Babylon
Active Member
Well Good Morning
I am on the motorway, on my way to Stansted Airport to get our flight up to Scotland ready for the next week of preparation and there are a few things you need to know.
Rab Douglas has been called up to help me with the coaching and training of our goalkeepers as Mike Stowell won't be on the trip as he has a family situation to deal with.
Of course at these times, the family is more important than any job and therefore Mike has been given time off and will return when he is ready. But he won't be coming to Scotland.
We picked up no injuries at the weekend apart from minor knocks and the lad I had on trial who went on for the last couple of minutes will not be offered a contract.
However, the statement he made to me and the players before kick-off in the dressing room will be going up on the wall, framed and in the dressing room.
He said that there are only two certain things in life and they are being born a Leicester City supporter and dying a Leicester City supporter. The players, the staff and myself gave Lee Smith a big round of applause.
He won that prize and a day out behind the scenes at a supporters' event I attended last week and his eyes nearly popped out of his head when with four minutes to go on Saturday I asked him if he wanted to go on to the pitch to play. It was magic.
The game against Notts County went okay but there are a lot of things that need to be improved.
It was a good atmosphere and it was a good experience for me personally to get to know the workings behind the scenes at the Walkers Stadium.
A lot of people behind the scenes worked extremely hard and long hours getting ready for the weekend.
There have been a lot of changes and a lot of "different" things happen and I suppose it's always difficult when people's routines are changed. But you can either sulk and moan or march on in a positive fashion and adapt to the changes that are taking place.
There is no room for the negatives because the changes are going to happen anyway.
The attention to detail of all the staff and the way my family were looked after, to be honest with you we are all pinching ourselves as to just how lucky we are to be involved.
I have changed the goal celebration music and I watched with interest the supporters on Saturday and it was good to see them get up and give it some.
I enjoyed that music last season and with 31,000 people at it, that will be magic.
I'm looking forward to working with the players in Scotland this week. I have changed the flight home for immediately after the game against Kilmarnock on Saturday evening rather than staying overnight in Glasgow on a Saturday night.
Strict curfews will be in order and no-one will be allowed to leave the hotel without my permission and everything we do will be together right from the very start.
It will be laid out in no uncertain terms the conduct that is required and there will be a zero tolerance attitude to any misdemeanour.
Lastly, I must share with you one little story.
On Friday morning there was a hitch in the DJ Campbell deal. It was not major but it had to be clarified by Birmingham manager Steve Bruce.
I immediately rang him in Germany but they were undertaking their pre-season training, I could actually hear the players in the background on the pitch.
Mr Bruce never answered his phone, it was somebody else and I asked if I could speak to the manager Mr Steve Bruce please?
The man said that he was training at the moment and I replied in my Scottish accent that it was Sir Alex Ferguson on the phone. The gentleman in question replied: "I'll just get him".
Mr Bruce came to the phone and said "Good Morning Alex" and I replied with "Good Morning Steve, it's Martin Allen".
He laughed and laughed and laughed; he called me a few names, I got the answer out of him that I wanted and we got the deal completed.
Take Care
Martin
I am on the motorway, on my way to Stansted Airport to get our flight up to Scotland ready for the next week of preparation and there are a few things you need to know.
Rab Douglas has been called up to help me with the coaching and training of our goalkeepers as Mike Stowell won't be on the trip as he has a family situation to deal with.
Of course at these times, the family is more important than any job and therefore Mike has been given time off and will return when he is ready. But he won't be coming to Scotland.
We picked up no injuries at the weekend apart from minor knocks and the lad I had on trial who went on for the last couple of minutes will not be offered a contract.
However, the statement he made to me and the players before kick-off in the dressing room will be going up on the wall, framed and in the dressing room.
He said that there are only two certain things in life and they are being born a Leicester City supporter and dying a Leicester City supporter. The players, the staff and myself gave Lee Smith a big round of applause.
He won that prize and a day out behind the scenes at a supporters' event I attended last week and his eyes nearly popped out of his head when with four minutes to go on Saturday I asked him if he wanted to go on to the pitch to play. It was magic.
The game against Notts County went okay but there are a lot of things that need to be improved.
It was a good atmosphere and it was a good experience for me personally to get to know the workings behind the scenes at the Walkers Stadium.
A lot of people behind the scenes worked extremely hard and long hours getting ready for the weekend.
There have been a lot of changes and a lot of "different" things happen and I suppose it's always difficult when people's routines are changed. But you can either sulk and moan or march on in a positive fashion and adapt to the changes that are taking place.
There is no room for the negatives because the changes are going to happen anyway.
The attention to detail of all the staff and the way my family were looked after, to be honest with you we are all pinching ourselves as to just how lucky we are to be involved.
I have changed the goal celebration music and I watched with interest the supporters on Saturday and it was good to see them get up and give it some.
I enjoyed that music last season and with 31,000 people at it, that will be magic.
I'm looking forward to working with the players in Scotland this week. I have changed the flight home for immediately after the game against Kilmarnock on Saturday evening rather than staying overnight in Glasgow on a Saturday night.
Strict curfews will be in order and no-one will be allowed to leave the hotel without my permission and everything we do will be together right from the very start.
It will be laid out in no uncertain terms the conduct that is required and there will be a zero tolerance attitude to any misdemeanour.
Lastly, I must share with you one little story.
On Friday morning there was a hitch in the DJ Campbell deal. It was not major but it had to be clarified by Birmingham manager Steve Bruce.
I immediately rang him in Germany but they were undertaking their pre-season training, I could actually hear the players in the background on the pitch.
Mr Bruce never answered his phone, it was somebody else and I asked if I could speak to the manager Mr Steve Bruce please?
The man said that he was training at the moment and I replied in my Scottish accent that it was Sir Alex Ferguson on the phone. The gentleman in question replied: "I'll just get him".
Mr Bruce came to the phone and said "Good Morning Alex" and I replied with "Good Morning Steve, it's Martin Allen".
He laughed and laughed and laughed; he called me a few names, I got the answer out of him that I wanted and we got the deal completed.
Take Care
Martin
for the record (hee hee) my nephew loved the music bit he was clapping away laughing at filbert fox dancing 
:icon_bigg good choice!
