Milan hasn't even done the math
Milan Mandaric, the owner of Leicester City. Having taken control at the Walkers Stadium at the beginning of last year, the former Portsmouth owner admitted yesterday that turning his new club around is proving by far the hardest job he has had in football.
"The financial issue is obviously the huge problem. You have to cope with maintaining an infrastructure and facilities which, if you are in the Premiership, are required assets but once you are out of it, without the TV money and eventually the parachute payments, become a huge liability," said Mandaric.
"Money that goes on that - and it has to be spent - is money that isn't available to spend on players. But there's more to it than that. The fans here have been patient, as good as gold, but there is a sort of unwritten expectation, a pressure to make things happen, that definitely affects you, and maybe the players too. Last year, without pushing anywhere, the loss here was between £5m and £6m and this year it will be even larger, because I feel that pressure on me and I spent money.
"When you start from a lower level, as we did with Portsmouth, you can lay sound foundations. Here the foundations are sand. I'm experiencing that situation, I'm quite sure other people are experiencing it and it takes a long time to sort out. It's a lot easier, and less pressure, when you're taking the club that has a smaller profile and has a lot less expectation.
"I believe we will get there in the end but God forbid we go down. I'm not doing any calculations because I don't believe it will happen. But I wouldn't say I was sleeping very well."
