Newstalk ZB
Ten years after delivering a sporting miracle, Leicester City have been relegated to League One – a consequence of some catastrophic mismanagement, negligence and ruinous decision-making. Leicester’s third relegation in four seasons was confirmed on Wednesday (NZT) after their 2-2 draw at home with Hull City – and it is completely self-inflicted. It has been argued in some quarters that the drop into the third tier is simply the cycle of football. There is also a claim that while Leicester’s amazing Premier League title win will never be repeated, the lows which have followed are inevitable for a club of their size. That is absolute rubbish. Leicester had their shot at glory and blew it. From a position of strength, where many other clubs envied them, they have inexplicably tossed it away. Supporters’ moods range from anger to apathy. Many of them detest the players. They certainly detest the club. Leicester’s owner Aiyawatt “Top” Srivaddhanaprabha has good intentions, but he has presided over a complete calamity. An era of errors from top to bottom. He has placed too much faith in senior figures, such as chief football officer Jon Rudkin, who is a constant target for fans. It is understood that Rudkin does not even feel safe nowadays walking around the city where he was born. The six-point deduction for breaching financial rules, which was imposed in February, was another hammer blow that increased scrutiny on King Power’s running of the club. Rowing with supporters Though Leicester have put together a new football structure in recent weeks, it is too late. Quite simply, they have made too many mistakes and then continued to repeat them. How can any professional football club have 11 players out of contract going into the summer? This was an issue when Leicester were relegated from the Premier League in the 2022-23 season, when too many players were in the dark over their futures. We can talk all day about professional pride, but are those players really going to be focused on the task? This is not a free pass for those players. Most managers in the Championship will point to the fact that Leicester’s squad should not be in this position. Leicester City player Harry Winks appears to row with fans after the side lost 1-0 to Portsmouth. Those players will rail against the accusation, but most fans insist they simply do not care. The image of Harry Winks rowing with supporters as he boarded the bus after a crucial 1-0 defeat at Portsmouth last weekend perfectly captures the disconnect. The midfielder has fallen out with three of the past four managers but is still affectionately referred to as “Winksy” on official Leicester social media. The famous spirit from that title-winning season has disintegrated. The $230 million training ground is outstanding but appears to have robbed the Foxes of their underdog spirit. It includes luxurious hotel rooms, a swimming pool and a nine-hole golf course. If you added rapids and a slide, it would be more appropriate. Gary Rowett was appointed as interim manager in February and will have expected to do far better. He has solidified a leaky defence and drawn seven of his 11 matches, but won only one. Yet even before the game against Hull, the statistics from the previous five matches painted a sobering picture: 99 shots (33 on target) and only three goals. Expected goals over the five matches were around nine but the problem is that Leicester fans were not expecting any. Poor fortune has also affected them. Centre back Ben Nelson was ruled out for the season after injuring his thigh in a warm-down exercise following the 1-1 draw at Sheffield Wednesday. Another defender, Caleb Okoli, sustained a hamstring injury in an innocuous training incident. Huge salaries will be slashed The inquest into this season should be extensive but fans are not expecting a root-and-branch review. Recruitment must be identified as a major failing. Leicester have spent too much on wages in the past five years...
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