Levein at his lowest point

[Steven]

Source

These are tough times for Leicester City and, he admits, for manager Craig Levein as he reflects on the most difficult period of his footballing life.

City cannot buy a win, even from winning positions or against the lowest opposition. And, with in-form Norwich fancying their chances at the Walkers Stadium tomorrow (3.0), it is a daunting task again.

The players need to keep as much confidence as possible in times like these, but what about the manager?

Levein said: "This is the hardest spell I have had as a manager, or as a player, and it is tough.

"If the players were downing tools it would make my job easier, I could throw people out and change things around. But they are not. It is the lack of a winning mentality that is revealed by a lot of things.

"As for the five changes against Reading - well, we are not winning and there were people waiting to get a chance. I am searching for a formula to win matches, not necessarily to play good football because we have done loads of that and it hasn't worked in terms of victories.

"This game is vitally important because it gives us another chance to get things right and that means the players making the right decisions at the right time.

"They are doing some of the wrong things for the right reasons because they are desperate to win.

"For instance, we were giving stupid free-kicks away which can hurt us and there are only so many times you can come in and say 'unlucky lads'. The mentality has to be better."

The defensive stance against Reading on Wednesday will change, of course, and, although Mark de Vries did a great job up front on his own, the pace and vitality of Elvis Hammond and Iain Hume look set to feature this time with Gareth Williams likely to continue in midfield.

Ryan Smith appeared as a substitute at Reading after a slight knee problem and City will need his pace and trickery to carry the fight.

The word from the club is that, despite the severe weather warnings, the undersoil heating has been on for several days and the pitch should be fine.

The main task is for the team to turn on the heat themselves and start the recovery as quickly as possible

 

[Durham Fox]

Levein at his lowest point??

Thats strange so are Leicester City.

 

[Johnb_lcfc]

same old story of levein still looking for a winning formula

yawn...boring

 

[Redditch Fox]

I don't know whether press statements by football managers give any indications of their real sentiments. I wouldn't have thought so.

As far as I am concerned, Levein is so far below the benchmark for managing Leicester City that as far as his own position is concerned, a win, lose or draw against Norwich doesn't make much difference.

Frankly, those who see it differently can't have any feel for the standards expected from LCFC. We don't do relegation battles to avoid a fall into the third tier - and if we do get embroiled at such a pitiful level then its time to find a better manager. So he has to go either now or in the not too distant future.

That said from the club's point of view we could badly do with 3 points.

 

[Real Sharapova]

We don't do relegation battles to avoid a fall into the third tier

Ahem, we do - I'm old enough to remember - and I was there, relying on another result on the last day to avoid relegation to the ( then ) third division. Was it the middle 80's? - Webbo will know.

 

[Steven]

Ahem, we do - I'm old enough to remember - and I was there, relying on another result on the last day to avoid relegation to the ( then ) third division. Was it the middle 80's? - Webbo will know.

:icon_sad: :icon_wink

English Division 2 (old)
Leicester 1 (1) - 0 (0) Oxford
James 25

At Filbert Street on 11-05-1991

 

[MKFox]

We don't do relegation battles to avoid a fall into the third tier.

Wasn't far off last year either to be fair...

 

[PFKAKTF FOX]

Well lets hope he can turn it around, get a win tomorrow and try and build an unbeaten run which will drag our sorry arses away from the relegation zone.

TBH I am fully expecting a victory tomorrow, especially with Levein under pressure, the big test will be if do win, can we build on this result or will it be another run of games before we notch a victory.

 

[Redditch Fox]

Ahem, we do - I'm old enough to remember - and I was there, relying on another result on the last day to avoid relegation to the ( then ) third division. Was it the middle 80's? - Webbo will know.

Yes - but we do not put up with the managers who have got us into these situations.

We were on the fringe of such a struggle last season but, quite rightly, Levein was not blamed..but this season it's his team and tactics that are being held as accountable.

 

[Brauny Blue]

The boo boys will be out in force for the Norwich game. Nothing less than a win will satisfy and i can't see it happening. If we don't get a result in any of the next 3 league games then i feel the Cardiff home match will be his last chance.

 

[PFKAKTF FOX]

The boo boys will be out in force for the Norwich game. Nothing less than a win will satisfy and i can't see it happening. If we don't get a result in any of the next 3 league games then i feel the Cardiff home match will be his last chance.

IMO he has the Norwich and Palace games, apparently there is a Board meeting next week following the Palace match, where they will discuss the transfer budget, so for me that is the time if CL is going to be given the bullet, I reckon regardless of the Palace result, tomorrow's match will be the key, failure to win that one and he will be history, as I think the reaction of the crowd will go a long way to securing his future or sealing his fate. If he can muster 4 points or more he may well then be given the opportunity to strengthen in the transfer window and unless we drop into the bottom 3 will then IMO be given until the end of the season.

Tomorrow is a massive game for Levein, the players and the club, possibly the biggest game of the last 3 years IMO.

 

[fcukcov]

IMO he has the Norwich and Palace games, apparently there is a Board meeting next week following the Palace match, where they will discuss the transfer budget, so for me that is the time if CL is going to be given the bullet, I reckon regardless of the Palace result, tomorrow's match will be the key, failure to win that one and he will be history, as I think the reaction of the crowd will go a long way to securing his future or sealing his fate. If he can muster 4 points or more he may well then be given the opportunity to strengthen in the transfer window and unless we drop into the bottom 3 will then IMO be given until the end of the season.

Tomorrow is a massive game for Levein, the players and the club, possibly the biggest game of the last 3 years IMO.

Couldnt agree more but then again Im probably just your bitch as well.

I wont be there booing him or the team tomorrow. Not expecting a win either, Ill be behind the team all the way, it doesnt mean to say i agree with who is in charge at the moment. That could however change if he proves me wrong, but I just cant see it.

 

[lazzer]

Levein at his lowest point??

Thats strange so are Leicester City.[/quote

thats lowest points :icon_bigg

 

[PFKAKTF FOX]

Couldnt agree more but then again Im probably just your bitch as well.

I wont be there booing him or the team tomorrow. Not expecting a win either, Ill be behind the team all the way, it doesnt mean to say i agree with who is in charge at the moment. That could however change if he proves me wrong, but I just cant see it.

The fact is fcukcov, winning tomorrow proves nothing, it needs a sustained run of results to prove whether Levein is capable of turning this situation around, if we can go on a decent winning run as Norwich have then he may well start to win over some of the doubters.

 

[PONTUS KAAMARK]

Realistically Levein aint going to get the boot in the near future. Because of the club and the way its run he will carry on in the job until its completely untenable (way after we the clubs fans thought he should go).

I think we will carry on playing like we are, results will continue to be rubbish and Levein wont get booted until at least early feb, rubbish that it is.

 

[Brauny Blue]

Realistically Levein aint going to get the boot in the near future. Because of the club and the way its run he will carry on in the job until its completely untenable (way after we the clubs fans thought he should go).

I think we will carry on playing like we are, results will continue to be rubbish and Levein wont get booted until at least early feb, rubbish that it is.

In terms of money its not going to make much difference whether CL departs in Jan or Feb, but the people behind the scenes must sense that the situation is reaching the point of no return. The next 3 or 4 games will decide imo. He must win one of them.

 

[Graz]

IMO he has the Norwich and Palace games, apparently there is a Board meeting next week following the Palace match, where they will discuss the transfer budget, so for me that is the time if CL is going to be given the bullet, I reckon regardless of the Palace result, tomorrow's match will be the key, failure to win that one and he will be history, as I think the reaction of the crowd will go a long way to securing his future or sealing his fate. If he can muster 4 points or more he may well then be given the opportunity to strengthen in the transfer window and unless we drop into the bottom 3 will then IMO be given until the end of the season.

Tomorrow is a massive game for Levein, the players and the club, possibly the biggest game of the last 3 years IMO.

I agree that I think it will be decided at the board meeting during the week when they decide to get rid.
I think the Norwich game is definetely the most important game so far for Levein. Something I hadn't realised until just reading Tiatto's most recent "Captain's Comments" (the fact that he still writes them is a joke itself), we havn't actually LOST a home game since mid-October apparently when we lost to Burnley. So we're drawing far too many games and crap away, but we havn't lost that many games at home.
I think if we lose to Norwich at home tomorrow, Levein is gone on Wednesday (or whenever the meeting is), pretty much regardless of what happens against Palace.
If it's true that Levein was given an ultimatum, then he'll know he HAS to win tomorrow to save himself, and if he can't do it, then I can't even see a win against Palace saving him (unless it's a 4-0 win or something, but even then would probably only buy him a couple more weeks).

 

[Ox Fox]

I agree that I think it will be decided at the board meeting during the week when they decide to get rid.
I think the Norwich game is definetely the most important game so far for Levein. Something I hadn't realised until just reading Tiatto's most recent "Captain's Comments" (the fact that he still writes them is a joke itself), we havn't actually LOST a home game since mid-October apparently when we lost to Burnley. So we're drawing far too many games and crap away, but we havn't lost that many games at home.
I think if we lose to Norwich at home tomorrow, Levein is gone on Wednesday (or whenever the meeting is), pretty much regardless of what happens against Palace.
If it's true that Levein was given an ultimatum, then he'll know he HAS to win tomorrow to save himself, and if he can't do it, then I can't even see a win against Palace saving him (unless it's a 4-0 win or something, but even then would probably only buy him a couple more weeks).

It's fair enough to say we haven't lost since mid Oct at home but the performances (Sheffield being the exception) have got worse every subsequent week since we beat KovSkum.

 

[Redditch Fox]

Realistically Levein aint going to get the boot in the near future. Because of the club and the way its run he will carry on in the job until its completely untenable (way after we the clubs fans thought he should go).

I think we will carry on playing like we are, results will continue to be rubbish and Levein wont get booted until at least early feb, rubbish that it is.

I think that is absolutely correct.

I sense that we are in unchartered territory with this board where they don't have the will because of shortage of resources and lack of any real leadership to address situations in the way you would have expected.

In this sort of climate i believe Levein will be allowed to carry on to the point where is situation is so untenable that action cannot be avoided - alternatively they allow him to soldier on to the end of the season when they have to face up to what to do about selling tickets for next season.....and then they have a real problem.

 

[PFKAKTF FOX]

I think that is absolutely correct.

I sense that we are in unchartered territory with this board where they don't have the will because of shortage of resources and lack of any real leadership to address situations in the way you would have expected.

In this sort of climate i believe Levein will be allowed to carry on to the point where is situation is so untenable that action cannot be avoided - alternatively they allow him to soldier on to the end of the season when they have to face up to what to do about selling tickets for next season.....and then they have a real problem.

Good post, Redditch, the truth is Levein's future is in the supporters hands, as long as the fans quietly go on accepting the current situation and keep turning up at the matches then IMO regardless of results he will survive.

However, and this is not a warcry for anybody to protest or start Levein out chants, the only way the board will act, is if they are put under pressure by their customers. If he doesnt win tomorrow then I think there will be a protest and that will be when the board acts. The Palace game is fairly immaterial as it will be the home games where the board is subjected to pressure. Levein's future IMO will be decided by tomorrow's result and the reaction after as oppose to Monday's.