Pearson Interview

comment by Merseysidefox (U4842)
posted 8 minutes ago
I don't buy in to this fire theory.

If we stay up, we stay up. There was no fire. If we go down, we'll all get burned, including Pearson.

Pearson hasn't got things right all season, but if we stay up he will have got enough right and that's all that matters.
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Yeah I think thats reasonable enough. The only area I would disagree with you in is when you say if he stays up there was no fire, he will have done enough.

In one sense this is absolutely correct because he has achieved his KPI set by the owners BUT where the owners will be left in somewhat of a predicament is whether he has shown enough to be given the job of not only surviving next season but consolidating our position in the prem.

If you employ NP next season do you risk being in exactly the same scenario but this time he doesnt pull it off OR do you do what Southampton did. Cold and ruthless but in Pottechino they saw someone who could build a team and take Southampton to higher levels.

Thats the difficulty for the owners

...should the right man become available for example. Remember that the owners want to make Leicester into a top 6 club one day!!

I agree BS - I think potentially the best chance of Pearson keeping his job next year is if we go down?

I wouldn't be surprised if there is a change shoukd we manage to stay up.

I generally feel the key thing is to see an improvement each year, and so far that's something Pearson has achieved every season he's been manager here. So I wouldn't change manager if we stayed up but probably would if we go down.

When would you make the change though Dunge if by next November we're on a similar run having spent more in the summer window? Are you then in a position where you fighting another relegation battle (only this time it might not go your way) and there is little else available?

Or do the owners see beyond the results and think, actually can we afford to be at the bottom end fighting for our lives all season? Can we trust this manager, based on both transfer windows last season, to attract the players we need that are going to help us improve on just surviving?

...Or to put it another way, did he get pretty fortunate with a points total that in any other season would have season the club relegated by April?

All those things need to be factored in, not just the fact we survived. They are a likely indicator to the kind of season we could have next year in the prem

Talk about moving the goalposts to defend you position , last year it was survive and then progress, now survival isn't enough?

For me the only issue would be if Pearson really did come out and say that we don't need any more quality additions to progress during this summer transfer window.

I don't think I've said anywhere that I would sack Pearson if we stayed up - please can you post the quote if I have? I'm posing the question that the owners will no doubt be mulling over.

Like arro said, some Leicester fans (myself included) haven't been able to see beyond the results last year - just looking at the points total 3 weeks ago and saying we were nailed on for the drop. Others saw beyond the points total.

I'm using that logic in a way and saying - ok if Pearson keeps us up, should the owners look beyond the points total and analyse how he kept us up and if he is likely to do that AND bring about a consolidation of our position next season? Or will it ultimately be another nail biter and do we want that?

The board have a long term top 6 target for the club, so will Pearson be the man to start building towards that aim? Has he shown he can do that this season or is he most effective at putting fires out?

Its absolutely reasonable to consider everything. I remember people being up in arms when Southampton sacked Adkins. Two promotions on the bounce and guiding Saints towards safety after a bad start. But Cortese knew that long term Adkins wasn't the man to see Southampton turn into a top 10 club. Is Pearson?

The answer could be yes.....

It's a bit of an imponderable, BlackStarr. First of all, let's just hope we stay up this season. But it depends on all sorts of things: Are we bringing on new, exciting players, what are the results, what are the performances like, how many journalists has he assaulted? I couldn't say for sure. Having the same season again would count against him because that would represent lack of progress, but then how often do you get the same season twice?

I think thats what makes it so difficult for the owners Dunge and the next few games will help determine that.

Lets say we stay up on goal difference having lost to QPR. Now yep, he kept us up on the last day but it could have easily gone the other way. On top of that he lost it with a couple of journos, wasn't handling the pressure at times, signed a couple of players he didn't use, etc etc.

All I'm saying is its not as simple for the owners as - did we survive? Yep, tick that box lets keep him for next season.

My position on this by the way is I've no idea!! My guy feel is keep him, but I could understand if they went for someone else if the right man became available