Claude Puel Sacked

[LeeCovFox]

But it is only recently we've started struggling against the lesser teams.

To begin with the calls for him leaving were because we would only ever beat teams below us and as soon as we played a top 6, we did nothing. People were saying he had to go as we would be nothing than mid table.

In my opinion, a lot of fans didn't or don't like Puel personally for whatever reason so any excuse has been used to get him out.

For a while it was when we lose its boring and then it was too exciting losing. When we lost one game it would be because he changed the team and then when we lose another it was because he had changed the team. We also had the phase of fans saying Ricardo is our best attacking player and then he gets moaned at for playing players out of position. I'm sure there was even a lot saying nothing matters on the pitch this year after the tragedy but that has soon been forgotten.

People just seemed to chuck any excuse to get rid of him but with things like that, he had to go.

I don't necessarily agree with him leaving but with things the way they were with the division amongst fans and horrible atmosphere at home matches if we weren't winning, it is the right call.

I just hope the new guy gets a good chance from the fans and we are realistic about where we should be.

We started to struggle against the lesser teams about a year ago. That's long enough to see it as a trend.

I agree on the bit about realism (although it's football and people should be allowed to dream). I'm much less interested in our league position than I am in not being bored at football matches. That was my major problem than Puel and for that reason I'm delighted he has been sacked.

 

[fitz]

I'm free...

You're managing Fulham now though?

 

[Brown Nose]

But it is only recently we've started struggling against the lesser teams.

To begin with the calls for him leaving were because we would only ever beat teams below us and as soon as we played a top 6, we did nothing. People were saying he had to go as we would be nothing than mid table.

In my opinion, a lot of fans didn't or don't like Puel personally for whatever reason so any excuse has been used to get him out.

For a while it was when we lose its boring and then it was too exciting losing. When we lost one game it would be because he changed the team and then when we lose another it was because he had changed the team. We also had the phase of fans saying Ricardo is our best attacking player and then he gets moaned at for playing players out of position. I'm sure there was even a lot saying nothing matters on the pitch this year after the tragedy but that has soon been forgotten.

People just seemed to chuck any excuse to get rid of him but with things like that, he had to go.

I don't necessarily agree with him leaving but with things the way they were with the division amongst fans and horrible atmosphere at home matches if we weren't winning, it is the right call.

I just hope the new guy gets a good chance from the fans and we are realistic about where we should be.

We're on track to get 45 points this season. This is not good enough.

Our form is level with Huddersfield. We were getting worse, not better.

We have lost the majority of our home games this season. Only Palace and Huddersfield have scored fewer home goals than us.

Did you see the break in play yesterday when Sakho went down for treatment? It was a key part of the game and several players came over to the side of the pitch for drinks and instructions. Where was Puel? He was sat in his seat completely ignoring his players.

You can get annoyed about the clubs approach or the fans being fickle all you like, but Puel was just not good enough and it became pretty obvious that he was out of his depth a long, long, time ago.

 

[Moose]

While I can understand the sacking based on recent results it does leave me a bit clueless as to what the club is trying to achieve and what would be considered success.

Because it seems that Puel had a remit to move us on from the league winning team, develop a sustainable style of play, and to do this with youth or budget signings having sold our best players. Which is a strategy that is suited to a long term approach and wherein a bit of inconsistency while young players are coming through is to be expected. Yet here we are once again making short term manager decisions.

What does the next manager have to achieve to avoid the sack?

 

[M17TT C]

See, this is the problem for me. The expectations of building a team around an aging 32-year old striker, just wanting someone who looks good and says nice/funny things to the camera and now the classic of not caring about the league position and just wanting entertainment??

Our fans are bonkers.

It's football Brexit - a noisy majority want change but all for different reasons and nothing that is of real benefit.

The managers job should be to get us in the top half and build on that, simple as.

Bollocks to what players he does it with, bollocks to if he makes a funny pre or post match, just get us top half and go from there.

Part of me thinks the most of our fans would really love someone like Big Sam to come in, go classic 4-4-2 and just hoof it up for Vardy to leg it on to or have a big bastard flick it on for him.

 

[Jeff]

I believe I am fairly normal in my expectations. I expect us to win about 50% of our games

If we won about 50% of our games we'd be in the top 6.
Watford are currently seventh and they've only won 40% of their games.

 

[Orifice]

I want a manager who will play to our strengths, even if it includes an aging striker, rather than one who takes two years to get us playing in a style alien to the team.

 

[fitz]

While I can understand the sacking based on recent results it does leave me a bit clueless as to what the club is trying to achieve and what would be considered success.

Because it seems that Puel had a remit to move us on from the league winning team, develop a sustainable style of play, and to do this with youth or budget signings having sold our best players. Which is a strategy that is suited to a long term approach and wherein a bit of inconsistency while young players are coming through is to be expected. Yet here we are once again making short term manager decisions.

What does the next manager have to achieve to avoid the sack?

Pick a system that works for his players would be a good idea. Puel picks a style and didn't seem to care that it wasn't working. There are more ways to play than just counter attack or Puelball. Hopefully the next bloke will try and play something the players are capable of doing.

 

[M17TT C]

So yep, back to simpleton 4-4-2 and the old hoof it up to Vardy and hope he out paces a defender.

How do we play to Vardy's strengths like that at home if all the teams now know that's exactly what he is best at and sit back to nullify that?

We should be building a team based on the best 11 players we have available and not just one player.

Vardy is clearly our best striker but building a team all around one player is lunacy.

We are Leicester City FC and not Jamie Vardy FC.

 

[camberwell fox]

If we won about 50% of our games we'd be in the top 6.
Watford are currently seventh and they've only won 40% of their games.

About I said. So 40% is ‘five or take.’

 

[popillius]

Part of me thinks the most of our fans would really love someone like Big Sam to come in, go classic 4-4-2 and just hoof it up for Vardy to leg it on to or have a big bastard flick it on for him.

And if that did happen and it fitted the strengths of our players taking them much further up the league and entertaining us in the process, would you be upset?

Look, I don't want to see Allardyce here, the man is an odious creature but that's not to say that he wouldn't be more successful than Puel; I'm almost certain that he would.

Nobody is really suggesting we build our team around Vardy but that we play to his strengths whilst he is here. Puel refused to do that and ultimately, we didn't score nearly enough and it cost him his job. We need a manager with the ability to play Vardy, Maddison, Ndidi and Tielemans in a way which best suits their individual merits and this is entirely possible. Nobody thinks we should be pushing for a top 6 finish right now but 7th really should be ours or at least in sight given the squad we have. The truth of it is that we are figuratively a long way behind Watford and Wolves on many levels this season and that is not acceptable. This isn't arrogance, it's based on the fact that we have better players than both of them for the most part but they have been let down and hung out to dry by poor management decisions.

 

[David Gwilliam]

I am not religious but this is a day for singing "Now thank we all our God."

 

[Brown Nose]

So yep, back to simpleton 4-4-2 and the old hoof it up to Vardy and hope he out paces a defender.

How do we play to Vardy's strengths like that at home if all the teams now know that's exactly what he is best at and sit back to nullify that?

We should be building a team based on the best 11 players we have available and not just one player.

Vardy is clearly our best striker but building a team all around one player is lunacy.

We are Leicester City FC and not Jamie Vardy FC.

I'm not interested in building a team around one player. That doesn't make sense. Deliberately abandoning using Vardy for his own style of play is incredibly stupid, but it isn't the reason he's been sacked.

The issue I have is that we've just been trying to play 'trendy' football. The possession stuff that we exposed for the nonsense it is three years ago. We became expert exponents of a trend killer style and then abandon it to adopt the exact style we exposed. That is barking mad.

Possession of the ball is completely meaningless unless you do something constructive with it. I'm not saying for a second that we could carry on in exactly the same way as we did in 15/16. Even Ranieri recognised this.

However, you cannot be successful playing the same football as stronger teams than you. It is inevitable that the teams with better players will do it more effectively so we instantly become a '7th at best' side. Then we face lesser sides that are competing for their place in the league by fighting for their lives with whatever style suits their means. We're also being outplayed by these sides now. And those middle of the road teams are even doing their various versions of passing football better than us.

That leaves us where we are. In deep shit. Playing pretty football and losing. And it was only going to get worse too. Puel had no clue what he was doing.

 

[Miles Away]

Months and months late. It’s understandable the club has persisted given the circumstances but after yesterday it was untenable. We’d turned soft and easy to beat. I’m genuinely convinced Puel literally didn’t care about results and was more focused on getting the team to do exactly what he wanted. And here we are. Honestly, it’s a relief. We were getting worse.

Two paths I could see now:

1. An interim manager until the summer when either Rodgers or Benitez gets the gig. Lennon, Appleton or Pearson could get the short term nod.

2. Appointment of an available manager. Not sure if Wagner is “available” but he’s the easiest to picture. Not employed, been linked in the past, always popular with his players (which will be important in the short term). I’m not entirely convinced, though I used to be. He’d be a marked improvement I’d expect.

 

[Volpone]

Anyone who says Pearson should be banned from this site immediately.

Pearson. Appleton has no chance of being offered it and, even if he were, he wouldn't take it in a million years. Why didn't you just give your money to me? I would have spent it much better than the bookies.

We need someone to be in command and I'd rather the devil we know than Stowell for the next 11 games.

 

[Miles Away]

Walsh, Shakey both available too.....

 

[M17TT C]

Pearson??

Lennon?????

****ing Shakespeare again???????

 

[jb5000]

I want two things from the next manager:

Recognition that Vardy is a unique asset and play an attacking game to his strengths.

Communication skills with players/media/fans that are least comparable to Ranieri's

Martin Allen would probably give you that...

 

[RHYDAL]

Great news.

 

[M17TT C]

Martin Allen would probably give you that...

Holloway was great too.

Plus Claudio's media persona got us some fantastic results that following year....