The magical mystery tour that Leicester City have enjoyed over the past two seasons has finally ended following our defeat at the hands of Atletico Madrid in the Quarter finals.
Finally also the impact of Ranieri also finally comes to an end having led us to become Champions of the Premier League and guided us to the quarter finals of the European Champions League with his final game at Seville with that precious away goal .
So what next … do we revert to the past and seek to make up the numbers and keep reminiscing on this wonderful last season – something to tell future generations about… but that’s all.
I hope not – too many enterprises settle for then comfort zone – do not seek to break the chains of status quo and ruthlessly drive forward with ambition and targets. Football clubs the same.
I am sure that our owners have the desire to return to the top table of elite clubs- rubbing shoulders with the Real Madrid Barcelons Juventus of this world .To enjoy European football regularly which means at minimum a top 6 spot in the Premier League.
They have the financial muscle and can be ruthless in their pursuit of success. They are tough businessmen finally.
To do this they need the best possible managers and structure both in terms of front line first team coaches and administrators – like Directors of Football- who can support this target and have the international standing to attract the top players and be able to operate in this multi billion pound enterprise which is now our Premier League.
Sentiment does not come into these choices.
First of all one cannot avoid the truth.
The most successful coaches /managers in the Premier League are from overseas . Nine of the top ten clubs – have such coaches- Conte, Pochettino, Klopp, Guardiola, Mourinho, Koeman, Puel, Mazzari.
This is not coincidence. Neither is the fact that there is not one British coach operating at any top ten clubs in Italy Germany France or Spain. They are not good enough.
Unpalatable -but true. Even the Championship Division – which was always a bastion of traditional English coaches and football to match is changing.
Five of the top six clubs now have overseas managers.
And yet we talk of staying with Shakespeare aided of course by the redoubtable Stowell as our permanent manager and talk at the same time of trying to target again the achievements of last season. It makes no benchmark sense and is not a sensible business decision based on current success models.
We face one of the most difficult close seasons in terms of dismantling much of current squad and seeking to recruit talented new players. Also we will be under pressure to keep some of our best from current squad.
The selection of our manager is key to this and one the owners I hope are already shortlisting top candidates.
....and also rises ... maybe
posted on 21/4/17
I don't think there's anything wrong with the owners investigating who is available and what they can bring to the table, then comparing that to Shakespeare.
Makes sense they should look at all options even if Shakey does have pole position.
No time for prejudices that the OP has though, may the best man win and the owners make the right decision.
posted on 21/4/17
It's pretty clear that Shakespeare has the support of the players and given his tactical switch at half-time on Tuesday, I think he demonstrated a fair amount of nouse getting the best out of an average squad.
I think our greatest failing is at the Director of Football level and increasingly in our apparent problems in scouting now tha SW snr has moved on - ironically to become the DoF of a really promising outfit.
posted on 21/4/17
JG, thanks for avoiding my question on Clement, who previously you said we should have been after but now would fall into your not good enough English coaches. But basically with what you've said since, you think a suitable replacement for CS would be Di Matteo as he won the CL based on the below?
"'Shakespeare in reality failed his first major test – when we were knocked out of the European Champions Cup- fact not opinion"
Think you might be good at business but I'm not convinced it's translating to football fella.
posted on 21/4/17
I'm not convinced about Shakey. I do think he could have had more of a go at what is likely to be our only shot at progressing in the Champions League.
People have usually spent their careers as assistants for a reason.
Having said that, I hope the owners consider him amongst other candidates and I certainly wouldn't be devastated if he got the job permanently.
posted on 21/4/17
comment by nuneaton_fox (U7936)
posted 4 hours, 47 minutes ago
I'm not convinced about Shakey. I do think he could have had more of a go at what is likely to be our only shot at progressing in the Champions League.
People have usually spent their careers as assistants for a reason.
Having said that, I hope the owners consider him amongst other candidates and I certainly wouldn't be devastated if he got the job permanently.
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Are you joking? Sarcasm?
posted on 22/4/17
I think that theres still a lot of unresulved issued at our club and DoF is one of them we don't know what he does and he doesn't talk to the media.
CS had the gift of the gab and of course the players want because they don't want change ask CR.
The tail is still wagging the dog juat answer one question why does none of the first team squad play in the under 23's even if they aren't even bench warmers?
posted on 22/4/17
Snakes the lot of them!
posted on 22/4/17
comment by Nevsaysagoal2city (U5194)
posted 1 hour, 12 minutes ago
I think that theres still a lot of unresulved issued at our club and DoF is one of them we don't know what he does and he doesn't talk to the media.
CS had the gift of the gab and of course the players want because they don't want change ask CR.
The tail is still wagging the dog juat answer one question why does none of the first team squad play in the under 23's even if they aren't even bench warmers?
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You're still bleating on about CR, when are you going to give it up?
The players don't want CS to get it because they don't want change, they want him because he plays the way that suits them and gives us our identity. Change doesn't make us better so forget change, it's wrong!
posted on 22/4/17
Change doesn't make us better so forget change, it's wrong! that's very shortsighted.
posted on 22/4/17
Oh i will give up bleating about CR when you stop saying things like he made a lot of tactical mistakes last season which is clearly bollox as he won the PL. I am not going to let you rewrite history to suit your agenda uncontested.