With this in mind, there are two logical successors for the hot-spot: Martin O’Neill and Billy Davies. If the club really wanted to tempt O’Neill, a man of great integrity and ambition, they should offer him a contract until the end of the season. If they go up, great; Leicester are in the Premier League, and O’Neill has shown that he is still a manager of great talent.
Likewise, he then has the option to either go onto a better job or stay at Leicester and have a crack in the Premier League. Equally, if the club doesn’t go up they can shake hands, express disappointment that it didn’t work and go their seperate ways. The rewards far outweighs the risk. Eriksson himself was only on a two year contract, so the pay-out will be nowhere near as big as expected.
Billy Davies, the scamp of man, is a proven Championship performer (to a point), and has got all of his Championship teams to the play-offs at some point. At Leicester, he would not have the financial constraints he so bitterly fought against at Forest, although he would have to cool his tongue no doubt. Still, he would instill some much needed fight and fire into the team, which could be enough in itself. Considering his poor record once in the play-offs, however, and his team’s knack of bottling it, he may need to be sacked before the semi-finals commence.
Mark Hughes is not a bad shout, and quite realistic; high-profile, and in desperate need of a job to improve his reputation again. Alan Curbishley falls into this bracket. In another year, Chris Powell might have been on the list too; an ex-player and coach, popular and well-liked by the players and fans, he would have been a satisfactory choice all round, especially if his form with Charlton continued. More long-shots are Rafa Benitez or Carlo Ancellotti (very, very unlikely), although Benitez again might be tempted due to his wish to manage in England and his dwindling reputation. One thing that can be certain, however, is that it will not be a manager in current employment (although it would be hilarious to nick Simon Grayson from Leeds).
It seems every year that Leicester get back on the managerial merry-go-round, and that every year Leicester are in a ‘transitional period.’ Last year, for the future of the club, it was imperative that Paulo Sousa was sacked. This year, the imperative was less desperate but the need understandable. Would more time have made a difference? Possibly not.
It’s a shame, but there was no real evidence that Leicester as a team had learnt their lessons or were playing with anywhere near the togetherness necessary for Champtionship victory. Unfortunately, football is a results business, and the blame must be laid at the feet of the manager. The club’s reputation is in tatters; the next manager has to be the right one.
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