It Seems A Very Long Time Ago

It seems a very long time ago that Leicester last played a league match. Still, it is a credit to the team that we need postponements due to international call-ups.

And speaking of internationals, what great results for England. Of course the media would have loved to find fault. Indeed, if you watched the ITV coverage on Saturday you’d have thought it was all doom and gloom. Just why they have to be so negative is beyond me. They even had another dig before the highlights of last night’s game.

But I guess you don’t get a job commenting on football these days unless you are completely full of yourself. After all, you only have to listen to the over-opinionated, arrogant shit on Radio 5 called Alan Green. I’m simply not interested in your views Alan so keep them to yourself. And I have a message for you, I will never support Man Utd in Europe so stop assuming that I do!

Anyway, it’s Oldham Athletic away this weekend. Let’s hope Boundary Park isn’t it’s usual freezing self. I’ve only been there once and it rained, hailed and blew a gale. Apparently they sing a song there that goes something like “It’s cold, it’s wet, pneumonia’s a safe bet, Boundary Park….”

D-Day

So today is D-Day (door day) for Ian Holloway. Will it be a case of door open and Ollie out? Or will it be door shut, and Ollie kept behind to fight another day? He wants a chance according to the Leicester Mercury website TheBlueArmy.co.uk.

For foxes fans managerial comings, goings, and possibly yet another going, provide us with much to talk about. But Leicester’s woe’s will barely scrape a mention amid all the media glorification and gush over yesterday’s results. Apparently there was a close finish in the Premier league. ManUre became champions again. Chelski were second again. And guess what, Arsenal and Liverpool finished third and fourth.

Astonishing!

Meanwhile, back in Leicester we have more important concerns…

What Do The Runes Say?

Fellow foxes have had a few days to reflect upon our new life in League 1. And it seems many of us would prefer our chances without Ollie . Even Ollie himself says he has job fears. This begs the question of who would take over? The Runes are not good…

No stability: We had something like seven managers during 2007 if you include caretakers Gerry Taggart and Frank Burrows!

Must get on with the boss: Martin Allen clashed once and was out.

Third Tier football: Even less glamour, smaller crowds, much less money, poorer quality football.

No Guaranteed Return: Others show that it could take a few seasons to escape (e.g. Forest!)

So can we attract a dynamic, highly regarded manager? It’s not going to be easy; and Mandaric may yet surprise us by announcing that Ollie is staying. Is anyone taking bets?

A Possible Outcome

So here is how it could go on Sunday…

City lose: We are relegated unless Southampton lose

City draw: We stay up if Southampton draw or if Sheffield Wednesday lose

City actually beat Stoke: We stay up, unless Southampton beat Shefield United more than 17- 0

Kiss Of Death?

Milan Mandaric is quoted in today’s Leicester Mercury as saying he “still has every faith in Ollie”. Will this be the kiss of death for Ian Holloway?

Tension is Unbearable

WBA 1 Southampton 1, Monday 28 April

That was a close. The impact even closer…

I’m supposed to be working but I can’t get the league table out of my head.

A Family At War (Sort of)

In something like two hours we will know whether Southampton have lost or not. Never before have I been so desperate for a baggies win. Yet just down the road, and at my parent’s house in Hampshire, it’s a different story.

You see my brother, dad, uncle and cousin are Saints supporters. It usually makes for interesting banter. But as a family we have carefully avoided all talk of football during the last few weeks.

Either I will be sighing with relief tonight, or they will. And then we have to wait until Sunday….

What’s my excuse?

I realise that I have been neglecting this blog. No postings in fact for almost a month. I’d like to say this is because I’m so busy… that I simply haven’t had time to sit at a computer and comment on our team’s fortunes. But I can’t. I have no excuse. I haven’t moved house (and have no such plans), I haven’t been on holiday, and I haven’t found some new interest to replace football.

No. The sad truth is I simply haven’t felt like writing about Leicester City. I can only assume its something to do with the results rather than any creative blockage on my part.

Let’s look at the facts. We win one, we lose three, or is that four? We play well for almost 90 minutes (Norwich City, home), but we play crap (and sometimes total crap) for 360 minutes (Blackpool away, Plymouth home, Watford away, Coventry away). The trouble is, we are not losing because the other side out-plays us in an almost even contest. We are losing because we simply can’t pass, move or create anything approaching a goal scoring opportunity. It’s almost as if the players aren’t bothered. And yet when we played Norwich, just like Coventry at home last month, we saw what is actually possible.

Not surprisingly, there are some fans calling for Olly to be sacked. That’s bloody stupid. How will more uncertainty help? We must already hold some kind of record for managerial changes, but going through that process again will undermine what little morale our players appear to have. That said, I don’t know how he is going to turn things around in the short term. Perhaps all we can hope for is enough draws and an occasional win to avoid relegation. Hardly the stuff to inspire me to write. But if that’s my excuse, what excuse do the players have?

Uplifting Saturday Ahead

I’ve not been inclined to blog recently. After the promise of some reasonable results we were all given a reality check with two successive defeats. Normally my low expectations make coping with bad results fairly easy. But whether it was post holiday blues, the cold weather or just the prospect of relegation, I have been feeling a little despondent when it comes to football.

To make matters worse, our FA cup exit was at the hands of Southampton, the team my brother and dad support. I felt the humiliation even if I didn’t have to face it. I certainly couldn’t bring myself to write about the game here.

But enough of being mard. We play Coventry tomorrow and could start with home debuts for six new signings . Ollie has certainly been busy.

Of course only the local media is in the slightest bit interested in the M69 derby. Everyone else is speculating on who will take over at Newcastle. Indeed, Radio 5 even interviewed Milan Mandaric, but to talk about Harry Redknapp and not Leicester City.

So while magpies, pundits and hacks get excited over Sam’s replacement, we will be wondering exactly who is who in that Leicester City shirt. I feel an uplifting Saturday afternoon ahead.

Icing on the birthday cake please

My wonderful grandson reaches the age of one this week, and his party (or should that be our party?) is being held on Saturday afternoon. OK, not the best bit of planning as three season ticket holders, including me, his mum and his other grandad wont be able to get to the West Brom match as a result.

But family comes first, so while we celebrate, let’s hope Leicester put some icing on the (birthday) cake day with a long awaited home win.

It will be a tough task, especially on recent form. But Ian Holloway says we are only a home win away from being a decent side. If we beat West Brom then he may well be on to something.