What I like about Leicester is that they haven't gone up to the PL and just bought a new team.
This is the team that beat us in April 2014 and it's very recognisable, despite the fact that we're now 2 seasons on. Leicester have kept the nucleus of that team, and the team spirit and just topped it up.
I posted this on the other thread, but one of the things I like about Leicester is that they kept the core of the promotion team, even after 2 summers of recruitment and a new manager. This has really helped the team spirit. It's amazing to think that both Vardy and Mahrez both played against us!
Goes to show as well that things can be done a more sensible budget, if your player recruitment is right (although is easier said than done to get it working so well).
Leicester paid less than 1.5 million for Vardy and Mahrez - they could probably get upwards of 30, maybe even 40 m if they were to sell them in January.
We supposedly paid more for Izale Mcleod, Andy Gray, and Naby Sarr individually
Leicester ran up debts of around £100m in the five or so seasons before they were promoted to the Premier League and were the big spenders almost every season (occasionally joined by Cardiff or QPR)
Of all the praise heaped on them, saying they were financially prudent in the Championship is not one I agree with.
I'm aware they had to spend to get out of the division, but Vardy and Mahrez are great examples of the kind of value for money that is out there.
Vardy cost about a million from non league. Can't remember many saying he looked like good value at the time
What's the perception of the deal at the time got to do with anything?
1 million quid for a player who would go on top be the Premier League top scorer is crazy cheap in anyone's language. Doesn't matter if they bought him off a tramp who found him a bin round the back of Aldi.
The point is, you don't necessarily have to pay huge amounts of money to get quality. What you have to be able to do, is scout well, identify players who have the ability you need, be willing to pay, within reason, what it costs to get them, even if people raise an eyebrow at the time, and then have a cohesive structure in place at your club that coaches them and allows them to develop and thrive. None of it comes 'cheap' but then neither has a lot of the dross we have signed since Roland started trying to balance the books (sic). You don't necessarily have to be able spunk 8 figure sums from your parachute payments on players like Rhodes or McCormack to do very well in the Championship.
Players like Vardy and Mahrez (pre Leicester anyway) would be within the reach of Charlton even now, but the tricky bit (and the bit we are getting more wrong than anything else right now) is identifying them and doing the deal that will get them to your club ahead of others.
Read on racing post that there's a punter in Guildford that has £75.00 at 5000/1 on Leicester to win the league anti post at start of season, would love them to do it, Arsenal are notorious for being bottle jobs and man city are too unpredictable
It would certainly shake the big teams up if they steal one of their Champions league places, hope Ranieri does it as he seems decent enough and took a lot if stick re the tinkerman. I guess his critics will say that Leicesters smaller squad means he has less chance to cock things up.
would love to see them win it at stamford bridge, and then to show john terrys face he might even go up and try and get a medal;
Leicester v Liverpool Tue 2 Feb Man City v Leicester Sat 6 Feb Arsenal v Leicester Sun 14 Feb Leicester v Norwich Sat 27 Feb Leicester v West Brom Tue 1 Mar Watford v Leicester Sat 5 Mar Leicester v Newcastle Mon 14 Mar Crystal Palace v Leicester Sat 19 Mar Leicester v Southampton Sat 2 Apr Sunderland v Leicester Sat 9 Apr Leicester v West Ham Sat 16 Apr Leicester v Swansea Sat 23 Apr Man Utd v Leicester Sat 30 Apr Leicester v Everton Sat 7 May Chelsea v Leicester Sun 15 May
It would certainly shake the big teams up if they steal one of their Champions league places, hope Ranieri does it as he seems decent enough and took a lot if stick re the tinkerman. I guess his critics will say that Leicesters smaller squad means he has less chance to cock things up.
Thing is they are now ten points clear of United in 5th who aremt playing anywhere near well enough to catch them.
Read on racing post that there's a punter in Guildford that has £75.00 at 5000/1 on Leicester to win the league anti post at start of season, would love them to do it, Arsenal are notorious for being bottle jobs and man city are too unpredictable
He needs to lay that bet off.. Well at least some of it!
It would certainly shake the big teams up if they steal one of their Champions league places, hope Ranieri does it as he seems decent enough and took a lot if stick re the tinkerman. I guess his critics will say that Leicesters smaller squad means he has less chance to cock things up.
Thing is they are now ten points clear of United in 5th who aremt playing anywhere near well enough to catch them.
I can't see them not making the top 4 now.
Chelsea AND Man U not making the Top 4 would be staggering, but entirely possible now!
3 points clear with 15 games to go. It would be an amazing if Leicester could win the title, although there's obviously a long way to go. If they could, I think it would be an achievement on a par with provincial clubs like Derby and Forest winning the league in the 1970s shortly after being promoted. I never thought I'd see that again.
It would certainly shake the big teams up if they steal one of their Champions league places, hope Ranieri does it as he seems decent enough and took a lot if stick re the tinkerman. I guess his critics will say that Leicesters smaller squad means he has less chance to cock things up.
Thing is they are now ten points clear of United in 5th who aremt playing anywhere near well enough to catch them.
I can't see them not making the top 4 now.
Chelsea AND Man U not making the Top 4 would be staggering, but entirely possible now!
Probable I'd say, I think it'll be Arsenal, Leicester, Man City and Spurs in the top four spots, which order they come in will be interesting.
Nothing but admiration for Leicester good luck to them. They play at a high tempo and hurt teams on the break, their performance against Stoke on the weekend was outstanding. I think they will make the top 4 unless they have a mega meltdown and good for them.
Comments
What's the perception of the deal at the time got to do with anything?
1 million quid for a player who would go on top be the Premier League top scorer is crazy cheap in anyone's language. Doesn't matter if they bought him off a tramp who found him a bin round the back of Aldi.
The point is, you don't necessarily have to pay huge amounts of money to get quality. What you have to be able to do, is scout well, identify players who have the ability you need, be willing to pay, within reason, what it costs to get them, even if people raise an eyebrow at the time, and then have a cohesive structure in place at your club that coaches them and allows them to develop and thrive. None of it comes 'cheap' but then neither has a lot of the dross we have signed since Roland started trying to balance the books (sic). You don't necessarily have to be able spunk 8 figure sums from your parachute payments on players like Rhodes or McCormack to do very well in the Championship.
Players like Vardy and Mahrez (pre Leicester anyway) would be within the reach of Charlton even now, but the tricky bit (and the bit we are getting more wrong than anything else right now) is identifying them and doing the deal that will get them to your club ahead of others.
Vardy or Mahrez (and often both) have scored in every single game and the pair of them now have more goals than 15 other Premier league teams.
Hope they keep it up.
- Bournemouth to beat United
- Charlton and Leeds to draw
- Leciester to beat Chelsea
So his team went back to the top of the Premier League and won him £700 in the process. He is still on cloud nine, and so he should be!
Hopefully the other team you mention self implode. But I still can't help feel a bit envious.
Champions league qualification hopes looking better and better by the week.
would love to see them win it at stamford bridge, and then to show john terrys face he might even go up and try and get a medal;
Leicester v Liverpool Tue 2 Feb
Man City v Leicester Sat 6 Feb
Arsenal v Leicester Sun 14 Feb
Leicester v Norwich Sat 27 Feb
Leicester v West Brom Tue 1 Mar
Watford v Leicester Sat 5 Mar
Leicester v Newcastle Mon 14 Mar
Crystal Palace v Leicester Sat 19 Mar
Leicester v Southampton Sat 2 Apr
Sunderland v Leicester Sat 9 Apr
Leicester v West Ham Sat 16 Apr
Leicester v Swansea Sat 23 Apr
Man Utd v Leicester Sat 30 Apr
Leicester v Everton Sat 7 May
Chelsea v Leicester Sun 15 May
I can't see them not making the top 4 now.
The last three games could be huge too though