bill Shankly's famous quote: 'Some people believe football is a matter of life and death, I am very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that.' Our own well being and that of the country depends upon good football managers.

How good is Nigel Pearson? Only time will tell. Can he get us to Wembley? Can Waghorn score the Claridge like winning goal in the last few minutes, although a more comfortable scoreline would be preferable? Can Pearson then give us at least another 4 years in the top flight, without the relegation shakes on his way to becoming a great manager?

This is an exciting time for Leicester City and experience shows that you need to make the most of it while it lasts.

Re Large Al: that's not always the case is it though. Look at Wenger, Mourinho and Eriksson - 3 of the most successful managers around - all of whom aren't what you'd call dour or serious.

Perhaps mine is rather a false distinction. Perhaps the difference is between those managers, like Wenger and O'Neill, who are serous intellectual students of the game and those who tend to make excuses and frivolous comments. I am hoping that Nigel Pearson is closer to the former than the latter. Mourinho does prove me wrong but he is rather a one off. I can't quite agree about Eriksson. He seems to me exactly the kind of self publicist, despite his apparently quiet manner, who promotes his own interests without being able to deliver success.

Re RockyDennis: U Sure????

Yes, you are right. I was trying to distinguish between the kind of serious intellectual analysis of a game that O'Neill can provide and the more vacuous punditry of other ex managers who comment on matches.

[Daggers]

Who hired Lee Hoos? Exactly!

Not sure...but I think it was the same guy who appointed and/or signed off on:

Don Mackay, Martin Allen, N'Gotty and Jimmy Nielsen

[Salieri]

Saying that, there has been a couple of poor signings (robbie neilson and ajaravic) so hes not godlike in my eyes just yet.

I defy you to name ONE manager who hasn't made any questionable signings? Even the great MON signed a few duffers!

[shen]

Not sure...but I think it was the same guy who appointed and/or signed off on:

Don Mackay, Martin Allen, N'Gotty and Jimmy Nielsen

It was tongue in cheek As you insinuate, his track record suggests he got lucky this time around

[Daggers]

It was tongue in cheek

I know, x

[Craig]

It was tongue in cheek As you insinuate, his track record suggests he got lucky this time around

FLUKE!

[The Doctor]

Surely Eriksson is the epitomy of dour!

maybe in the dugouts but (if you believe the papers) he's quite a personality outside of the matches

Re Large Al: that's not always the case is it though. Look at Wenger, Mourinho and Eriksson - 3 of the most successful managers around - all of whom aren't what you'd call dour or serious.

Perhaps mine is rather a false distinction. Perhaps the difference is between those managers, like Wenger and O'Neill, who are serous intellectual students of the game and those who tend to make excuses and frivolous comments. I am hoping that Nigel Pearson is closer to the former than the latter. Mourinho does prove me wrong but he is rather a one off. I can't quite agree about Eriksson. He seems to me exactly the kind of self publicist, despite his apparently quiet manner, who promotes his own interests without being able to deliver success.

fair enough. He hasn't been successful with international teams but you can't deny that he's a good club manager.

[Guest Basildon Fox]

http://www.thebluearmy.co.uk/news/Leicester-City-set-Nigel-Pearson-contract-talks/article-1931062-detail/article.html

Nigel Pearson's representatives will continue talks with Leicester City owner Milan Mandaric this week over a new contract.

Pearson has a rolling contract with City but Mandaric has stated he is keen to reward his manager with a new deal and ward off potential suitors.

The City manager has impressed by leading his side to the brink of the Championship play-offs in their first season back in the second tier of English football, and Mandaric wants to secure Pearson to the club. Pearson has already held talks with Mandaric during the season.

He has not signed a new deal yet, although Mandaric stated after the victory over Nottingham Forest at the end of last month that he was confident a deal would be struck before the end of March.

Pearson refused to be drawn in any detail about the talks following yesterday's 2-2 draw with Coventry City.

It is believed he is seeking certain assurances about next season's budget and the futures of his support staff before committing himself.

But he did state he was happy to stay at the Walkers Stadium and finish the job he has begun.

"My representatives will be talking to the chairman and it will depend on how those talks go," he said. "I am enjoying myself here. It is a good club and we have got potential and there is something to build on.

"What is the point about talking about speculation? That is something I am not interested in. There are a number of criteria, but I think they are best kept in-house."

One of the reasons a deal has not been struck yet is because Pearson has been keen to focus on his side's promotion challenge.

He called yesterday's draw with the Sky Blues, who clawed back a two-goal half-time deficit, a "wake-up call."

"I think today is a bit of a wake-up call for anyone who becomes complacent and feels we are nearly over the line," he said.

"It is two points dropped from being in a position where we were two goals up, but in a nutshell the draw was fair. Their second-half performance probably warranted a draw."

Pearson added: "We still had some opportunities but we didn't take them and I have no complaints."

Not sure what to think after reading that. Doesn't sound to me like he is 100% sure he will be here next season... Will have to wait and see I suppose.

[davieG]

and your team for making me want to watch Leicester City again.The last few years have been wretched even worse than that of the Pleat, Hamilton and McLintock eras.

• Some of the worst football I've ever witnessed in the name of LCFC (how many games did we say that was the worst ever!)
• No commitment from the players we and they know who they are!
• A merry go round of managers, some incompetent but most, frankly just not up to the job
• Long past it disinterested over paid journeymen.
• A mad Chairman seemingly hell bent on destruction through either incompetence, impatience and interference.

Not only have you brought entertainment on the pitch you've managed to do it with a high degree of success, you've brought integrity and decorum to the manager's role that was the laughing stock of the football world.Although there is no pride in being in the 3rd tier at least because of you we are dealing with it in a way that merits pride, performing in a quiet, hard working way with just a dash of flair thrown in, gaining respect from our peers in this League and above.Success will become increasingly hard to maintain but I'm confident that through success or failure you will enable us as Leicester City fans to hold our heads up high.Nigel Pearson I salute you!

Well he did it through success despite Mandaric's best attempts to prevent him.

[Corky]

Great thread title

[davieG]

Great thread title

Mine was a wee bit earlier than yours, great minds and all that

 

[Basingstoke Fox]

that's not always the case is it though. Look at Wenger, Mourinho and Eriksson - 3 of the most successful managers around - all of whom aren't what you'd call dour or serious.

 

             

[The Doctor]

             

In fairness at that point he hadn't come here and flopped, he was still won trophies wherever he went and got England further than anyone else around that time...

[Basingstoke Fox]

In fairness at that point he hadn't come here and flopped, he was still won trophies wherever he went and got England further than anyone else around that time...

 

Haha I know, it's just funny to look back on and see how things turned out. The irony of it all! Especially with Lloyd, one of Pearson's first signings scoring a rocket with his weaker foot to win the league. . Love it!