Will Pearson’s second coming take Leicester to the Premier League?

By Laurie Fitzgerald

After several days of negotiating a compensation deal, Nigel Pearson has been appointed Leicester City manager for a second time in 18 months.

He leaves Hull City after just over a season in charge at the KC stadium, and goes back to a club in a very different financial situation to the one he left last summer.

One of the main reasons that Pearson left Leicester was due to the limited financial budget he had in place, meaning it was difficult to take the club forward with little room to strengthen the squad.

The 48 year-old did a brilliant job at the then-Walkers stadium, having got the club out of League One and then in their first season back in the Championship guiding the Foxes to the play-offs.

Now there is a new stadium name and a new financial climate to work under for Pearson, as the former Sheffield Wednesday and Middlesbrough defender has a squad at his disposal that on paper is one of the strongest in the division.

With the likes of Matt Mills, Sean St. Ledger, Kasper Schmeichel, Paul Konchesky, Andy King and Jermaine Beckford available to him, Pearson will feel that he now has the players in place to take the club forward.

However, the main issue is creating a team out of this hugely-talented squad, and so far the failure to do this has already cost Sven Goran Eriksson his job.

Despite starting the season as promotion favourites, Leicester find themselves nine points off of West Ham United in second and a massive 14 points off of top of the table Southampton.

But while it has been a disappointing start, the main issue is finding consistency; even with the removal of their manager, there is only a three-point gap between them in 12th and those in the play-off positions.

Pearson will know it is a squad under-achieving and therefore getting the best out of them can reap serious rewards come the end of the season.

One question mark that Pearson will need to answer is can he live up to high expectations after a managerial career where he has continually impressed under clear restrictions.

When he took charge at Southampton, he managed to keep them in the Championship against the odds before working wonders in the Midlands.

Even at Hull when it seemed he would have more to work with, the club were counting the cost of relegation from the Premier League and had to strip the squad down – yet still managed a mid-table finish.

Now it seems that roles have reversed and Pearson is doing what few managers have done in going back to a club they have previously managed.

He will also have to win over Leicester fans that will have felt let down when Pearson left the club as it was viewed as a sideways move and done purely for financial reasons on a personal level.

There’s no doubt Pearson is a good manager and if he can get the best out of this squad then Foxes supporters can harbour realistic hopes of getting to the Premier League come May.

But he will need to get the squad and all the fans back on his side to ensure that his second coming to the Kingfisher stadium leads to Pearson taking the club to the next level – something he felt he could not do previously.

So what do you think? Are you pleased with the appointment of Pearson? Can he find consistency with the squad and launch a successful promotion push this season? Leave a comment and let us know your views.

Is Sven already running out of time at Leicester?

By Laurie Fitzgerald

Having gone into the new Championship season as promotion favourites, Leicester City have not had the start they desired.

The Foxes currently sit in 10th place after a mixed start that has seen just two wins from their opening six matches.

Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Barnsley was the latest frustration for Sven-Goran Eriksson‘s side, and the Swede is now having to deal with media reports that he is to be replaced by Leicester’s prodigal son Martin O’Neill.

But why such a high level of pressure on the side? Well the start has followed a summer where the club underlined their Premier League ambitions in the transfer market.

Following the complete takeover of Asia Football Investments, Chairman Vichai Raksriaksorn underlined the financial clout of the Thai group with a host of big-name signings.

Jermaine Beckford, Matt Mills, Paul Konchesky and Sean St Ledger were all brought to the King Power stadium to bolster a squad already well-positioned to push on this campaign.

So after a summer where they had been the biggest spenders of the summer and containing a manager with a wealth of experience at the top of the game, big things were being expected of Leicester.

But despite an opening day win at Coventry City, the Midlands outfit have struggled to get out of first gear since.

That first-day success was followed by back-to-back defeats at home to Reading and Bristol City, and a win over Southampton was sandwiched between two draws with Nottingham Forest and then at Oakwell at the weekend.

While the owners understandably want an immediate return on their considerable investment, more time should be given to Eriksson.

The former England manager used the money at his disposal well, and he needs longer than six games to mould the hugely talented squad into a consistent side.

When so many notable players acquired are going to form a big part of their strongest XI, it’s unfair on being given until mid-September to complete the transition.

In Beckford and David Nugent they have a potentially prolific partnership up front, while Mills and St Ledger at the heart of defence is a shrewd combination.

It’s hardly been a disastrous start, and a few wins on the spin will put them right in the mix at the top of the table with not even a quarter of the campaign gone.

Eriksson should be given until at least the New Year to see where they stand in their quest for the top-flight. Whether he will be is up to the patience of Raksriaksorn and the board.

So what do you think? Should Sven be given the time to mould this Leicester squad together? Or should the board look elsewhere in their search for automatic promotion? Leave a comment and let us know your views.

Who has been the Championship signing of the summer so far?

New Leicester signing Matt Mills could prove to be inspirational for Sven and the Foxes

By Laurie Fitzgerald

It’s less than two weeks before the start of the new Npower Championship season, and all 24 clubs have been working hard to finalise their squads in time for the new campaign.
 
The likes of West Ham, Blackpool, Reading and Cardiff are set to be among the favourites when it all kicks off on August 6th – but who has made the best signing of the summer so far?
 

Shouts from the Stands looks at the pick of the pre-season deals so far, from the big deals that look set to pay off to the bargain deals that could prove their weight in gold:
 
Kevin Nolan (West Ham United) – There has been no bigger signing in terms of stature and experience than that of Newcastle United skipper Kevin Nolan. When Sam Allardyce was appointed the new manager at Upton Park following relegation in May, there was one man he wanted to be the lynchpin in the Hammer’s push for promotion back to the Premier League.
 
When 29 year-old Nolan was not offered the five-year deal that he wanted to see out his career at St. James’ Park, Allardyce seized his opportunity. Not only does the midfielder have an excellent pedigree at this level (he was Championship player of the Year in 2009/10) but he had an excellent season back in the top-flight last year, with 11 goals to his name. His leadership and battling qualities will help make West Ham the favourites going into the opening game.
 
Matt Mills (Leicester City) – After a strong second half to the season under Sven-Goran Eriksson, there’s no doubt that the Foxes have been the big spenders this summer. The likes of Neil Danns, Sean St. Ledger and David Nugent have joined the Kingfisher’s revolution, but it’s the signing of centre-half Mills that could prove pivotal to their chances this season.
 
The Reading captain didn’t come cheap, costing Leicester a club record fee reportedly in the region of £5 million. But what they get with the 25 year-old is one of the best defenders in the Championship. His no-nonsense style of defending, along with his very good reading of the game and ever-improving leadership skills, could provide the backbone for a successful promotion push for Sven and the ambitious Midlands club.

 

Craig Mackail-Smith (Brighton & Hove Albion) – When Peterborough announced following their promotion to the Championship that their prolific striker was to be leaving London Road in May, Craig Mackail-Smith attracted the attentions of some of the top clubs in the division. So when newly-promoted Brighton secured the Scotland international’s services, it was the transfer coup of the summer.

 

It’s easy to see why the Seagulls worked so hard to beat the likes of West Ham, Leicester and Premier League newboys QPR to his signature. The 27 year-old scored 34 goals for the Posh last campaign, but it’s his staggering work-rate – he doesnt give the opposition defence a second’s rest – that shows why manager Gus Poyet wants to build a team around him as they prepare for their first season in their new stadium in Falmer.

 

Chris Iwelumo (Watford) - The summer got off to a nightmare start for Watford: the fans saw two of their best players sold in Danny Graham and Will Buckley, and then witnessed manager Malcky Mackay make the move to Championship rivals Cardiff City. But since Sean Dyche has come in to steady the ship, he may have pulled a rabbit out of the hat with the signing of experienced marksman Iwelumo.

 

The Scotland international has proven to be one of the best strikers in the Championship in recent seasons, having got goals at Colchester, Wolves and Burnley before making the switch to Vicarage Road. At the age of 32, Iwelumo may not prove to be a long-term answer, but he can be the talisman to push Watford on from a promising campaign last time around.

 

Michael Chopra (Ipswich) – There has been interest for quite some time from the Tractor Boys in Cardiff striker Chopra, but this summer they’ve finally got their man, and with it a forward with a proven track record at this level approaching the peak of his career.

 

The 27 year-old has scored 41 goals in the last three seasons with the Bluebirds, and has a knack for being in the right place at the right time. With Nathan Ellington also linking up with his former manager Paul Jewell, Ipswich may have potentially stumbled upon one of the best strikeforces in the league as they look to make further strides under the former Wigan boss.

 

So what do you think? Who has been the best signing of the summer so far in the Championship? Is there another signing that you feel deserves more recognition going into the new campaign? Let us know your thoughts. 

Championship shaping up to be most exciting yet

West Ham's signing of Kevin Nolan demonstrates the strength of the Championship this season

By Laurie Fitzgerald

With the furore over big-money signings and Premier League transfer sagas dominating proceedings in this post-season, it’s easy to overlook some of the big headlines from the Npower Championship.

But make no mistake about it; the second tier of English football is shaping up to be the biggest and most intriguing season at this level for a long time.

Just taking a look at some of the managerial names underlines just what a strong and competitive league it will surely prove to be in the coming months.

The likes of Steve McLaren, Sam Allardyce, Sven Goran Eriksson and Iain Holloway are among some of the bosses that will pit their tactical brains against one another in their goal to reach the Premier League.

As with every pre-season, many eyes are on those that have dropped down from the top flight, and this year is no different with West Ham United,BirminghamCity and Blackpool aiming to bounce back from relegation in May.

The Hammers have gone about their rebuilding by bringing in the astute Allardyce, while also capturing the Championship signing of the summer in Newcastle United captain Kevin Nolan on a five-year deal.

Birmingham on the other hand have had a traumatic post-season so far, with their manager defecting to their rivals Aston Villa and a host of first-team players moving on, such as Roger Johnson, Craig Gardner, Martin Jiranek, Lee Bowyer and Seb Larsson. Oh, and their owner was arrested on charges of fraud.

The good news for the Blues is that they have given Chris Hughton a much deserved chance back in football management.

Talking of management, Blackpool seemed to have succeeded in retaining their services of Holloway after such an impressive effort in their crack at the biggest league in the world.

However, they have lost the services of their two hugely influential midfielders in Charlie Adam and David Vaughan, who in Liverpool and Sunderland respectively have found the clubs to remain at the highest level of English football.

But it’s not just the relegated trio making headlines with their arrivals and departures, as the three sides coming into the Championship at the other end of the spectrum making efforts to make a sustained impact.

Brighton lost their main striker to their main rivals, with Glenn Murray moving on a transfer to Crystal Palace just weeks after declaring on Twitter that he would not be joining the Eagles.

So it’s a good job that they have one of the brightest managerial prospects in the game in Gus Poyet and a fantastic backer in Tony Bloom to ensure a better replacement was found in Craig Mackail-Smith.

The signing of the Scottish international from fellow promoted side Peterborough United is the perfect kind of player to inspire a squad playing not only in a new league but also in a new stadium, the long-awaited Falmer.

Despite the loss of their 35-goal forward last campaign, Posh have so far retained the services of other key personnel in George Boyd and goalkeeper Joe Lewis.

The other promoted team has been rather quiet on the transfer front, but the one player they have acquired may prove to be this season’s Scott Sinclair.

Jack Cork has shown his burgeoning potential in various loan spells from Chelsea, but now he has made the permanent move to St. Mary’s the 22 year-old midfielder has the platform to fully flourish.

This is without mentioning the huge amount of money being spent by Sven at the Walkers – uh, I mean King Power stadium.

Leicester City have smashed their transfer record to bring in Reading captain Matt Mills, and he heads a list including Paul Konchesky, David Nugent, Neil Danns, Sean St Ledger and Kasper Schmeichel.

These big name additions have ensured the Foxes are set to go into the season as one of the favourites for promotion to the big time.

But there are so many clubs that have the potential to maintain a push for at least a play-off spot, with McLaren’sNottinghamForest, Reading, Cardiff City, Burnley andLeeds in the running.

There’s still a month to prepare for an epic several months in store, but the 24 teams contesting this year’s Championship are set for the biggest and most exciting yet.

So what do you think? Is this summers’ activities ensuring the Championship is going to be most exciting in years? What does your team need to do to improve their chances going into the season? Let us know your views.

Shouts From The Stands are newly on Twitter please follow us @SFTS1 Thank you

Is Fergie Jnr at his wits end at North End?

Job in doubt?

“I believe I’m the right man. Results don’t back me up at the moment, and as the manager I take full responsibility for our position in the table. Do I feel under pressure? I’m not happy with the situation, put it that way.”

These are the words of Preston North End manager Darren Ferguson on the club’s current predicament, and he wont be the only one unhappy with the situation.

The Scot has overseen a disastrous start to the Championship season, as the Lancashire side sit at the bottom of the table, six points adrift of fourth-from-bottom Bristol City.

Their 3-1 defeat away at league leaders QPR was their third straight defeat, leaving them with just one win in nine and just four wins from their 18 games this season.

It leaves Preston fans wondering just how much time Ferguson has left to turn things round at Deepdale – as well as if he’s run out of ideas.

The 38 year-old made a hugely impressive start to his managerial career, as he guided Peterborough United to back-to-back automatic promotions in his first two full seasons in management.

However, he is still yet to prove himself at Championship level. He was sacked by Posh chairman Darragh MacAnthony after just two wins in their opening 16 games.

Two months later he was given another chance to prove himself as a manager in the second tier of English football. When taking over from Alan Irvine in January, Ferguson guided Preston to safety, although they finished 17th, a place lower from when he took over.

The former Wrexham midfielder then set about making changes that would turn the Lilywhites into promotion hopefuls, trying to utilise the loan market to full effect.

The likes of Neil Mellor, Darren Carter and Richard Chaplow were sent out on loan, while coming in on a temporary basis were Iain Hume, Michael Tonge and Danny Pugh, as well as Fergie Senior loaning him midfielder Matty James and defender Ritchie De Laet.

But things have only got worse for Fergie Junior. Preston have shipped 38 goals in their 18 games so far, averaging more than two goals a game, despite having the likes of Sean St Ledger and Callum Davidson available.

While talents such as Adam Barton and Keith Treacy have emerged under his guidance, the form of the team itself only seems to be deteriorating, and the fans are starting to lose their patience.

The average attendance this season at Deepdale has been just over 11,000 – less than half the stadium’s allocation. But you can’t blame the fans for staying away with what they are seeing.

Ferguson has had 45 games in charge, almost the equivalent of a season in the Championship, and has just 12 wins and nine draws to his name. With games at home to Millwall and away at Cardiff coming up, Preston have to make sure they aren’t cut adrift at the foot of the table.

While Ferguson has to find out if he has what it takes at this level – and soon.

So what do you think? Does Ferguson have what it takes to turn things around at Preston? Or is it time for a new manager at Deepdale?