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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OOFFT! Those of a fragile disposition should not go anywhere near hun media tonight!
KTF
Feels like they aren’t close to bottoming out yet
WIST
I never said I drank it.
(but I did)
KEEP THE FAITH
https://twitter.com/6inarowherewego/status/835242179685601280
top 6 was always the goal.
They are in absolute freefall. On and off the field. 2012 all over again.
TGSC,
Sailing On….
following on from the earlier conversation …. just checking back in on zombiemedia … great fun … more ups and downs than a Ron Jeremy movie!
Have they not suffered enough
Sevco have still to play Celtic and Aberdeen twice.
Jeezo,
dunno…..it shouldn’t be a choice…..a Celtic or Hearts/Aberdeen win tomoz?….;-))
For me, Celtic to win….let the rest scrap it out as best they can ;-))
FTSFA
H.H.
WHAT IS THE STARS
Tonight I am enjoying a Chapilns & Cork Somerset Vintage. I enjoy Thatchers Katy and Weston’s Vintage when I am
In the mood also. To be honest I try a lot of ciders always plumping for the still dry option. I seldom drink a draught cider unless I am in a pub I frequent regularly. Been on the end of a few dodgy pints in the past.
Bsr,
I have hun mates who would envy your positivity.
HH
Free live Foo Fighters gig from Frome on Facebook on TV and the huns getting another turn over on the laptop, glass of fine wine in hand, loving Friday night
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 24TH FEBRUARY 2017 9:41 PM
Sevco have still to play Celtic and Aberdeen twice.
—–
Sevco still have to make payroll 3 times before the end of May.
Phyllis Dietrichson on 24th February 2017 8:44 pm
If you don’t do something crazy every now and then you just grow old and become boring!
To hell with that.
Besides, I have other plans afoot.
Now they might be really crazy, but in a good way.
Things not going well down Ibrox way I see.
If Hearts and Saints win the morra the bottoms will be collapsing all round the Doomdome…
Dave King ” Celtic must be stopped” how’s that working out for ye matey???
Agent Murty on course to dismantle what’s left of Shame FC…
It’s the Inverness toilets I feel sorry for.
Geordie
You have Hun mates ?
Tut Tut, :-))
Somebody please go fetch some bedtime comedy from hun media.
Hearts away to Thistle tomorrow, St Johnstone at home to Killie. Hearts at home to Ross County on Wednesday.
The Orcs play St Johnstone at Ibrox on Wednesday. There is a real chance Sevco could be 5th by 9:45 on Wednesday night
KTF
VFR800 IS NOW A MONSTER 821 on 24TH FEBRUARY 2017 9:26 PM
Mate.
You call it a tackle.
I thought it was an attempt to block the cross and that the Rangers player came down because the follow through of his cross contacted the attempted blocking leg of the Caley player , bringing down the Rangers player because of HIS momentum.
JMCormick
Thanks I will look out for them
I have trying a few craft beers recently so must look out for those ciders
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 24TH FEBRUARY 2017 9:44 PM
It’s the Inverness toilets I feel sorry for.
————————————————————————-
:-)
I think the fields can take it.
BT,
Oh aye. A good few.
I’m a broad church. Lol
HH
If you add up all the huns income in the past 5 years it amounts to roughly £200 mill, it could well be more, this obviously includes all the loans, the share issue etc.
How bad are they for blowing all that cash :-)
MARRAKESH EXPRESS on 24TH FEBRUARY 2017 9:45 PM
It’s unrepeatable. It would take too long to redact the abusive languages from the posts!
KTF
Ach to be fair…they are bluenoses. Not huns :)
HH
That result should be a great shot in the arm for St. Johnstone and the minis tomorrow.
Hunt them down and topple the whole rotten institution and watch their horrible fans implode.
Heeheeheehee :)
WITS …. how about this …. you jump on the plane …. we’ll keep drinking/eating oysters til you get here …. when you get here, you can join us … have a few nice pear ciders …. and I’m sure you’ll change your mind! and if not, we can try a nice spanish cider, instead!
Mike In Toronto
Sounds good,do you know any good divorce lawyers ????
ICT must be delighted that they managed to hold on to £10m rated winger Mulraney.
Obviously, I’m using the BarrieMcKayometer here.
3-1 would have flattered ICT but the funny part was when they equalised, they thought ICT would try and run the clock down.
Looks like they’ve messed up again sacking Warbiola, though I disagree with MON where he says, it’s the worst Rangers team ever, and its not even the worst Sevco side.
Scottish football needs a funny Sevco.
Schadenfreude CSC
MARRAKESH EXPRESS on 24TH FEBRUARY 2017 9:45 PM
A taster:
Drumloyal
Key Player
First Team
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To be fair that was a f****** belter of a goal.
That being said; sack everyone of the *****, sick to my stomach of this sh***.
We have suffered for 5 f****** years and we deserve f****** answers, or at the very least some f****** fight.
What the f*** was that? What was the conversation at HT?
“what should we do boss”?
“just f*** my sh** up lads”.
I’m at the end of my f****** tether here.
KTF
Tet,
Remember a few seasons back when their chairman done the review. It was 60-70 million or so to win a league Queen of the South done on 300k.
Madness.
HH
That’s better Geordie….
Ole Freddie on BBC4 in 5, live from ’75-ish….
poeticCSC
VFR
I’m sure the moderator would allow it under artistic licence.
18 Million doesn’t get you much?