I'd have taken Leicester City up - Sven

[Fox92]

Pearson spent additional money on Morgan, Drinkwater and Marshall (all three of which weren't exactly cheap). So, in that regard, he stretched the budget even further.

As for Sven spending too much money, that remains to be seen. After all, he was given the money, so it wasn't just his decision to buy "big".

I thought Johnson was on the brink of match fitness (but that was just as Pearson arrived), Konchesky, regardless of his wages, has been immense so far, Beckford seems to have found the spot, Danns is playing better, etc. etc. And just wait until Vassell is back.

The only player that Eriksson brought in and who hasn't lived up to his potential (yet) is Mills.

I think he should've been given more time, but now all of my theoretical approach remains hypothetical.

He is gone. I wish he was still here, but I've got to live with the fact that he's no more at Leicester.

My point was just talking about fee's though. He paid alot in wages as well, and that's why I think we were not performing, because players were happy to take their wages. I mean, Mills is apparently on 40k a week. Then there's players like Ball (ok he has gone now) and Johnson that I bet are being paid a fair amount. Ok, the players are still on those wages, but I like the fact Nigel Pearson would rather buy a hardworking player for a smaller fee and get the best out of him. Billy Sharp is an example, Pearson didn't want to pay him his demands but I guess Sven is the other way around. I bet players like Drinkwater, Morgan and Marshall are not on half of what some of Sven's signings are on. Also, I remember Sven giving extended contracts to the likes of Oakley and Howard.

Yeah Sven did make some good signings, the best probably Nugent who was a great buy for free. But I don't think he should have been given more time, I've already spoke about the team not looking motivated or at times orgainsed, but Sven's tactics were also questionable as well. No matter what way everyone looks at it, we still failed to get the right results under him and all that he spent.

[Langston]

You don't achieve what he has in the game without being a good manager, obviously - but this league is hard enough to get out of, and when you're given a blank chequebook to sign players over the summer, don't do it right and end up with an imbalanced squad that can't pick up results - you'll be on your way out.

I wouldn't class Sven's time here as either a success or a failure, although it'd seem Nige has been clearing up his mess since his appointment.

[Heart-Shaped Fox]

Sven pissed money away without really assessing what we need.

No point in buying loads of players without thinking of formations and systems. The fact we didnt really have any wingers was a disgrace.

Np knew we needed a leader at the back and signed Morgan. He knew we needed another winger and signed Marshall.

Knows how to build a team.

[TrentFox]

My point was just talking about fee's though. He paid alot in wages as well, and that's why I think we were not performing, because players were happy to take their wages. I mean, Mills is apparently on 40k a week. Then there's players like Ball (ok he has gone now) and Johnson that I bet are being paid a fair amount. Ok, the players are still on those wages, but I like the fact Nigel Pearson would rather buy a hardworking player for a smaller fee and get the best out of him. Billy Sharp is an example, Pearson didn't want to pay him his demands but I guess Sven is the other way around. I bet players like Drinkwater, Morgan and Marshall are not on half of what some of Sven's signings are on. Also, I remember Sven giving extended contracts to the likes of Oakley and Howard.

Yeah Sven did make some good signings, the best probably Nugent who was a great buy for free. But I don't think he should have been given more time, I've already spoke about the team not looking motivated or at times orgainsed, but Sven's tactics were also questionable as well. No matter what way everyone looks at it, we still failed to get the right results under him and all that he spent.

So are you saying that once paid well, players don't want to play ??

[Langston]

My point was just talking about fee's though. He paid alot in wages as well, and that's why I think we were not performing, because players were happy to take their wages. I mean, Mills is apparently on 40k a week. Then there's players like Ball (ok he has gone now) and Johnson that I bet are being paid a fair amount. Ok, the players are still on those wages, but I like the fact Nigel Pearson would rather buy a hardworking player for a smaller fee and get the best out of him. Billy Sharp is an example, Pearson didn't want to pay him his demands but I guess Sven is the other way around. I bet players like Drinkwater, Morgan and Marshall are not on half of what some of Sven's signings are on. Also, I remember Sven giving extended contracts to the likes of Oakley and Howard.

You think Michael Ball, who was a free agent for two years before joining us would've been on a decent wedge?

I doubt that.

[Lambert09]

He is one of the few highly unsuccessful managers that I still have a soft spot for.

He may not be a great manager but my god the man is as smooth as a leg on a venus commercial !

[gazfox9]

Sven made mistakes, he's honest enough to admit that. But I happen to agree with him, that I think he would have taken us up. He paid the ultimate price for some dismal performances, but there were some sparkling performances mixed in with them. Don't forget, we were just TWO POINTS from the play offs when he was sacked, we'd take that at this moment in time wouldn't we???

Don't get me wrong, the future stability of the club looks a lot rosier under NP's guidance, but had we reached the promised land under Sven, these financial figures wouldn't have been neary as worrying.

[Fox92]

So are you saying that once paid well, players don't want to play ??

Maybe, certain players. What I meant was Sven paid for players, where as Pearson doesn't. Sven seemed to be happy paying players a good wage, but then didn't get a performance out of them on a Saturday, Mills as an example. I wasn't exactly saying they don't want to play, I just can't get it across.

You think Michael Ball, who was a free agent for two years before joining us would've been on a decent wedge?

I doubt that.

I don't know, I was just using him as an example.

[Guest Col city fan]

Sven is a true gent and comes across as a real Mr Nice guy.

However, the reality is that 'Brand Sven' has kept him going for much longer than he should have been IMO.

He is the epitome of image over substance that pervades much of the contemporary world of show biz.

This isn't his fault of course, he's marketed his brand fantastically well and has become very very rich on the back of it.

However, in terms of discipline, man management, tactics and signings (four key ingredients to making a football manager) I'd much rather have Nigel Pearson over Sven.

Granted, Nige hasn't exactly set the world alight with us yet..

But the difference is I think Nige will get us promoted sooner rather than later. I never thought Sven would.

[Dan]

Reading the title, that's an extremely biased way of putting it, seeing as he actually said something along the lines of "I think things should've changed and I have got to take responsibility for what went on", wouldn't say he said what the title says.

[Kitchandro]

Would rather have him as England manager for the Euros than Pearce, I hate to admit that given i'm patriotic and want an Englishmen in charge but Pearce is a goober as a manager.

Sven would never have the guts to drop the old boys though. I'm not saying I rate Pearce as such but his team selection filled me with a bit of hope that we're moving on and not sticking with the tried and failed 'big names'.

I don't think Sven was going to take us up. We went backwards between March and October, we were playing negative, ineffective football by the end. A lot of his signings were average for this league. With the money he spent he had to have us in the top 2 anyway so I don't know why he's talking about play-offs. We didn't spend that money to be in one-off games at the end of the season where luck could be a major factor.

[acooling08]

Sven would not have got us promoted, simply because his style of football wasn't ever going to get us out of this league. I'm not saying that hoofball is the answer, but passing it around the midfield with no pace, no width was getting us no where.

Does anybody remember the Simpsons episode where they take the piss out of football, where the 3 midfielders just pass it back and forth for about 30 seconds before the crows start to riot with boredom? That is football under Sven.

To his credit though he did make some cracking signings.

[Kitchandro]

Pearson spent additional money on Morgan, Drinkwater and Marshall (all three of which weren't exactly cheap). So, in that regard, he stretched the budget even further.

As for Sven spending too much money, that remains to be seen. After all, he was given the money, so it wasn't just his decision to buy "big".

I thought Johnson was on the brink of match fitness (but that was just as Pearson arrived), Konchesky, regardless of his wages, has been immense so far, Beckford seems to have found the spot, Danns is playing better, etc. etc. And just wait until Vassell is back.

The only player that Eriksson brought in and who hasn't lived up to his potential (yet) is Mills.

I think he should've been given more time, but now all of my theoretical approach remains hypothetical.

He is gone. I wish he was still here, but I've got to live with the fact that he's no more at Leicester.

Maybe Mills is playing up to his potential and this is as good as he is?

Danns may be playing better but he still isn't good enough for what we're aiming for. Fernandes was inconsistent when he was here so I'd say he didn't live up to potential, because on his day he was very very good. Beckford has improved but he still isn't worth the money yet, the jury's out. And Vassell has never been good enough. Then there's Pantsil and Ball.

In any case, considering how much we spent on Mills, it's a significant and defining signing. £4m wasted.

Some of last seasons loan signings were also pretty poor. He made some good ones yes, some very good ones, but he made as many bad ones.

[Corky]

Last season though we played some cracking football under him, but were far too soft away from home.

[Bayfox]

I'd Take Sven back as England Manager for the Euro's no problem and if he does ok then let him keep the job again.

As for taking us up, I'm not sure it will/would have happened this season under Sven or Pearson, however if we do go up next year I think it will be a case of NP having molded a team, with a work ethic and sprit from svens players, that sven just couldn't do himself.

Afterall look at the current team, Kasper, SSL, Pelts, Konchesky, Danns, Nugent and Beckford are all sven signings, it's just NP has made them buy into a work rate and a unit, look at SSL hardly got a game under Sven but despite fallling out with NP has forced himself into the team, Danns is now being played where he likes to play not pushed out wide of of the front man every game and Beckford and Nugent have played games together to build up a partnership and compared to the Beckford at West Ham away it's like a new player, that at least makes runs, looks interested and isn't moaning at every opportunity.

I know, Ball, Johnson, etc haven't worked out but Fergie did sign, Djemba djemba, kleberson and several cr@p keepers, so i guess even the best don't get it right all the time. So i'd give sven some credit. but NP has improved on what sven did, it's just a little to late.

[marbelladave]

I still like Sven and would have loved to have seen him stay with us. Realistically he should have been 'bumped upstairs' last summer and a promising young manager brought in as first team coach, someone who would not mind getting stuck in to the realities of championship football.

Mills aside, pretty much all his signings have done very well, some will have increased in value massively so he clearly remains effective at this part of the job. A strong first team coach to bring the players together and give them a structure to play in was what was needed with Sven looking after the big picture.

This is not being wise after the event, I was making these suggestions nearly a year ago....

[Dan]

Pearson spent additional money on Morgan, Drinkwater and Marshall (all three of which weren't exactly cheap). So, in that regard, he stretched the budget even further.

As for Sven spending too much money, that remains to be seen. After all, he was given the money, so it wasn't just his decision to buy "big".

I thought Johnson was on the brink of match fitness (but that was just as Pearson arrived), Konchesky, regardless of his wages, has been immense so far, Beckford seems to have found the spot, Danns is playing better, etc. etc. And just wait until Vassell is back.

The only player that Eriksson brought in and who hasn't lived up to his potential (yet) is Mills.

I think he should've been given more time, but now all of my theoretical approach remains hypothetical.

He is gone. I wish he was still here, but I've got to live with the fact that he's no more at Leicester.

Mills, Pantsil, Johnson, Beckford, Fernandes, not to forget last season with some of the loanees, you could even argue SSL but it's Pearson whose got form from him.

I seriously don't know what you saw in him, our wage budget fvcking scares me and you can't seriously say you'd have preferred us bringing in more players like the ones named rather than Drinkwater etc...

How can you even say Pearson's stretched the wage budget when he's got rid of Abe & Fernandes and looks to be getting rid of Mills.

[Kitchandro]

Sven made mistakes, he's honest enough to admit that. But I happen to agree with him, that I think he would have taken us up. He paid the ultimate price for some dismal performances, but there were some sparkling performances mixed in with them. Don't forget, we were just TWO POINTS from the play offs when he was sacked, we'd take that at this moment in time wouldn't we???

Don't get me wrong, the future stability of the club looks a lot rosier under NP's guidance, but had we reached the promised land under Sven, these financial figures wouldn't have been neary as worrying.

What makes you think we'd have been there now? I think we'd be iin a similar position as we are now.

It doesn't matter if you are 2 points or 20 points off the play-offs, if you can't close the gap it's not good enough. And I saw nothing in our team's displays in 75% of matches that suggested we could have closed it. A good manager would have had us in touching distance of the top two with that amount of money spent. Where's the faith come from? What did he do to inspire confidence? He didn't do so with the players.

How many 'sparkling' performances did we have, really? Maybe two. We had some great ones last season as well, but why are they more significant than the poor ones when they are less frequent? I mean I could just say, 'we had some sparkling performances, but there were some dismal performances as well'. That's the point. Most weeks we did not play to the standard necessary. Playing really well once every 7 or 8 games will not get you promoted.

[Dan]

You think Michael Ball, who was a free agent for two years before joining us would've been on a decent wedge?

I doubt that.

I bet he was on at least £7k a week, and that's criminal for how useless he was.

We've pissed away that much money.

[Trav Le Bleu]

Inconsequential and largely indefensible claptrap. A lay-offs place is still highly unlikely but at least Pearson seems to have balanced the team better and in more positions, They are also looking more threatening as a unit with each player looking as if he at least knows what he's supposed to be doing. Seven wins out of 10 has improved confidence too and I saw no great signs of that under Sven - or of many other things.

Surely we'rer not that close mto administration?

[Out Foxed]

no, you wouldn't have, sven

[whoareyaaa]

Credit to Sven he did bring in some good players such as Kasper, Nugent, Knochesky, SSL, Danns and at a good price.. players which we would possibly have not got if 'Sven' wasn't here.

He just could not get them to play together or maybe he didnt have long enough to gel the team.. but I would rather have Nige in there who will actually bollock the players properly and has got them playing as a solid unit something which Sven clearly lacked.

Plus he blew 9 Million on two players one who is not that great and the other well..

[Dan]

I still think NP will bring us far better value for money.

[Master Fox]

For every good signing Sven made there was also a bad one. He failed to move players on too which left us with a bloated unbalanced squad. I like Sven and really wished he could have made his time here a success. But Pearson has got the under achieving players doing well and also made some great additions in Morgan, Marshall and Drinkwater.

[Len Finsbury]

I'm still a big fan of Sven and think he went too early. Under him we were guilty of inconsistency, something we're still guilty of under NFP.

Something tells me though, that his reign at the club isn't over. I think he'll be back.

I've nothing to substantiate this and his return would mean that we've either been unsuccessful under NP or that he's been poached, but I do think we'll see him again.