Father Ted Posted 23 December 2009 Posted 23 December 2009 Terrors confirm Levein exit Now been confirmed on SSN. Fair play to Levein.
Matt Posted 23 December 2009 Posted 23 December 2009 Good luck to them, And him - They need it. But I don't care what anyone says, He couldn't manage Leicester City but think's he can manage an International Side? Don't get me wrong, He's a good manager, In Scotland, here he was awful.
Guest Bilo Posted 23 December 2009 Posted 23 December 2009 Good luck to him, he was awful here but I do remember him being touted as a manager with a big future. One thing's sure though, he really has his work cut out with that team after the mess George Burley made of it.
Fosse Boy Posted 23 December 2009 Posted 23 December 2009 His only area of expertise within the game is Scottish players, so he should be able to do a half decent job in a position where he has to exclusively pick them.
Flynny Posted 23 December 2009 Posted 23 December 2009 Supposedly we demanded he halved the wage budget in his first season? Don't get me wrong he was terrible, but he got us Hume and Fryatt in and might eventually have got a team together had he not lost control so dramatically. We'll never know, but it's not like Scotland really have anyone else to turn to, and I like that he wants to be involved as a technical director too as he obviously has some ideas about what's going wrong that side of the border. Good luck to him.
Uncle Albert Posted 23 December 2009 Posted 23 December 2009 Doesn't matter who is in charge of them because I still can't see them qualifying for a major competition anytime soon, let Scotland, Wales and the Ireland's create that little summer tournament they want. They had their best chance when looking to try anfd qualify for the Euro's but blew when they lost to Georgia 2-0, sorry but if you cant beat them then you dont deserve to be in any competition. *BTW good luck.
Sly Posted 23 December 2009 Posted 23 December 2009 It didn't work at Leicester for him but that doesn't make him a bad Manager. Everyone of us needs a learning curve and all Levein did was under estimate the job at hand. If you look at the players that came into the club in his reign, they were some of the best players during the reigh of the managment that followed him. Kisnorbo, Hume and Fryatt were all Levein buys and in their own right notable players in Leicesters history. His major downfall was square pegs in round holes syndrome, oh and Joe Hammil and Elvis Hammond ... maybe add Douglas.
Sly Posted 23 December 2009 Posted 23 December 2009 Leicester sacking said more about the board's fear than Craig Levein's ability CRAIG Levein came to Leicester City at what turned out to be exactly the wrong time. When he arrived in October 2004 having come south from Hearts, the club had just come out of administration, there was no money, and it had landed with a very inexperienced board of directors in charge who feared the worst, and that was relegation from the Championship. Craig was never going to be a quick fix, because he likes to build from the bottom up. But the directors did not want to be responsible for taking the club into the third tier of English football, and they panicked because they did not want that to b ADVERTISEMENTe their legacy at the club. Craig paid the price of their fear. The board were scared of the consequences, but it happened anyway, four managers later. That wasn't Craig's fault. When the end came in January 2006, Leicester had lost at Plymouth, and it was bad. Just bad. There was nothing positive to be said about the match. But when the directors acted to remove Craig from his position they had no contingency plan, leaving the team in the hands of Craig's assistant manager Rob Kelly, who is now number two to Allan Irvine at Preston. Craig was unfairly treated and deserved more time than he was afforded. And as it has turned out, none of those directors survive at the club today. The club was saved from extinction by Milan Mandaric taking over in November 2006, just a few months after Craig had been removed. Had Mandaric made his move a bit earlier, it is reasonable to speculate that Craig taking over as Scotland's national team manager might not be happening at this moment. A lot of Leicester City fans now acknowledge that it was a bit too hasty to remove him at that time. The principles he put forward and the football he played were good. The idea that he was a failure is wrong; he wasn't given a chance to become a success. His relationship with the fans and the players was pretty good during his 15 months in the job. The atmosphere in the dressing room, created by Craig along with his assistants Peter Houston and Kenny Black, produced a very good team spirit. But there was a hangover from administration at the club and the feeling around the place was not good – the club was flying by the seats of its pants. Craig had plans for what he wanted to do at the club but he had his hands tied behind his back. he was frustrated that it was not going as he wanted it to, but he remained determined. His best signing was Mattie Fryatt from Walsall, whose goals kept Leicester up. He scored 33 last season, and has scored 10 so far this season. The great irony was that Craig signed the player who saved the club from relegation the very season he was sacked, but by then he wasn't around to see Leicester retain their status. Another of his signings, Patrick Kisnorbo from Hearts, became a firm favourite with the fans. Alan Maybury maybe less so, while Mark de Vries was questionable but even with that he still scored 10 goals. The fans were very upset when Kisnorbo left for Leeds, so he was the pick of the signings from Hearts. It might look like Craig blotted his copybook but I don't think he did – the directors blotted their copybook. I don't think what happened at Leicester City would count against him if he wanted to come back down to England at some stage in the future. most people down here knew what was going on at the time, and people within the game were sympathetic to Craig rather than to the club. And just as importantly, I don't think Craig was soured by what happened. I don't see why he would not get the chance to manage in England again. It's just that the fashion for the top clubs is to look abroad. I'm not writing Craig off, but the perception of who the top clubs should hire has changed. Would he get a job in the Premier? It's not easy to answer because there are the top clubs and then there are Premier clubs, with a world of difference between the two ends of the table. Even if Craig did get a job in the Premier, you have to ask how much time he would get. A manager has just been sacked with his team sitting in sixth place in the league. When the Scotland job first came up I had it in my mind it would good for Craig, because he is strong enough to get his way when he needs to. It didn't strike me that George Burley was interested in anything other than the first team, whereas Craig would want to know about the younger players coming through. He would be a very good figurehead for Scottish football as a whole, and his appointment should be welcomed. • Bill Anderson was the football reporter of the Leicester Mercury for 35 years until his retirement earlier this year LINK
Fox92 Posted 23 December 2009 Posted 23 December 2009 Obviousley he is a Scottish football manager more than an English one, if that makes any sense, but managing an international side?
dandannieldanok Posted 23 December 2009 Posted 23 December 2009 Desperate times call for desperate measures. I would wish both Levein and Scotland good luck, but I won't, because I like neither of them.
Nick Posted 23 December 2009 Posted 23 December 2009 Well I hope he's learnt some stuff since being at Leicester. I witnessed some of the most depressing football I have ever seen from City under Levein. (I gave away my season ticket it made me that unhappy) However, he had very little to work with and has done pretty well in Scotland - I'm not certain what that equates to in terms of standard of football either, to be honest. He may be a success as a National Team Manager, who knows. Peter Taylor who I always thought was a great coach and a great manger for England U21's, when he had the pick of the crop, though when faced spending his own budget and working with players of lesser ability was a disaster. National management is a very different role and requires different skill sets. I wish Craig and Scotland the best of luck.
lou Posted 23 December 2009 Posted 23 December 2009 I dont think hes a bad manager at all just came here at the wrong time and it just didnt work out. Good Luck to him, hes got a massive task on his hands though but at least the expectations arent too high
Manwell Pablo Posted 23 December 2009 Posted 23 December 2009 Good luck to them, And him - They need it. But I don't care what anyone says, He couldn't manage Leicester City but think's he can manage an International Side? Don't get me wrong, He's a good manager, In Scotland, here he was awful. Given Scotland is in Scotland he shouldn't be too bad then Matt.
Guest Bilo Posted 23 December 2009 Posted 23 December 2009 I dont think hes a bad manager at all just came here at the wrong time and it just didnt work out. Good Luck to him, hes got a massive task on his hands though but at least the expectations arent too high The problem is that the expectations are high. A lot of Scottish fans seem to expect their team to be matching England or at least qualifying for tournaments, both of which are pie in the sky at the moment. It'll take a couple of tournaments before Scotland are ready to achieve either of those goals, let's hope that the fans give him that time.
Matt Posted 23 December 2009 Posted 23 December 2009 Given Scotland is in Scotland he shouldn't be too bad then Matt. You know what I mean, Or I hope you. Just incase you don't, I meant Scottish Leagues.
Alexikokopops Posted 23 December 2009 Posted 23 December 2009 Supposedly we demanded he halved the wage budget in his first season? Don't get me wrong he was terrible, but he got us Hume and Fryatt in and might eventually have got a team together had he not lost control so dramatically. We'll never know, but it's not like Scotland really have anyone else to turn to, and I like that he wants to be involved as a technical director too as he obviously has some ideas about what's going wrong that side of the border. Good luck to him. Plus he was asked to drastically reduce the average age from Mickey Adam's team of 50 somethings.
Benji Posted 23 December 2009 Posted 23 December 2009 I think he'll do well, knows scottish football and the players, while they might not have a vast amount of talent, he should at least be able to get them playing to the best of their ability, wherever that takes them.
Joe. Posted 23 December 2009 Posted 23 December 2009 Given Scotland is in Scotland he shouldn't be too bad then Matt.
Alexikokopops Posted 23 December 2009 Posted 23 December 2009 I think he'll do well, knows scottish football and the players, while they might not have a vast amount of talent, he should at least be able to get them playing to the best of their ability, wherever that takes them. I read something suggesting he wanted to get involved with revamping the whole youth setup as well (much like he did at Dundee) in between training sessions and the like.
The Doctor Posted 23 December 2009 Posted 23 December 2009 This is a great appointment because: A: He's not George Burley and B: He seems to know scottish talent but mostly A.
tartanowl Posted 24 December 2009 Posted 24 December 2009 Anyone is an improvement on Burley. I hope Craig is a success and is given time to make his mark on our side. The problem is that the expectations are high. A lot of Scottish fans seem to expect their team to be matching England or at least qualifying for tournaments, both of which are pie in the sky at the moment. It'll take a couple of tournaments before Scotland are ready to achieve either of those goals, let's hope that the fans give him that time. To be fair that's not true. We know our standing within the game and it's nowhere near England. We expect to challenge for second place in qualifying groups which is not an unrealistic expectation. I also expect to have a competent, likeable and respectable manager in charge of the team which we didn't have under Burley.
haraven Posted 24 December 2009 Posted 24 December 2009 Good luck to Craig, a decent bloke who never could turn around our misfortunes. The only LCFC-manager I've actually spoken to twice. No, Vålerenga, not waved at, had a conversation with. :thumbsup:
Bert Posted 24 December 2009 Posted 24 December 2009 He knows the Scottish game inside out and has a vast knowledge of a lot of Scottish players through this experience. Only time will tell whether it's a good appointment or not. Like Levein said, it's a dream come true for him, and that's what Scottish fans want, a manager who thinks that he's got the best job in the world, because they know he'll be putting everything he's got into it. Fair enough he didn't do a great job here, but he's done a good job at Hearts and Dundee. If you never give anyone a chance, how are they going to prove themselves?
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