I loved the Leicester City story as much as any of you. Well, maybe not just as much. Leicester’s title win was astonishing, but it was no fairy story. They outperformed far wealthier clubs, sure, but this was achieved by spending the kind of money Celtic couldn’t dream of parting with.
Apart from their league win, Project Leicester was typical of the financial chicanery which has been prevalent in English football for so long, and which Financial Fair Play seeks to end.
Right now they are in freefall. If they go down, loaded with an underperforming squad on eye-wateringly high salaries, they will find it impossible to downsize sufficiently to give anyone sitting around the King Power Stadium boardroom table that they will be able to achieve stability in the Championship.
Once you drop out of the Enland and Wales Premier League, the biggest parachute in the world simply isn’t big enough. Two of the three Championship relegation places are currently occupied by recent Premier League clubs. Aston Villa, twice the size of Leicester but with a far smaller wage bill, are currently 17th. Leicester will look ominously at Blackpool, 14th in League Two, and appreciate how rapidly a Premier League relegation fight can turn into something altogether more serious.
Claudio Ranieri is a football hero, but even from the outside it has been plain to see that something has been seriously wrong under his control in recent months. His comments before the Sevilla game, “we know they are the better team”, spoke of a man who didn’t believe in himself or his players anymore.
It is never easy to spot when a managerial hero should move on from a club where he’s loved, exect in hindsight. Clough was the greatest English manager, but stayed on far too long at Nottingham Forest. Relegation was his reward.
Jock Stein’s sacking as Celtic manager in 1978 was shabbily handled, as was the way at the club back then. I was too young to know the best of Jock’s years at Celtic, but I remember the grief he got from the terraces during his last four seasons, when Rangers (remember them?) won three titles and two trebles.
No one will tell you they got on Jock’s case back then, but it happened. Football fans in the 1970s took no prisoners.
Looking back, Jock stayed too long at Celtic. He produced miracles for five years then managed decline for eight. He should have taken the Manchester United job when offered. Clough squeezed two League Cups out of his squad in 1989 and 1990 and should have headed for this hills right then.
As for Claudio, he should have bowed out a champion in May. He didn’t have managerial alchemy after all, it was inevitable that performances would return to his normal trend this season. Someone at Leicester had to take responsibility. That’s football – and it’s not even a modern aspect of it.
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COYBI …err….RAB
MIKE IN TORONTO on 24TH FEBRUARY 2017 6:32 PM
$2,000 for delivery to Toronto.
Yorkbhoy I need to create space in my garage. Getting the bike out in the morning is s pain.
JMCCORMICK let me know if you need one. Mail me on vfr@girfuy.co.uk and I’ll give you my mobile number.
KTF
Do this mob wear black armbands every week? Is it a tribute to the old club?
!!BADA BING!! on 24TH FEBRUARY 2017 7:34 PM
VP- thete’s a boundary charge mate…:))
——————–
Nice one :))))
*** GOALS FOR SHAY ***
With 10 picks still to come in for week 7 I can’t yet confirm where all of the votes have gone. However, barring any emails ariving in the next 30 seconds I can at least confirm that 8 competitors are hoping for a barrowload of Inverness goals ;-)
macjay1,
Ta Dude
Butcher & Sutton
Great Patter…..
Englishmen.
Tiocfaidh ar la………..
Superb commentary.
Waxing lyrical withCRC over a beer earlier and told him how, mid 60’s, we always went to the “boot, the braw and the goal” made up of cobbles on one of the streets approaching paradise. Was surprised to learn he had no idea what I was talking about. Said I’d get it verified for him on ye olde CQN…….anyone?…….anyone?………Bueller?……..anyone?
braw…….baw
jOBO…
Surely, I’m not the only one that took Inverness out of the eight!
VFR800 IS NOW
Many thanks. E mail sent, I will keep you posted.
Thanks again. HH
It’s aw Rainjurs so far….low hit aboot big Sutty though?…….big chaps on fire tonight
low hit?….wtf?….whit aboot big Sutty?……blumby spill chock
Hi Bhoys
How about some ladies music for tonight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r26krlXFmOI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abw49k3rIN0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTOcUXDt4z0
No sound on BT at certain times during deid fc game
F***in scum
Hi Bhoys
Just seen Foran urging his men to get closer to them. They didn’t need any encouragement against us.
KEEP THE FAITH
Going by the first few minutes ICT will get humped . I am away to watch Corrie
Baw…..boot…..goal…..c’mon boys….help me out here…..
Huns well on top.
adi_dasler on 24th February 2017 7:56 pm
No sound on BT at certain times during deid fc game
F***in scum
>?>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>?>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Hallelullllllllooooojah Naw?
Being Honest is hard when youareina Group.
Naw
Baw….boot…..goal……cobbles?
Jimmynotpaul, I’m sorry to hear that about your health. The speed the attacks hit you must be hard to deal with.
Reducing your hours sounds like a good start to helping you. I went part time (officially according to colleagues) last May and my blood pressure has stabilised a good bit since working 4 rather than 5 days.
Meditating sounds like a good way of switching off from things and let’s hope it helps you.
He might not get a word in edgeways, lol, if I meet smashing milk bottles.
Cliff Clavin CSC
Boot baw goal cobbles
http://www.glescapals.com/ml-camlachiecobbles.htm
A friend of mine from my past has past away,Charlie,just a good guy
Special toilet facilities in Inverness for the Orcs tonight: https://twitter.com/ICTFC/status/835105248402341888/photo/1
KTF
I thought Brother McLean always brought the play back ,after a foul has been committed…………oh silly me
BT sport 1 live. ..AWFUL
Thanks bb……don’t care what that article says…….probably written by a sevconians ancestor……but it was always deemed as a tribute to Celtic…….so there
The Orcs are enjoying the game off swallow swallow:
Moody Blue
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Moody Blue
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Doctor checking for Waghorn’s pulse to check he’s still alive…offers the same as a corpse in the team
NeoGeo7
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NeoGeo7
First Team
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Normal service is resumed….garbage.
KTF
JMCCORMICK
Cheers mucker,would prefer Friday night stay over and visit stadium on Saturday morn.
Bada/Sips…..more chance of a hun getting in my cab than you pair.hh :O)
31003
Must just be a generation thing :-)
HH
CRC
I agree with your good self … Always had a walk past the cobbles in my younger days on the way to the game . It was always celtic related to me..
Dr3adfful game.. Draper is. Worst player i. Have seen
Fairhillbhoy
My dad sent me a text yesterday about wee Charlie
Was due to turn 60 next month
Total shock to everyone
Charlie Boyle RIP
Eh up
Gaun the Caley!
KTF