First of all, don’t get me wrong. I like Paulo Sousa. From a mutual standpoint, it’s difficult not to. He was a great footballer for a number of top European clubs during the 1990s, his playing career epitomised by being remembered as one of Portugal’s ‘Golden Generation’.
I also think that after Nigel Pearson left to take the job at Hull City, Sousa was one of only a handful of managers who would not have been labelled as a ‘step down’, yet still being an achievable target for Leicester.
This isn’t really about Paulo Sousa. This is more the view of a Leicester fan who has seen managers pass in and out of the revolving door that has been the Walkers Stadium over the last three years. This is more the view of a Leicester fan who has witnessed the recent good times as well as the bad. I still remember the feeling of relegation to League One. I still remember Leicester being 3-2 up at Stamford Bridge in the Carling Cup. I remember Steve Howard’s injury time header against Leeds on that Easter Monday and, of course, I remember last season’s play-off semi-final heartbreak. Life is never dull as a Leicester City fan.
This may sound terribly pessimistic, but I’m still not sold on Paulo Sousa. And I think it’s far too early for any of us to be getting too carried away.
When Martin Allen was named as the new manager of Leicester City in 2008, a lot of people believed this was a great decision by Milan Mandaric. Allen had that ‘Mad Dog’ reputation. He had a fiery persona and an apparent knack for getting the best out of his players. Fans liked this choice. Four games later, his contracted was terminated by mutual consent, as his relationship with the chairman soon broke down. People started to question what the problem was.
Fast forward to November of that year. Ian Holloway was appointed as the new manager following a few months of turmoil within the hot seat. Again, fans were pleased with this decision. Having had previous impressive stints with QPR and Plymouth Argyle, he looked like the man who could turn our disappointing season around.
We all know what happened after that.
When Nigel Pearson was appointed in June 2008, it was difficult to get too excited. He had previously been replaced as Southampton manager despite saving them from relegation on the last day of the season (at the expense of Leicester, as we all remember). Lacking charisma and character, fans didn’t really know what to expect. From the opening day of the League One season against MK Dons, we soon realised that Pearson was the man who could take this club forward. Leicester City were top of the league by November and never looked back. Last season, the team carried on where it left off and achieved its highest finish in the Championship for a long time. It was another successful year.
Pearson leaving was certainly a bombshell. The way Mandaric seemed to handle the situation showed good character in bringing a new manager in time for pre-season training. But Leicester fans should not be carried away with Sousa. With players being transferred in and out, it is difficult to know how things will pan out next season. He has impressed people with what he has said so far in press conferences and within the media, but it is important that this confidence is reflected on the pitch.
Football managers must always feel the pressure. For Sousa, the pressure will be on right from the start. Expectations are very high for this club. There is a reason for optimism.
I do believe the future is bright for Leicester City. The foundations laid by Nigel Pearson and his backroom staff during his two years as manager brought a level of stability to this club not witnessed by fans since the days of Martin O’Neill. There is a fantastic mix of raw talented youth and level-headed experience within this squad to challenge for the playoffs once again. But therein lies the problem; Leicester City fans will expect this based on last two seasons. Paulo Sousa has asked for the fans to ‘give him time’. But will he have as much time as he needs? What happens if the results don’t come instantly? What happens if Leicester City are fourteenth in the Championship in January?
Sousa has the potential to bring a new style of football to this club. Let’s just hope he’s around long enough for us to see it.
As a side note the relationship between 'Mad Dog' Allen and Milan didnt break down per se, but instead i have it on good understanding that the 'Mad Dog' had a disagreement with one of the younger City players and caught himself in fisticuffs. Obviously such actions were not leaked out to the press, this allowed each party to go their separate ways with relative ease.
ReplyDeleteYeah I heard something not too dissimilar. I remember when Iain Hume scored that wonder goal against Watford and we won 4-1 at the Walkers - not one of the players went over to celebrate with the manager. I'm not sure if any of the goalscorers was that player involved, but it became quite clear that the players were not responding to him. I remember reading that he disliked Matty Fryatt and made him train with the reserves too. Crazy.
ReplyDeleteI think after two successful seasons it is hard to top the achievements from the last year with a new manager instantly. However, people tend to get carried away by names and past glories when former players take over as managers. Bayern München may be a warning example. Klinsmann came in with a lot of pre-fabricated glory and left a few months later because it became clear that he hasn't got what is needed to be a top-class club manager. People simply ignored that it was Löw who marshalled Germany's successful 2006 World Cup campaign.
ReplyDeleteThe new man needs time to build his team and possibly go through some rough times at the end of which they will be a better team and certainly can aim for the top spot in their division.