LEICESTER DEFY THE BIG BOYS WITH ATTITUDE AND WORK RATE
With nine games to go last season, Leicester City FC was three points adrift and rooted to the bottom of the league table, down and out.
As Leicester City stared at relegation with eight games to go, something changed at the football club: team and fans united on a mission to get out of jail and belief was instilled in the team.
Vardy, Mahrez, Schmeichel, Morgan and the crew began to give everything and four games later, they had moved a point clear of relegation.
By the end of the season, they escaped relegation, six points clear of the relegation zone with six teams below them, the great escape accomplished, but they didn’t stop at that.
They had set a standard that got them out of trouble and as the new season commenced they were not about to change that, they would run, chase, work, and hunt in packs.
No big players, no headline news, no scandals, no player tantrums, just hard work and discipline and maybe a few of the players in the so called top teams need to borrow a leaf from Leicester players.
With a commitment to fight and a discipline to persevere, Leicester FC have continued their winning streak from last season and have just qualified for the Champions league for next season after beating Sunderland 2-0 on Sunday.
7 points clear and a handful of games to go….
I still see the same commitment, discipline, work rate and attitude with these Leicester players since they started their get out of jail strategy last season.
They run, they hunt, they chase, and they never give up! I just wish I could say the same for the so called ‘stars’ in some of the so called big teams.
What Leicester has shown us is that individual stars don’t win titles, but great teams do. Stars can win you games, but you need teams to win titles.
They haven’t won it yet, but a Babe Ruth once said; ‘It is impossible to defeat someone who refuses to quit’
If Leicester go all the way and win the title, in this modern era of billionaires owning clubs, it would be a fantastic achievement, not just for football, but for the underdog who puts everything in and has a belief that defies the odds.
One thing is certain, these players give everything and it has been a team effort, from the unused substitute to the starting eleven. No dramas, no spoilt players, no tantrums from the stars, no players throwing the toys out of the pram, no complacency, no arrogance, just pure discipline, hard work, continuous effort and attitude.
You can almost hear the whole of Britain cheering the underdogs on, wishing and hoping that the rich billionaire club owners are shamed and their spoilt millionaire players left clapping on prize giving day. Prize giving day is here finally and I can’t wait.
BARCELONA NEED A PLAN B
There is a degree of arrogance you are allowed, if you have the best player in the world by a mile, in your team. When opposing teams are fighting for pride and arrogance however, then there must be another way to play, even with the little genius and his two supporting actors.
I watched Zidane pull out lesson D from Mourinho’s text book against Barcelona. What a master class! Barcelona passed the ball around forever but could not really hurt Madrid and in the end, two classic counter attacking goals at the Nou Camp put a dent in Barcelona’s sublime season.
My worry for Barca is that the last time this happened in 2013 when Jose Mourinho did the same against them, every other team found the blueprint useful and after their seven goal drubbing by Bayern, the team had to be overhauled and money was spent on Neymar, Suarez and Rakitic.
Well, it is happening again. After the Real game, they’ve struggled against Atletico and Sociedad used the same tactics to defeat them on Sunday.
On paper their difficult LaLiga games are behind them but now they have their lead cut down from nine to three, subjecting themselves to unnecessary pressure in the title run in.
They face Atletico in the second leg of the UCL quarter final. Enrique needs to have a plan B if this team would evolve, the youths are not in the same league as the gladiators on display at moment, and if teams start shutting up shop against them, he needs super fast defenders who can cope with the lightning speed of opposing teams, otherwise Barca may just finish with one trophy this season, which may not be acceptable at the Camp Nou.
VANGAAL, GUARDIOLA, KLOPP, CONTE. WHO GETS SIMONE and MOURINHO?
It is a scramble for trophies next season as England usher in a new era of power play, or call it money-ball? If Van Gaal stays, then we wouldn’t see Jose, but who says Simeone would not come in this frantic craze for Europe’s top managers by Premier League clubs?
The problem is that only three trophies can be won domestically and then the big ears in Europe.
Even though I’m a fan of VanGaal, I don’t see him winning with Manchester United, I have watched them several times this season and there seem to be an age disconnect between him and the young players. Could be pressure he has endured, hostility from the press, but I still see in him a school teacher scolding his young boys (whether dealing with press or watching him on the bench on match days) I think he has taken United to another level, but it may be best to pass the baton to another manager who demands winning as a mentality.
Pep would need a overhaul and bring his own players to establish his own brand of football, but I think he too is in for a shock unless he can get Kompany fit and keep him fit.
He still has a core of hopefuls but I just don’t see him dominating as he would have liked to. This would be his first managerial challenge to date and it would be interesting to see how he handles it.
Conte? I think he will ruffle feathers in Cobham and those who couldn’t withstand the heat under Mourinho had better start walking from the kitchen because under him, the kitchen would get hotter. He knows Roman would ask for blood and if titles don’t flow, heads would roll. Can he? I think he needs to bring in a core of courageous players, for who winning is a habit and not this bunch of players. I wish him luck but he has a tough job to do after Hiddink’s pampering.
Klopp has had a season to settle down and I believe he would now go in to the market to bring some players in to compliment the youths he has and the likes of Coutinho, Sturridge and Origi. I don’t think his pressing style would do on the long run because of the pace in the Premiership, but if he can find the right balance between pressing and playing, Liverpool may be up there next season.
Finally, as the rumour mill continues to gather momentum, you can’t help but wonder if the lure of getting Mourinho or Simeone would not appeal to any of the clubs who have money to spend, but then again, unless another rich Sheikh, Russian, or American turns up with another project at any of the clubs, it is hard to see where Simeone or Jose would fit in just at the moment. In football however, the music goes on and the game of musical chairs continues in the managerial merry-go-round. Who would have bet on Jose losing his job a few months after winning the double? So there is hope for Simeone and Jose, if the game of musical chairs continue.