Foxes jumping back?

It was not so long ago that we have watched long-term, stabile Premier League outfit, Leicester City, suffer and humiliate themselves fighting to survive in Coca Cola Championship. At the end of last season, after a number of investments by chairman Milan Mandaric, instead of the announced return to Premiership, the worst thing has happened: thanks to a defeat and an unlucky streak of circumstances, Foxes were relegated in the third league (League One) in the last round for the first time in their history.

Since Martin O’Neill ‘s time, and double Carling Cup champions title, hasn’t been so long, namely less than ten years. There has been some UEFA Cup playing, and four consecutive top-ten Premiership rankings among other things.

After the club’s greatest embarrassment in history, Mandaric had react quickly and change the coach. He was good at that, since, in only a year time, Foxes saw such names like Nigel Worthington, Martin Allen, Gary Megson and Ian Holloway sitting on the bench. That is why Mandaric’s decision to bring Nigel Pearson to the helm, the man who had an extremely unsuccessful spell with Southampton over the last season in the Championship, seemed at least surprising at the time. There were many players with Premier league experience contracted at the time and it was a big question who would stay and who would leave.

Still, Mandaric and Pearson, had pulled up their sleeves, grabbed the problem by the neck, reckoning that there is no such problem as one that could not be solved. Slowly but thoroughly, they swept up their squad, getting rid of the players that they knew wouldn’t be motivated to give their best against teams like Cheltenham or Hereford. On the other hand, several really excellent players decidecd to stay in: midfielder Matt Oakley and the experienced striker Steve Howard (both came in January 2008 from at the time Premiership outfit Derby and ambitious local rival second-tier Leicester City). They were both key-players at Derby on their way toward the Premier League 2006/2007.with Premiership experienced in their boots, they started plowing third tier’s turfs. Also, the greatest talent, young striker, Matty Fryatt, who shook a number of nets in Championship, decided to stay in. he didn’t stop bagging this season also, reaching the tally of 27 goals. Along with the skipper, Stephen Clemence, and veteran Bruno N’Ghotty (both brought by Mandaric from Birmingham City in January 2008) this became a respectable squad set for the express return to Championship.

Along with young midfielder, Andy King, two newbies also found their place in the team: Lloyd Dyer, MK Dons winger, and the defender, Michael Morrison, from Cambridge United. Just to make things right, two more veterans came in the club: Paul Dickov our old friend from Blackburn, who use to shake nets in Premier League, and defender Wayne Brown from Hull, old chap who has Tigers promotion campaign efforts on his back, but who was still unwanted in his team… and to remember, N’Ghotty and Clemence haven’t played most of the games this season having their injuries troubling them. The same thing goes to another excellent defender, Patrick Kisnorb, who used to be the Foxes’ main defense pillar in their Championship era.

What is the result of this weird player-combo? Take a look at the League One standings. Leicester City is with 12 point-advantage over their closest followers, MK Dons with whom they’ve drawn in the last round (2-2). The foxes are on the right path to secure the great return to Coca Cola Championship and then…just remember what Mandaric did with Portsmouth when he had took the helm and until he sold it to the Russian Alexandr Gaidamak. Once minnows fighting for survival in the Championship and now a stabile, respectable top-flight member playing in Europe. It is not so long way to go…

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