Is changing the manager the right thing?

[paulsherwood1]

Before I put finger to keyboard, I am writing this piece as a city fan of over 25 years. I understand that there will be people that will agree, and those that don`t, all I ask is for a sensible debate. No need for `blue on blue` attacks, at the end of the day we all want the common goal....Lcfc winning.

I am usually the kind of fan who resists knee jerk management changes, and prefers to allow a manager time to produce the goods. However, after yesterdays shambles I have to admit my support of the current management team is virtually gone.

I understand there are a lot of City fans who are firmly behind NP, but I also understand that from being a member on here, and previously BBC 606, that a lot of City fans live for past glories, and idolise average players from our not so glorious past. Some examples being Ian Hume ( loved for his name rather than ability ), Joey Gudjonnson ( half way goal and everyone loved him), Hossain Kaibi ( one youtube video and people were calling for him to be in the team every week) to name a few.

When the new owners took over the excitement and optimism levels were unprecedented. We had money, we brought in a big name ex england manager, our status was raised, we were linked with big name players, hell some even came to play last season! There was reason to be hopeful.

This season Sven managed 12 Championship games. We lost 4 of these. 3 of these were at home. During that time we beat southampton at home, and also Brighton ( who at the time were riding on a crest of a wave ), picking up good draws at Cardiff and Middlesboro.

When Sven was sacked I think it was fair to say that the general consensus was that we had a good squad, and we perhaps needed someone with more championship experience to make that push into the play offs or beyond.

Now, when Sven was booted out, it was pretty clear the owners did not have another man to replace him due to the damaging amount of time it took to find someone. NP was eventually coaxed back to the King Power after doing a decent ( but fairly uninspiring ) job at Hull. He was certainly a man with some experience of the Championship, but crucially not of Promotion from it. His experience is of play off failure and near miss of the play offs.

I would suggest he had two goals, both of which were certainly expectations from the fans.

1. Play offs minimum

2. Improve

He is going to fail on point 1. People talk of 6 wins from 6, we can barely win 2 games in a row, let alone 6!!!

On point 2, I would say we have not improved. Pearson has overseen 24 league games now. Winning 9, drawing 7 and losing 8. We have conceded 16 goals in the last 7 games ( and it was arguable that Forest tried to score! ). We have failed to score in our last 2 games against 2 defences that have conceded 123 goals between them.

We have no settled side, the team is chopped and changed all the time. Our top scorer has spent the last 2 games on the left wing! Our winger we brought in ( Marshall ) has spent the last 2 games in midfield with a centre half! Andy King remains on the bench ( if he`s fit enough for the bench he should be fit enough to play). Part of this has been caused by the clear lack of discipline at the club, leaving us being forced to play a defender in midfield at a key stage of the season.

Pearson`s demeanor and man management skills have to be looked at. He has a history of failing to manage big name players, e.g. DJ Campbell, Max Gradel, Jimmy Bullard, Matt Mills, Beckford ( and a spat with St Ledger ). He prefers to fill his squad with potential, which is not a bad thing, but you also need some quality as well and we have the cash for that. I would have to seriously question his ability to manage the players. People call the phone in saying that we are not a team, and blaming the players for being on sky high wages. I`m sorry, that just does not wash with me. Other clubs are playing silly amounts of money to, its not just LCFC! Its about the motivation, the manager,the LEADER. I would have to seriously question Pearson`s Leadership qualities, they simply do not shine through.

Week in week out we get the same interview from him on the Radio, they might as well just record it once and re-play it after we lost. " not good enough", " i`m not happy", " There will be changes" blah blah blah.

I know there are a lot of NP supporters out there, and I like them want the best for my club. I always try to see the positive, but I simply can not see what NP has brought to the team in his second period in charge. I am afraid to say, that if we do not act now and get in a manager who does understand what it takes to get promoted to the Prem, then we will continue this vicious circle.....By Ocotber NP will be fired, and another manager will spend the rest of the season suggesting its `not his players` and watching us flit up and down the league and another season will have passed us by.

Finally, for me, there seems to be a bit of `Dalglish` syndrome here. King Kenny has returned to the Kop and by Liverpools standards their form this season has been awful, in particular at home. Think about it, had Roy Hodgson been in charge with that record there would be uproar amongst the Liverpool fans, but because it`s king kenny there are barely a few murmurs.

Its the same at City, because this is NP, and so many of our fans live in the past, its the same, murmurs. But this is a fragmented side, fighting amongst themselves, conceding goals for fun and unable to beat teams that they should be beating.

Sorry people, he simply has not produced.

[MrAus]

No!

[jonthefox]

Good post, but changing the manager all the time does not work.

In nige we trust.

[Matt]

We have struggled with conisistancy....I know lets sack the manager, get the manager getting a whole new team in over the summer and start again, Am I the only one feeling a sense of deja vu? Again.

We have a few players in this team that we need to get rid of, Hopefully Pearson will do that and replace them with decent replacements in the summer - He's done it before, why do people wanting him gone think he won't do it again? On a whole though hopefully Pearson will keep the squad together and just add and replace where he see's fit.

If we get a new manager no doubt many players will be gone, many players will be replaced, it'll be a case of rebuilding again, we'll have a bad start to the season, use the excuse the new players and team aren't 'gelling' and before you know it that managers sacked and it's yet another season written off.

We have to give Pearson the summer and then give him till at the very least Christmas of next season, if not the whole season, if then we are in the same position or worse than we are now we have reason to want him out.

Our 2 reasonably successful season since MON, fair enough 1 of them was in League One - Which some expected us to 'walk the league' anyway (Wrong, still takes alot of hard work) and then following season getting into the playoffs, both under Nigel Pearson, someone who bought stability to us, consistancy to us, coincidence? I think not.

[Heart-Shaped Fox]

Np needs a summer and then till Christmas, unless we are doing really bad, i.e Sousa.

He will get it right.

[paulsherwood1]

Matt...

I totally understand your point, but we can`t afford to wait until Christmas to see if we are the same or worse. There has been nothing shown under Pearsons second coming to suggest things will change. Do people think that a `summer` and a couple of players will change things? Hmmmm, not sure. I also agree he did well getting us out of League 1, but lets remember that League 1 is a different proposition...even Gary Megson wins games in league 1!!!

[flowwolf]

What we think will have no bearing on actual events during the close season at the KP stadium. My guess is that Pearson will be given the boot and another high profile manager will be instated and once again the money will flow.

These owners cannot afford to stay in this league it's as simple as that. So it will be a financial decision to get rid of Pearson not a personal one. He will go and about half of the current players with him.

[LCFC_Peter]

keep NP we need some stability in the club we have had something like 12 managers in 14 seasons it must be hard for the players new tactics and every season!

[Foxes1]

We should have gone for Neil Warnock after all he is doing a fantastic job at Leeds

[Babylon]

Paul, I might not agree with what you say. But I'd like to say I wish more of the "Pearson out" brigade were able to put their points across as well as you.

You mention the vicious circle of firing in October. Here is a thought, how about the club actually sticks with a manager for 15/16 months rather than 5, and we get a proper chance of seeing what they can do. Rather than judging them with no pre-season and no summer window?

If you sack him now and we start next season poorly under a new manager, what then?

[Babylon]

Do people think that a `summer` and a couple of players will change things?

Well it worked for him at Hull.

Pearson is a builder, he did it here and he did it at Hull. So why are we expecting anything different?

[One Arm Babba]

I'm not vocally saying Pearson out, however, I wouldn't be against it happening.

I don't think we've moved forward since Sven left.

[paulsherwood1]

Thanks Babylon. Despite my views I don`t like to be part of the `pearson out` brigade, but I do despair at what I see at the moment. Im not sure that a manager has 15 or 16 months to get things right, nor should it take that long.

Agree with your point about sacking him now and a poor start, but this is more to do with good recruitment from the board.

Its about getting the right people at the right time. Look at Malkay Makay at Cardiff, changed the whole team and having a better season than us! And what about Brendan Rodgers at Swansea, fabulous recruitment. Or Even Brian Mcdermott at Reading. Reading held there nerve a couple of times with him but his teams always come through, not something u could say about leicester, we are showing no signs of life, confidence or improvement, again good recruitment from Reading.

We recruit a manager with a history of not managing big name players well and never being promoted to the prem, and an average record at Hull. Hmm.

[Babylon]

Im not sure that a manager has 15 or 16 months to get things right, nor should it take that long.

Neither do I really, but the problem we have here is that I don't believe 5 months is the right amount of time either to get it right. So we are stuck between a rock and a hard place. The reason I suggested giving someone extended time was to break out of the October cycle we have been in for several years.

Look at Malkay Makay at Cardiff, changed the whole team and having a better season than us! And what about Brendan Rodgers at Swansea, fabulous recruitment. Or Even Brian Mcdermott at Reading. Reading held there nerve a couple of times with him but his teams always come through, not something u could say about leicester, we are showing no signs of life, confidence or improvement, again good recruitment from Reading.

Cardiff have been on the slide for some time so i'm not sure about that one. But you praise their recruitment when they have all had a summer to do their business.

Mcdermott is doing a great job, but he inherited a good Reading team (from the sacked rodgers), they were better than their position and had proved that as a team (something our team never has). Similarly Rodgers took over an already excellent Swansea who had a passing game drilled into them by Martinez and then Sousa, which I think Rodgers benefited from.

So they both had established teams that they needed to tweak, we've had nothing like that since Pearson went. That's what the next manager should have been doing to his team, but they failed.

I agree about right people at right time, I've said it myself many times that many success stories happen when everything falls into position though luck and good judgement. I think Rodgers highlights that more than most, a disaster at Reading and what looks a great manager at Swansea. Right place, right time.

But, you can sack 20 managers and may never find that man. We did under O'Neil, Norwich did under Lambert, Swansea did under Rodgers. Should we really just keep sacking a manager every five months in the hope we find that one manager who turns a club around instantly. How often does that happen for teams? Once every 20/25 years?

[halferowley2]

.Lets stick with Pearson for the next 18 months, a bit of longlevity with a manager and some consistancy on the pitch should start to appear. We have a collection of good individual players who have occassionallly played as a team. Lets start next season without being firm favourites for promotion, lets not be seen as flashing the cash. Pearson has not failed but he is just finding it difficult to succeed. When Sven left there were lots of rumours as to who might come but Pearson was the one who accepted.

[nlukka]

Its about getting the right people at the right time. Look at Malkay Makay at Cardiff, changed the whole team and having a better season than us! And what about Brendan Rodgers at Swansea, fabulous recruitment. Or Even Brian Mcdermott at Reading. Reading held there nerve a couple of times with him but his teams always come through, not something u could say about leicester, we are showing no signs of life, confidence or improvement, again good recruitment from Reading.

But all of these managers have had full transfer windows to shape their squads. I think Pearson would bring in players of the same ilk that Malky Mackay has at Cardiff, hard-working, talented, and not maybe the biggest names in the world.

I think Pearson deserves the chance to re-shape this squad. Although I agree Pearson's second spell has been uninspiring, I don't think changing the manager yet again will do any good.

[pSinatra]

I'm willing to stick with supporting Nigel. Not because I think he is a fantastic manager, but I don't see that any of the other options will do us any better. I think he found the club in a mess after Sven & although it is taking longer than I expected.......I trust that he will make significant changes during the summer & we will be in a better position this time next year.

Who would we replace him with? We have become somewhat a poisoned chalice that any manger of any credibility would not want to touch. There's plenty of managers on the managerial merry-go-round to choose from. They all seem to have more failures on their CV than they do success. We could go for an up & coming manager from the lower leagues, but that is a lottery. Can they make the step up?

Nigel may not be the best, but I believe he is the best option we have at this present time

[THEFATBASTARD]

Before I put finger to keyboard, I am writing this piece as a city fan of over 25 years. I understand that there will be people that will agree, and those that don`t, all I ask is for a sensible debate. No need for `blue on blue` attacks, at the end of the day we all want the common goal....Lcfc winning.

I am usually the kind of fan who resists knee jerk management changes, and prefers to allow a manager time to produce the goods. However, after yesterdays shambles I have to admit my support of the current management team is virtually gone.

I understand there are a lot of City fans who are firmly behind NP, but I also understand that from being a member on here, and previously BBC 606, that a lot of City fans live for past glories, and idolise average players from our not so glorious past. Some examples being Ian Hume ( loved for his name rather than ability ), Joey Gudjonnson ( half way goal and everyone loved him), Hossain Kaibi ( one youtube video and people were calling for him to be in the team every week) to name a few.

When the new owners took over the excitement and optimism levels were unprecedented. We had money, we brought in a big name ex england manager, our status was raised, we were linked with big name players, hell some even came to play last season! There was reason to be hopeful.

This season Sven managed 12 Championship games. We lost 4 of these. 3 of these were at home. During that time we beat southampton at home, and also Brighton ( who at the time were riding on a crest of a wave ), picking up good draws at Cardiff and Middlesboro.

When Sven was sacked I think it was fair to say that the general consensus was that we had a good squad, and we perhaps needed someone with more championship experience to make that push into the play offs or beyond.

Now, when Sven was booted out, it was pretty clear the owners did not have another man to replace him due to the damaging amount of time it took to find someone. NP was eventually coaxed back to the King Power after doing a decent ( but fairly uninspiring ) job at Hull. He was certainly a man with some experience of the Championship, but crucially not of Promotion from it. His experience is of play off failure and near miss of the play offs.

I would suggest he had two goals, both of which were certainly expectations from the fans.

1. Play offs minimum

2. Improve

He is going to fail on point 1. People talk of 6 wins from 6, we can barely win 2 games in a row, let alone 6!!!

On point 2, I would say we have not improved. Pearson has overseen 24 league games now. Winning 9, drawing 7 and losing 8. We have conceded 16 goals in the last 7 games ( and it was arguable that Forest tried to score! ). We have failed to score in our last 2 games against 2 defences that have conceded 123 goals between them.

We have no settled side, the team is chopped and changed all the time. Our top scorer has spent the last 2 games on the left wing! Our winger we brought in ( Marshall ) has spent the last 2 games in midfield with a centre half! Andy King remains on the bench ( if he`s fit enough for the bench he should be fit enough to play). Part of this has been caused by the clear lack of discipline at the club, leaving us being forced to play a defender in midfield at a key stage of the season.

Pearson`s demeanor and man management skills have to be looked at. He has a history of failing to manage big name players, e.g. DJ Campbell, Max Gradel, Jimmy Bullard, Matt Mills, Beckford ( and a spat with St Ledger ). He prefers to fill his squad with potential, which is not a bad thing, but you also need some quality as well and we have the cash for that. I would have to seriously question his ability to manage the players. People call the phone in saying that we are not a team, and blaming the players for being on sky high wages. I`m sorry, that just does not wash with me. Other clubs are playing silly amounts of money to, its not just LCFC! Its about the motivation, the manager,the LEADER. I would have to seriously question Pearson`s Leadership qualities, they simply do not shine through.

Week in week out we get the same interview from him on the Radio, they might as well just record it once and re-play it after we lost. " not good enough", " i`m not happy", " There will be changes" blah blah blah.

I know there are a lot of NP supporters out there, and I like them want the best for my club. I always try to see the positive, but I simply can not see what NP has brought to the team in his second period in charge. I am afraid to say, that if we do not act now and get in a manager who does understand what it takes to get promoted to the Prem, then we will continue this vicious circle.....By Ocotber NP will be fired, and another manager will spend the rest of the season suggesting its `not his players` and watching us flit up and down the league and another season will have passed us by.

Finally, for me, there seems to be a bit of `Dalglish` syndrome here. King Kenny has returned to the Kop and by Liverpools standards their form this season has been awful, in particular at home. Think about it, had Roy Hodgson been in charge with that record there would be uproar amongst the Liverpool fans, but because it`s king kenny there are barely a few murmurs.

Its the same at City, because this is NP, and so many of our fans live in the past, its the same, murmurs. But this is a fragmented side, fighting amongst themselves, conceding goals for fun and unable to beat teams that they should be beating.

Sorry people, he simply has not produced.

YET again you like many others have given us the "problems" which we all know , but not one solution, who should we get in if we sack pearson? give us the magic name...the owners couldn't find this great genius last time ...im sure you must know who it should be...having fully analysed all the issues, will you guarantee this person will succeed? if so tell the owners now please..

[Happy Fox]

I'm willing to stick with supporting Nigel. Not because I think he is a fantastic manager, but I don't see that any of the other options will do us any better. I think he found the club in a mess after Sven & although it is taking longer than I expected.......I trust that he will make significant changes during the summer & we will be in a better position this time next year.

Who would we replace him with? We have become somewhat a poisoned chalice that any manger of any credibility would not want to touch. There's plenty of managers on the managerial merry-go-round to choose from. They all seem to have more failures on their CV than they do success. We could go for an up & coming manager from the lower leagues, but that is a lottery. Can they make the step up?

Nigel may not be the best, but I believe he is the best option we have at this present time

Mick McCarthy, Steve Bruce, Lee Clark, Billy Davies? Realistic options we could attract

Then their are the European options although unrealistic (AVB, Benitez, Laudrup?) I wouldn't put it past our owners to bring in remember we got Sven ( although you could argue his career was on a downward spiral)

[FrankieADZ]

i know its April 1st 'n all but the amount of people calling for Pearson to go is getting beyond a joke now;

Persoanlly I can see an improvement compared to when Sven was here...just in general performance terms.

I know ive already said it but lets get behind the manager, not call for his head. amazing how we can be "upping" the team when we win & frankly kicking them when we lose.

[halferowley2]

I'm willing to stick with supporting Nigel. Not because I think he is a fantastic manager, but I don't see that any of the other options will do us any better. I think he found the club in a mess after Sven & although it is taking longer than I expected.......I trust that he will make significant changes during the summer & we will be in a better position this time next year.

Who would we replace him with? We have become somewhat a poisoned chalice that any manger of any credibility would not want to touch. There's plenty of managers on the managerial merry-go-round to choose from. They all seem to have more failures on their CV than they do success. We could go for an up & coming manager from the lower leagues, but that is a lottery. Can they make the step up?

Nigel may not be the best, but I believe he is the best option we have at this present time

Just what I wanted to say but you said it so much better

[davieG]

We, the club that is should decide what sort of football philosophy/style call it what you like we want to adopt and ensure the manager(s) you select plays and believes in that choice, part of our problem of inconsistency is the completely different philosophy/style of football the managers we have had choose to play.

[Bob Weasel Fox]

Before I put finger to keyboard, I am writing this piece as a city fan of over 25 years. I understand that there will be people that will agree, and those that don`t, all I ask is for a sensible debate. No need for `blue on blue` attacks, at the end of the day we all want the common goal....Lcfc winning.

I am usually the kind of fan who resists knee jerk management changes, and prefers to allow a manager time to produce the goods. However, after yesterdays shambles I have to admit my support of the current management team is virtually gone.

I understand there are a lot of City fans who are firmly behind NP, but I also understand that from being a member on here, and previously BBC 606, that a lot of City fans live for past glories, and idolise average players from our not so glorious past. Some examples being Ian Hume ( loved for his name rather than ability ), Joey Gudjonnson ( half way goal and everyone loved him), Hossain Kaibi ( one youtube video and people were calling for him to be in the team every week) to name a few.

When the new owners took over the excitement and optimism levels were unprecedented. We had money, we brought in a big name ex england manager, our status was raised, we were linked with big name players, hell some even came to play last season! There was reason to be hopeful.

This season Sven managed 12 Championship games. We lost 4 of these. 3 of these were at home. During that time we beat southampton at home, and also Brighton ( who at the time were riding on a crest of a wave ), picking up good draws at Cardiff and Middlesboro.

When Sven was sacked I think it was fair to say that the general consensus was that we had a good squad, and we perhaps needed someone with more championship experience to make that push into the play offs or beyond.

Now, when Sven was booted out, it was pretty clear the owners did not have another man to replace him due to the damaging amount of time it took to find someone. NP was eventually coaxed back to the King Power after doing a decent ( but fairly uninspiring ) job at Hull. He was certainly a man with some experience of the Championship, but crucially not of Promotion from it. His experience is of play off failure and near miss of the play offs.

I would suggest he had two goals, both of which were certainly expectations from the fans.

1. Play offs minimum

2. Improve

He is going to fail on point 1. People talk of 6 wins from 6, we can barely win 2 games in a row, let alone 6!!!

On point 2, I would say we have not improved. Pearson has overseen 24 league games now. Winning 9, drawing 7 and losing 8. We have conceded 16 goals in the last 7 games ( and it was arguable that Forest tried to score! ). We have failed to score in our last 2 games against 2 defences that have conceded 123 goals between them.

We have no settled side, the team is chopped and changed all the time. Our top scorer has spent the last 2 games on the left wing! Our winger we brought in ( Marshall ) has spent the last 2 games in midfield with a centre half! Andy King remains on the bench ( if he`s fit enough for the bench he should be fit enough to play). Part of this has been caused by the clear lack of discipline at the club, leaving us being forced to play a defender in midfield at a key stage of the season.

Pearson`s demeanor and man management skills have to be looked at. He has a history of failing to manage big name players, e.g. DJ Campbell, Max Gradel, Jimmy Bullard, Matt Mills, Beckford ( and a spat with St Ledger ). He prefers to fill his squad with potential, which is not a bad thing, but you also need some quality as well and we have the cash for that. I would have to seriously question his ability to manage the players. People call the phone in saying that we are not a team, and blaming the players for being on sky high wages. I`m sorry, that just does not wash with me. Other clubs are playing silly amounts of money to, its not just LCFC! Its about the motivation, the manager,the LEADER. I would have to seriously question Pearson`s Leadership qualities, they simply do not shine through.

Week in week out we get the same interview from him on the Radio, they might as well just record it once and re-play it after we lost. " not good enough", " i`m not happy", " There will be changes" blah blah blah.

I know there are a lot of NP supporters out there, and I like them want the best for my club. I always try to see the positive, but I simply can not see what NP has brought to the team in his second period in charge. I am afraid to say, that if we do not act now and get in a manager who does understand what it takes to get promoted to the Prem, then we will continue this vicious circle.....By Ocotber NP will be fired, and another manager will spend the rest of the season suggesting its `not his players` and watching us flit up and down the league and another season will have passed us by.

Finally, for me, there seems to be a bit of `Dalglish` syndrome here. King Kenny has returned to the Kop and by Liverpools standards their form this season has been awful, in particular at home. Think about it, had Roy Hodgson been in charge with that record there would be uproar amongst the Liverpool fans, but because it`s king kenny there are barely a few murmurs.

Its the same at City, because this is NP, and so many of our fans live in the past, its the same, murmurs. But this is a fragmented side, fighting amongst themselves, conceding goals for fun and unable to beat teams that they should be beating.

Sorry people, he simply has not produced.

You make many good points in this very well thought post. I certainly cant disagree with you on most of the above, however is changing the manager again the best idea? Im just not sure either way to be honest

[shade]

out of interest, can anyone think of another sector that would change their manager/CEO as often as football clubs? it's also interesting that football clubs are without doubt some of the worst run, unprofitable businesses going.

I personally wouldn't have sacked Sven or Nigel, yet. unless we looked like relegation candidates, and even then I would be reluctant, I would give a manager at the very least, two full years.

[dayday]

You know when you have a good side because you go to games expecting to win,thats not the case with this side and has not been for a while.

Its not that we don't have a decent side its just the team has been messed around with all season and theres never been a chance for the team to settle.

I feel Nigel has to be given at least to christmas to turn things round and i believe he will.

He has inherited a team thats not his,then with so many similar players(midfielders) he had to do keep them happy and that has not helped.

Slowly but surely he is finding out about his players he has and most importantly the bad eggs.

I can remember a phone years ago when Andy from Long Eaton suggested to Martin O'Neill he should sign Savo Milosovic,

Martin O'Neill replied i would not touch him with a barge pole meaning he would cause problems at the club and would only sign players who would fit in at the club and just do there jobs.

I reckon we have then type of players on our books now and the quicker he gets the likes of Mills and Beckford out the better.

We are not a million miles away,get rid of the bad eggs add a couple of additions in the summer and then watch us go.