Eeeekk!!

Do you know when you are not worrying about something?

And then someone tells you not to worry?

So you start worrying about it.

There was I happily enjoying our 12 point lead

Then Mandaric (or Mandarin as I called him in a Freudian slip earlier) comes out and says Nigel Pearson is not leaving.

Despite Premiership interest in him.

Eeeekk!!

Blues Go Green

They are no turkeys those Turks that's for sure!

What a match. Drama, madness, heartbreak and delight. It had it all. I was just waiting for the man-eating tiger to bound on the pitch and carry the referee off in his mouth. The way things went even that would not have been too far fetched.

This is obviously my first major tournament since becoming a football fan so I don't have anything to compare it with. I'm not surprised to hear people say it is one of the best ever though. I haven't seen a single match that I would describe as completely dire and most I have seen have had either great attaching football and/or some fantastic defending that was in itself a delight to watch.

Closer to home, the fixture list for next season was released today. I've downloaded the Leicester City fixtures along with a picture of the Walkers Stadium onto my computer where it is now my desktop wallpaper. First match is at home to the MK Dons. Possibly without a manager at the rate we are going.

I have to say I feel very depressed about the names rumoured to be in the frame - Grayson, Lambert - all people who have been out of work for ages. Talk about having to settle for someone else's castoffs.

The most generous thing you can say about the situation is that The Foxes are doing their bit for recycling - even if it is just 'has been' managers.

And blues go green has a ring about it does it not?

The Clock Is Ticking

Well well!

I have to say that despite wavering a bit earlier in the week, I am now engaged completely again in Euro 2008. A great match between Italy and Romania yesterday, followed by the absolutely compelling game between Holland and France, including some absolutely amazing goals, especially the third Dutch goal?It will be very interesting to see what happens when Holland play Romania now they are guaranteed to go through to the quarter finals. I assume they will put out a reserve team, which means that there is a chance Romania could steal it. Now that would put the cat amongst the pigeons!

As for today's matches, having missed Spain earlier in the week I was disappointed with their performance tonight, even though they won. They will certainly need to raise their game if they are going to progress in this tournament. I'm not watching the Russia/Greece match though because

1. I'm posting
2. We have a friend round for the evening
3. My lover is cooking a delicious curry which will be sliding down my throat with a nice cool lager within the next half hour
4. I just can't get excited about either team

And amidst all that, the turbulent waters at Leicester City seem to be continuing. Paul Ince doesn't want to know and the only recently appointed CEO has already moved on.

Mandy must really be feeling the pressure now. Next season is already fast approaching - the fixture list is out on Monday. He needs to keep the fans onside to try to keep attendence up at the Walkers. Most of all though, he needs to find a manager who is half way decent but is willing to take a risk with someone who has such a trigger happy reputation.

Tick, tock, tick, tock..........................................................

For Goodness Sake France Just Score A Goal

I saw Mr Capello today.

Not in person you understand. On the TV. He was being interviewed (half time entertainment in the Romania/France match). I have to say his command of English was impressive and he was quite charming.

As for the football. Well I'm supposed to be supporting France. But I didn't fall in love with them tonight I have to say. Not that the Romanians made it easy. Weren't they great defensively?

Makes for rather boring football though. One of the commentators said as they came back on the pitch after the half time break "I feel like saying 'For goodness sake France, just score a goal'". I had the very same thought.

Oh and by the way - don't worry that all this continental excitement has made me forget the real football story of the moment.

Come on Mandy - he must be back of his holiday by now.

Things Are Not Always What They Seem

I feel as if I have been in freefall a bit over the last few days.

The shock of our relegation. The wondering what will happen short term and long term. The lack of any sense of where my team fits in the universe (apart from the obvious of course).

Today we had our first bit of news which will start to build a new pathway to the future. Milan Mandaric has pledged to stay with us.

Although I hope he doesn't mean anything too literal when he says;

"We have see what was done right and wrong, correct it quickly and immediately and go forward to win games and show Leicester City in a new colour."

Blue works well for us Mandy. We'd just like to win please.

I would also like to thank all of you who support other teams who have left kind comments on this blog. My lover says only football supporters can understand what a time such as this feels like and he is right.

Of course Leicester's problems are all very public at the moment (particularly so at a staff meeting at work today when under 'Any Other Business' the HR Officer offered her condolences for the plight of Leicester!). And it is easy to look at other apparently almost unassailable teams who seem to have it all and think we are the only ones with troubles.

As with most things in life, however, things are rarely what they seem. Look at Liverpool for example. Plus this fellow blogger has good evidence that The ManUre are in financial trouble. And it's hard to imagine there won't be tears at Manchester City before too long.

So maybe those people who have said encouraging things over the last few days are right. Things aren't as bad as they seem.

Onwards and upwards then.

Leicester 'til I die!

Rubbing Salt In The Wounds

I was sad to learn today of Frank Lampard's loss.

I was pleased to learn that Mandaric has declared he has no intention of leaving Leicester City.

I was shocked to think that the perfect Ronaldo could possibly miss a penalty.

But I was completely gobsmacked by one piece of news.

For I have learned that the man many hold responsible for the England team failing to qualify for Europe this summer will be, at the licence payers' expense, offering his 'expertise' to BBC Radio during the tournament.

I'm sure I won't be the only one boycotting BBC Radio and their new pundit, Mr Steve McLaren during that period as a point of principle.

Shiver Me Timbers

Phew!

We needed that.

A bit of a scrappy goal but we will take that thank you Mr Hume.

My lover is not feeling so relieved. His Royals lost 2 - 0 to The Arse.

And he's been poorly. Had the aches and the shivers.

Bless him!

Not full blown man flu (to be fair he was very stoic), but bad enough to make him somewhat subdued.

Anyway he is pretty much back on form this evening and cooked a great meal for us and friends.

I have to confess to still feeling a bit feverish about my beloved Foxes and their current predicament. Hearing MM talking on the radio this morning was a good analgesic though. He always sounds so reassuring. He sounded sad too so I am sure he is suffering with the rest of us, not simply concerned about the financial implications.

Come on boys. Shiver our timbers.

Right Backs Need Not Apply

Hey - guess what!

The FA have approached Mourinho about the possibility of becoming the England manager! He is on the shortlist!

I knew there was a reason he did not come to Leicester. He was destined for something else.

Meantime, Ian Holloway, the man who eventually did arrive to manage The Foxes, is starting to win the support and respect of the fans. Not that he came to a hostile reception but looking at the forum discussion when he was appointed there was certainly a sense of "we will wait and see".

Olly has quite a good media profile as we know and he is using this to excellent effect to communicate with the fans and wider football world. In a great article in the Guardian today he bemoans the current profile of the team:

"Everyone is a right-back. I'm going to change our name to Right-Back United.".

He also discloses that he wishes he was Scottish like Alex Ferguson, as being an "ooh-aah person", as he calls it, gives him less gravitas. Mind you I was a little confused about some of his logic:

"I wish I was related to William Wallace because did that bloke deal with some injustice. Would you like your wife to be taken off and shafted by an English laird on her wedding night?"

I think the answer is probably 'no' to that one Olly.

Anyway, there is building excitement in The Foxes' camp as we approach the January transfer window. Mr Holloway will have his first opportunity to spend Mr Mandaric's money. Although it sounds as if his message to potential signings will be "Right Backs need not apply".

I've Got A Little List

Life is full of lists. Isn't it?

Cristiano Renaldo is on the 'list' for the world player of the year award, along with Kaka and Lionel Messi.

Poor Harry Redknapp, our own MM and co. are of course on a list they would rather not be on.

Knowing that my readers will be of an intellectual bent, (well obviously because you appreciate this blog!), I'm sure you will have spotted the reference in the title to the Gilbert and Sullivan song of the same name.

What's great about the G&S list is that it is a list of people who won't be missed.

So what football personalities might find themselves on such a list?

Morhino? - No he is definitely missed. By many.
Mandaric? - No, I believe he would be missed.
Megson? - Who?
Fryatt? - Well he will definitely be missing, for the next match at least having lost his appeal against a red card.

I'm sure you will have 'lists' of your own.

Me - I'm off to write my Christmas list. Don't want my lover being lost for ideas do I?

I Smell A Rat

So - what to make of it all then.

A major disaster or a storm in a teacup?

The start of major financial difficulties and other troubles for LCFC, or a damp squib that will all be forgotten in a week.

It is hard to know what to make of these arrests.

There are some things that make you think there must be considerable substance to the allegations, including:

• The police are unlikely to make such high profile arrests without good evidence (aren't they?)
• Rumours about corruption in the game are widespread, suggesting this might be the first in a number of similar operations
• The chances of there not being corruption in the game given the high financial stakes seem low

On the other hand, there are some puzzling elements, including:

• Milan presents as a man with integrity (although I recognise I am partisan)
• Harry Redknapp's account of the subject of the questioning is that they are witnesses rather than suspects

And there are some ratty smells about too. For example, what a coincidence that just when Harry Redknapp is well in the frame for the England manager's job, he is arrested. And what an even bigger coincidence that there were a load of tabloid photographers there when the police raided Harry Redknapp's house.

In the world of football speculation is what they do. They'll make this story last - eke it out - as long as they can. If they are guilty then they must follow the course of justice. If innocent they will suffer the damage of tarnish, not to mention the distress.

I'm going to sit and wait and see.

May You Live In Interesting Times

When I originally selected LCFC as my team to support, my lover said "You have picked an interesting team at an interesting time in their history"

How prophetic his words were.

It has been a non-stop roller coaster since the moment I made my choice. The passion of the new owner. The drama with the various managers. The variability of performance ranging from the extremely dire to flashes of complete brilliance (a la Chelsea match for example).

Nothing has quite prepared me for tonight's news that MILAN MANDARIC HAS BEEN ARRESTED however.

It is still breaking news even though the arrests were made in dawn raids this morning. Five men have been arrested in total, including Harry Redknapp. They have all been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud and false accounting. The allegations relate to the period Mandaric was at Portsmouth.

It is important to remember that at this stage these are arrests. I am not yet aware of anyone being charged. It would therefore be inappropriate for me to comment further on the specifics.

It does make you realise how close the world of football potentially is to the world of crime though. Rumours have been rife for a long time about corruption in the game, leading to the Stephens Enquiry which reported earlier this year of course. Then there were the recent arrests at Luton. Now this.

Brings a whole new meaning to the phrase " May you live in interesting times".

Better Late Than Never

Sorry I haven't posted for a while. Combination of being very busy and feeling a bit mopey and 'can't be bothered'.

I know, I should be ashamed of myself.

It's not as if I have been short of material. For example, if I had posted on Wednesday, I would have talked about the press coverage on Wayne Rooney. He is apparently studying for GCSEs in Maths and English as well as learning to play the guitar. At one level you might argue that the report in The Sun is simply meant to be tongue in cheek. Personally I thought it rather cruel. Fair play to him I say. Go for it boy!

If I had posted yesterday, my story would have been about the Luton Bung Scandal. A whole load of Luton staff have been charged with breaches of financial rules. And guess who blew the whistle? Yes the man himself. Georgina's Best's hot tip to be the next Leicester manger - Mike Newell.

Today of course all the buzz is about the internationals. Scotland are due to play Italy tomorrow in Glasgow, having performed significantly above expectations so far in the Euro 2008 competition . The fate of England, however, still lies in the balance tonight after they beat Austria 1 0. A variety of convoluted alternatives could result in England qualifying by the skin of their teeth or being knocked out of the competition - a performance significantly below expectations.

Meantime The Foxes are having a little rest this weekend. Their next match is against Bristol City on 24th November. By that time Mandaric is hoping to have a new manager in place.

That makes two of us Mandy.

Ginger Mourinho

The Blue Army is gearing up.

On 31st October we play Chelsea in the Football League Cup. 6,500 tickets have been sold to LCFC fans, with over 2000 going on the 39 official coaches.

And in an amazing coincidence, Gary Megson has recently been dubbed Ginger Mourinho by Foxes fans. Not that I am convinced the Chelsea fans will be fooled of course. I mean our fox-coloured version could not in all honesty be mistaken for a twin, tragically separated at birth from The Special One.

I do hope, though, that Megson has built a better relationship with Milan than poor Jose and Abramovich.

An Axe To Grind

It's not often I post twice in one day but ... blimey... Milan's only gone and sacked Martin Allen!.

The official story of course is that the parting is mutual but no-one believes it. What is not clear is what the real reasons are.

There have been rumours of a rift emerging between the two men recently and speculation that Allen was going to be sacked. Given how many rumours float around the world of football though no-one seems to have paid much heed. At least not judging by the comments on the message boards.

There are a few dissenting voices but in the main there is overwhelming shock, surprise and anger from the Foxes fans about Milan's decision. Some are talking about boycotting the match against Plymouth on Saturday. Others of showing their fury with Mandaric who they feel has ignored the wishes of the fans.

I have to say I do feel very disappointed myself. I have had real faith to date in MM so I really hope this is about what is best for the club, not his ego.

Anyway, you'll be pleased to know I will be in a prime position to report on what happens at the match. My tickets are on their way.

See you on Saturday if you are going. I'll be the one in the LCFC shirt.