There are quite rightly a lot of strongly held opinions on this board. Opinions formed from a deep and heartfelt love for our club. The one thing we all have in common: we support Leicester City and we support them enough to spend time trawling through internet blogs and message-boards and occasionally getting worked up enough to write our own missive to the world.
I am a self-confessed Pearson fan, but I hope a balanced one. In recent years he has rebuilt our squad (without untold riches despite what some of the media would have you believe) and taken us up from League One to the Premier League. No small feat and last year's promotion campaign will live with me for a long time as we tore the division apart and played with a swagger unseen in these parts for many a decade.
But (and oh what a large but it is) this season he has failed. Failed to identify and secure the players needed to mount a serious challenge in this league. Failed to nail down a system or a formation that suits the squad and suits this league. Failed to work out what his best side is and which players offer the best chance of keeping us up. And failed to hold his nerve and his composure under the intense spotlight that shines upon all who operate in the Premier League.
It is this last point that makes me feel sorry for him. We've all read the stories of him fighting off mountain hunting dogs in Eastern Europe, the tales of him ignoring all things football the moment he gets back home to Sheffield (not difficult perhaps in that city) and relaxing on long walks or down the pub with his mates. Here was a manager who knew his footie but also knew the importance of perspective and famously never got too excited on the back of a good performance (an understatement if ever there was one) and never got too down in the face of adversity, and I liked and admired him for it. But look at him now and it's quite sad. The pressure is clearly telling on someone who I believe to be a genuinely decent bloke and his less attractive traits (we all have them) - stubbornness, laconicism, over-confidence- appear to have risen to the surface and frankly let him down.
We have had F-off-and-die-Gate, we've had Stringer-gate, we've had Player-round-the-throat-gate and now we've got F'ing-Pr!ck-gate. It is sad to witness the ungraceful decline of what was promising to be an upward-only managerial career.
I'm gutted with what has happened to our team this season. I honestly thought we would survive reasonably comfortably in what is a pretty poor Premier League. Do I think Pearson has tried his best and always done what he believes is right for Leicester City? Yes.
Do I think that best is good enough? Unfortunately not.
Despite the accusations of bullying I think there is more to it than that. And I still feel sorry for him.
Any one feel sorry for Pearson?
posted on 16/3/15
Firstly- this is excellent FFS
Im in the strange position of being quite anti Pearson originally and now coming round to warming to the guy...
I feel this seasons biggest problem is that apart from the early stages of the campaign every single game has been about how to hinder and stop the opposition firstly and using our own strengths and threats has become almost a second thought.
Look at Burnley. Poorer than us last season and yet they are ahead of us this season and with a real chance of survival. The thing with Burnley is even if they go down- at least they have given it a go. Theres no regrets there.
We really had a good chance of pushing on and becoming a top 10 team given the stadium, potential for development and money of both the owners and the Prem TV money. It really is frustrating that we will be back in the promotion dog fight next season after taking so long to get back here.
However I do feel for Pearson. He seems one of the more measured manager but you can tell the pressure is getting to him. At the start of the season many fans thought we would have enough to survive without wholesale changes. I think most of us are fairly shocked by how far away we are considering how good the team looked last season. A number of talented players havent kicked on quite as much as we had hoped. This is equally frustrating given the promising performances we have seen when up against the bigger teams in the division.
We haven't spent particularly well nor can he say he has given all of the players a fair chance (see Morgan and Allbrighton for instance- though Allbrighton isnt the saviour many think him to be).
Football is an unforgiving game and im sure Nigel does wonder how it has gotten to this. Bottom line is tho there are no stand out replacements and I struggle to think of anyone better equipped to lead us next year and with his players. IF, and its a big IF, we get promoted again and are struggling to survive around the October/November mark then decisive action is needed and a more suitable replacement should be bought in.
posted on 16/3/15
FFS
If there was a 10 star button I would be pressing it repeatedly.
This is one of the most thought out articles I have read on here and for that I applaud you.
Before the season started I thought there would be 2 sides that would disapear through the trap door into the Championship and then a group of us trying to avoid the unwanted tag of third relegated team.
People bang on about it being a poor Premier League as though that means we are more entitled to stay up!!
It doesnt matter how good or bad a league is you still have to earn your place next season, and I for one had faith that NP was the man to succeed.
Now we all know that things this season have gone pear shape and we have under performed BUT all of this years experiences will make our club and NP himself better for it.
But the main question was " Any one feel sorry for Pearson?"
NO
He is a Professional Football Manager, he knows what comes with the territory and is paid accordingly.
So I don't feel sorry for him, BUT I do feel sorry that his successful tenure may be tarnished by certain individuals who just keep banging on about things that are long gone and most of us are trying to forget or don't give a flying $£&^ about.
" Bringing our club into disrepute" "Making us a laughing stock" were 2 favourite quotes. Well funnily enough they became the following days chip wrapper, but it made good copy for people to batter the club and NP again and again.
He is who he is, we have accepted him and all his baggage when he was getting us promoted and we accept him now.
He is a principled man, so we are all led to believe, so will his principles mean that he walks away feeling he has let us down or will they mean that he wants to right the wrong of relegation and get our great club promoted again?
Whichever I for one Thank You Nigel for the fantastic memories/games/debates on JA606 that you have created for us all.
posted on 16/3/15
Sorry to intrude on the group grieving session that is going on here, but has anyone bothered to wonder if the club is getting value for it's £1m+ wage it pays to NP? I take it you'd be happy to pay a failed PL manager £1m+ next season in the Championship?
Some managers have failed at City and I have felt sorry for them. Micky Adams being one.
Maybe someone could launch a petition for a statue of NP to be placed outside the KP? Might help with the mourning process....
posted on 16/3/15
I think you find its more than one miliion. Hes on the same wages as Sven and there's that well earned (not sarcastic ) promotion bonus my guess thats another million out of the nine million bonus fund.
posted on 16/3/15
I feel a bit sorry for him, but not greatly. I suite simply don't believe all the bullying accusations around - I don't see it and I think that's an unfair label. So I feel a bit sorry for him for that, plus some sympathy simply because he's someone who's tried his best and failed.
That said, he can't have too much sympathy because he's the one that's been in charge, and the setup around the club has given him every opportunity to succeed. And besides, he's being paid well and would surely land on his feet and get another job, probably in the Championship, very soon. So I doubt he requires or desires anyone's sympathy.
posted on 16/3/15
He's come across as a bit of a pr!ck in all honesty and his attitude is unflattering to your club. It's a wonder he's not been sacked when the likes of Poyet have been, given your position and his almost untenable behaviour at times (strangle-gate). But you're in a position now where I suppose you realise relegation is practically inevitable and therefore he'd be again a decent manager for the Championship. Some managers simply aren't cut out for the league above though.
posted on 16/3/15
Foxello: if we are grieving it is for our poor season. As I stated in the OP ultimately NP has failed and that is worth 'grieving' for.
As for his value at £1m a year plus, I reckon the Board will judge his wages over the last 3 years as good value against the £60m increase in turnover they will have enjoyed this year. Yes I know that turnover will be lost next year but there is more than one way of viewing stats and finances.
posted on 16/3/15
Great article!
The fact I desperately wanted him to succeed after the previous success makes the fact I now feel he should have been sacked all the more painful. This season is one of the most frustrating I've ever experienced, mainly due to the errors he's made being so obvious and avoidable.
posted on 16/3/15
Excellent article.
I hate Pearson, never liked the man and never will. His boring tactics, bullying ways and his refusal to manage good players with egos drives me mad.
Of course I jest.
I don't feel sorry for him but the nail was hit on the head with the comment that it's a shame that his tenure has now become tarnished.
If he does go, I personally remember him for the success he's brought to our club. Sadly, I think others will remember his media profile and spats.
It's all a shame really. He deserved his chance this year and it's disappointing for everyone that he's not managed to make it work.
posted on 16/3/15
FFS - a really good and balanced post that echoes my own feelings on NP. He has largely been a success at Leicester and should be remembered for dismantling the overpaid dross assembled under Sven while building a young, hungry, promotion winning side on limited resources.
Just because he has shown himself not up to it at this level, it doesnt mean he hasn't been a very good manager for us in many ways. I think it would have been better for him had the club made the change back in November - his reputation would have largely been intact.
Who knows what the future holds, but I strongly suspect it will be without him at the helm