The future of Leicester City

[Hitesh]

I am struggling to understand where the board is trying to take this club! We have just sold one of our best players for £2m. I am struggling to understand the reason why we need to sell him and the only one i can think is MONEY! Does this suggest the the board of directors are more interested in money than the acutal footballing position of the club?

What is Leicester City? A business or a football club. From this sale i think it PROVES that football isnt about Football Clubs anymore. Its purely about money. I am very disappointed in the club because i dont see any ambition. They are only looking at the short term benefits and there is no looking beyond christmas! If they kept Connolly, there would be a good chance that Leicester City would be in the play-offs! Then we would get way more than £2m just for being in the play-offs!

I understand that the club may need to survive but if they knew that they needed to sell him why wait until the last day of the deadline. Therefore, it shows that we dont desperatly need the money and its just the chairmans being greedy. if we continue like this the club is going nowhere!

Today is a sad day for Leicester City Football Club but a very happy day for Leicester City Football Club LTD!

[The People's Hero]

How soon people forget!

[rossporterlc]

agree with everything you said Hitesh, i don't go and watch Leicester City because they are secure financially and i want them to become rich, i support them in the hope of some decent football, looks like that hope is disappearing

[Wellman]

Look on the bright side, Hughesy' back soon! :D

[rossporterlc]

Look on the bright side, Hughesy' back soon! :D

if he has a few good games, he'll be sold in january

[Scow]

Money talks.

Leicester City were once in administration, or has that just bypassed you?

A rant with no substance there, Hitesh.

We're making a 400% profit on a striker who has scored 17 goals in 48 starts. Good business I reckon.

[rossporterlc]

Money talks.

Leicester City were once in administration, or has that just bypassed you?

A rant with no substance there, Hitesh.

We're making a 400% profit on a striker who has scored 17 goals in 48 starts. Good business I reckon.

that stat is a bit unfair, towards the end of last season and the beginning of this season he has been scoring loads

[Hitesh]

Money talks.

Leicester City were once in administration, or has that just bypassed you?

A rant with no substance there, Hitesh.

We're making a 400% profit on a striker who has scored 17 goals in 48 starts. Good business I reckon.

I understand that we have made £2m and i think its great. But if we continue to do this then the club isnt going to move forward. As soon as we have a chance of promotion with a good set of players a club will come in with any offer and we sell them. We take one step forward and then 2 back.

And its all good making £2m but we leave ourselves in a postion to sign a decent replacement in ONE DAY!!

[Scow]

that stat is a bit unfair, towards the end of last season and the beginning of this season he has been scoring loads

Not proven over a whole season though, is it?

People are letting their hearts rule their heads. How could we have turned down £2 Million? Wigan are paying over the odds for a striker who has never played in the top flight.

Leicester City is a football club and business. You have to strike a balance, and given our recent history, the money is much needed. We're a Championship club, not a Premiership club. We're not in a position to reject over inflated transfer fees.

You also need to take in to account how Connolly feels. How do you think he would react if we had rejected a bid of that value from a Premiership club? Wouldn't do him or us any good I imagine.

Just classic over reaction going on here.

[Steven]

Look on the bright side, Hughesy' back soon! :D

Good old Wellman.

[cisono]

No worries... I reckon the management are looking to bring in a few strikers from the Academy team!

[cisono]

Hitesh, my feelings are very similar to yours.

Only, I feel that the decision is not even sound from a financial viewpoint only, as it is merely a stop-gap measure and seriously compromises the future of the football club (plus the profits and even the survival of the ltd company itself!).

[breadandcheese]

Is there a competition for the most over-the-top post today?

Wigan have obviously had a number of transfer targets (Tekkeh for example). Clearly, Connolly is not their first choice and as such has always been back-up. This would explain why Wigan put in such a late bid, after all their other potential signings failed to materialise. We could not go to Wigan and offer Connolly to them (firstly this would unsettle the player, secondly, this would undermine our negotiating position). Either way, we cannot control when Wigan bid for him.

With regards the accepting of the bid. £2 million is too much to turn down. It represents a 400% profit. Look at the calibre of players we can bring in for those amounts. (Sheffield Utd spent £800,000 on Ifill). We can now use this cash injection to bring in other players. Hopefully we have other targets lined up today, if not, we can loan players, failing that purchase somebody in the January window.

Sometimes you have to cash in on an asset to improve.

The only reason people are upset is because they have had to realise that promotion is highly unlikely. All the talk of being patient and taking time to build up a decent team was obviously just that. Good old cheap talk. We are not Leeds, or Cardiff or Wolves (with money to spend - In Leeds & Cardiff case, who knows where it is coming from?). We cannot afford to turn down good offers that meet our valuation. Let's be honest, on the form Connolly has shown for us, he is worth £1.25 million maximum. Thus, we have got £750,000 premium.

True, the fear is that relegation is more likely. However, I still believe there are far weaker teams than us in this league, even without Connolly. This league is rubbish. The teams are rubbish (us included). It only needs a good little run of results and you are soon up in a decent position. So, I think we will avoid relegation, being in a stronger position to challenge next year (and certainly show improvement after January - when I imagine we will sign another player).

[Thracian]

I am struggling to understand where the board is trying to take this club! We have just sold one of our best players for £2m. I am struggling to understand the reason why we need to sell him and the only one i can think is MONEY! Does this suggest the the board of directors are more interested in money than the acutal footballing position of the club?

What is Leicester City? A business or a football club. From this sale i think it PROVES that football isnt about Football Clubs anymore. Its purely about money. I am very disappointed in the club because i dont see any ambition. They are only looking at the short term benefits and there is no looking beyond christmas! If they kept Connolly, there would be a good chance that Leicester City would be in the play-offs! Then we would get way more than £2m just for being in the play-offs!

I understand that the club may need to survive but if they knew that they needed to sell him why wait until the last day of the deadline. Therefore, it shows that we dont desperatly need the money and its just the chairmans being greedy. if we continue like this the club is going nowhere!

Today is a sad day for Leicester City Football Club but a very happy day for Leicester City Football Club LTD!

They had Connolly last year and they had Connolly this year and have basically remained nearer the bottom than the top.

Of course it's a pity to lose him - he's a good player - but far better to be buying players at the right price and selling them for a profit that can help the club become ever more healthy, ever more valuable and much better able to sustain Premiership football when/if we get there.

That may be one of Levein's great strengths. The value added element. Look how Stearman's coming through now. Another valuable asset, with Weso (hopefully) and Chambers (hopefully) to follow.

Adams never seemed interested in the Academy so let's give credit where it's due.

In the close season the members of this Forum estimated Leicester's players as worth £2.5/£3m and we appear to have got £2m for Connolly alone.

I reckon with the likes of Maybury, Gerrbrand, Stearman, Williams, Joey, Hammil, Paddy, etc the team's still worth £2.5m plus so we've made significant progress.

Let's now see what Levein has up his sleeve about replacements.

And whether he can finally get the team to gel successfully. Have faith.

[Hitesh]

Is there a competition for the most over-the-top post today?

Wigan have obviously had a number of transfer targets (Tekkeh for example). Clearly, Connolly is not their first choice and as such has always been back-up. This would explain why Wigan put in such a late bid, after all their other potential signings failed to materialise. We could not go to Wigan and offer Connolly to them (firstly this would unsettle the player, secondly, this would undermine our negotiating position). Either way, we cannot control when Wigan bid for him.

With regards the accepting of the bid. £2 million is too much to turn down. It represents a 400% profit. Look at the calibre of players we can bring in for those amounts. (Sheffield Utd spent £800,000 on Ifill). We can now use this cash injection to bring in other players. Hopefully we have other targets lined up today, if not, we can loan players, failing that purchase somebody in the January window.

Sometimes you have to cash in on an asset to improve.

The only reason people are upset is because they have had to realise that promotion is highly unlikely. All the talk of being patient and taking time to build up a decent team was obviously just that. Good old cheap talk. We are not Leeds, or Cardiff or Wolves (with money to spend - In Leeds & Cardiff case, who knows where it is coming from?). We cannot afford to turn down good offers that meet our valuation. Let's be honest, on the form Connolly has shown for us, he is worth £1.25 million maximum. Thus, we have got £750,000 premium.

True, the fear is that relegation is more likely. However, I still believe there are far weaker teams than us in this league, even without Connolly. This league is rubbish. The teams are rubbish (us included). It only needs a good little run of results and you are soon up in a decent position. So, I think we will avoid relegation, being in a stronger position to challenge next year (and certainly show improvement after January - when I imagine we will sign another player).

I just hope you are right. I am not over-reacting, im just wondering where the board is trying to take the club! And they havent left much time for Levein to bring in replacement or time to spend the money.

[rossporterlc]

Is there a competition for the most over-the-top post today?

Wigan have obviously had a number of transfer targets (Tekkeh for example). Clearly, Connolly is not their first choice and as such has always been back-up. This would explain why Wigan put in such a late bid, after all their other potential signings failed to materialise. We could not go to Wigan and offer Connolly to them (firstly this would unsettle the player, secondly, this would undermine our negotiating position). Either way, we cannot control when Wigan bid for him.

With regards the accepting of the bid. £2 million is too much to turn down. It represents a 400% profit. Look at the calibre of players we can bring in for those amounts. (Sheffield Utd spent £800,000 on Ifill). We can now use this cash injection to bring in other players. Hopefully we have other targets lined up today, if not, we can loan players, failing that purchase somebody in the January window.

Sometimes you have to cash in on an asset to improve.

The only reason people are upset is because they have had to realise that promotion is highly unlikely. All the talk of being patient and taking time to build up a decent team was obviously just that. Good old cheap talk. We are not Leeds, or Cardiff or Wolves (with money to spend - In Leeds & Cardiff case, who knows where it is coming from?). We cannot afford to turn down good offers that meet our valuation. Let's be honest, on the form Connolly has shown for us, he is worth £1.25 million maximum. Thus, we have got £750,000 premium.

True, the fear is that relegation is more likely. However, I still believe there are far weaker teams than us in this league, even without Connolly. This league is rubbish. The teams are rubbish (us included). It only needs a good little run of results and you are soon up in a decent position. So, I think we will avoid relegation, being in a stronger position to challenge next year (and certainly show improvement after January - when I imagine we will sign another player).

could be too late by january, really can't see where any goals will come from, turnover of players isn't good, it takes time for a lot of players to settle in. it had just seemed that connolly was settling in and finally getting the goals his hard work and skill deserved. we have been payed over the odds for him but when you look at what we are left with and how long we have to get someone else i feel that this is no consolation. another season at the bottom end of the league and season ticket sales will fall as will general support. i'm sure this would account for more than £2m.

[Guest]

Whilst you're all crying over the exit of an ordinary player, yes ordinary, for a laughable fee, hasn't any one of you considered that he might not actually be all that bothered about playing for City?

The clubs agreed a fee, but he didn't have to agree terms himself.

[rossporterlc]

Whilst you're all crying over the exit of an ordinary player, yes ordinary, for a laughable fee, hasn't any one of you considered that he might not actually be all that bothered about playing for City?

The clubs agreed a fee, but he didn't have to agree terms himself.

premiership vs championship, not rocket science is it? he was quoted in the paper a week or so ago saying he wanted to help leicester gain promotion by scoring 20+ goals this season, connolly's attitude cannot be blamed

[Darth Fox]

I agree toatally reckon Connolly's good start this season may have been him simply putting himself in shop window as he certainly looked to be busting a gut.

[bluefox]

I agree toatally reckon Connolly's good start this season may have been him simply putting himself in shop window as he certainly looked to be busting a gut.

Well he certainly did not bust a gut against Luton. He looked as if he couldn't be arsed. I have said it before but DC is a poor man's Dickov. If we get a couple of players who want to play and can score on a more regular basis then this will be good business

[Guest]

premiership vs championship, not rocket science is it? he was quoted in the paper a week or so ago saying he wanted to help leicester gain promotion by scoring 20+ goals this season, connolly's attitude cannot be blamed

Of course he's going to be reported saying he wanted to help us get promoted. He's not going to say "whilst I'm happy to help Leicester gain promotion to the Premiership, I would happlily snap the hand off any club from that division who will play me."

So why start berating the board when they give this ambitious man a chance to play in the Premiership? Especially the board of a club who remember all too well the effects of being in Administration, a club that cannot afford to turn down stupid amounts of money, and a club that can't afford to pay and play a man who's heart probably, and note the word probably, doesn't want to be here, especially after hearing that the vultures from up above are hovvering?

[Anish]

Money talks.

Leicester City were once in administration, or has that just bypassed you?

A rant with no substance there, Hitesh.

We're making a 400% profit on a striker who has scored 17 goals in 48 starts. Good business I reckon.

Not proven over a whole season though, is it?

People are letting their hearts rule their heads. How could we have turned down £2 Million? Wigan are paying over the odds for a striker who has never played in the top flight.

Leicester City is a football club and business. You have to strike a balance, and given our recent history, the money is much needed. We're a Championship club, not a Premiership club. We're not in a position to reject over inflated transfer fees.

You also need to take in to account how Connolly feels. How do you think he would react if we had rejected a bid of that value from a Premiership club? Wouldn't do him or us any good I imagine.

Just classic over reaction going on here.

Spot on.

[Steven]

Of course he's going to be reported saying he wanted to help us get promoted. He's not going to say "whilst I'm happy to help Leicester gain promotion to the Premiership, I would happlily snap the hand off any club from that division who will play me."

So why start berating the board when they give this ambitious man a chance to play in the Premiership? Especially the board of a club who remember all too well the effects of being in Administration, a club that cannot afford to turn down stupid amounts of money, and a club that can't afford to pay and play a man who's heart probably, and note the word probably, doesn't want to be here, especially after hearing that the vultures from up above are hovvering?

A board stumbling towards Div 1. <_<

[brownfox]

good buy i think even though it may be bit of a gamble but CL needs a bit of luck with his signings, and i hope Hume will be it.

£2M for connors is great business ok he was scoring but there were periods of him having off days.

CL needs some optimism from the fans i think we are in an experimental phase at the moment and with times the new look LCFC will come good...............................hopefully!

[breadandcheese]

I do not understand this berating of the board.

The way I see it today:

1) Wigan have put in a great offer for a player unproven in the premiership, representing a significant amount of money for a team our size.

2) We do not look like a team capable of getting promotion this season (as judged on the basis of this season's performances) with or without Connolly.

3) We do not look bad enough to go down, having seen other teams performances, i.e. bar the Luton game where we played appalling, it has been silly defensive mistakes that have cost us points. Correct these and we will not go down, with or without Connolly.

4) Remembering number 1), Wigan have offered silly money for Connolly, which we can use to bring in 2 or 3 players today and in January, whilst helping to pay-off some debts (which will leave us in a healthier position come next Summer when budgets are reviewed).

5) A refusal of Wigan's bid would have led to a disappointed and potentially unmotivated Connolly

We would have been foolish to refuse Wigan's bid. Most of all, I do not think this shows a lack of ambition by the board as some would suggest. Far from it, this represents excellent business, judgement and a springboard to better things.