Politics and Rumours at Belvoir Drive
If rumours are to be believed, the air at Belvoir Drive hangs thick with politics and intrigue.
Pearson's authority is being tested more than at any time in this, his second reign, as players who were once feted as key ingredients of Sven's bright new dawn are gathering dust in the reserves and being made to train with the kids. Most ominously, Pearson is having to deny rumours that he is fearing the sack (http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19747208 ) which is the clearest sign yet that he feels Aiywatt is sharpening the metaphorical axe and preparing a very non-metaphorical P45. Some fans are baying for his blood, some posters on FoxesTalk and Twitter are calling for his head, and some players on Twitter are coming perilously close to showing very public dissent. The crown is slipping from the King's head.
If similar stories were coming out of Whitehall, political commentators would think Christmas had come early and would have more column inches than could fit in their pages. And with all that's gone on this week, it wouldn't have surprised me to read Pearson had done an Eric Joyce (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2105180/Eric-Joyce-Labour-MP-arrested-bar-brawl-inside-House-Commons.html ) and started throwing uppercuts in Belvoir Drive's canteen, after moaning the place was full of "f*cking Svennies".
To crown it all, at the very end of the working week, Beckford ended his own little mini-saga by going up the M1 to Huddersfield.
At the end of such a week, getting rid of Beckford was Pearson as the embodiment of the "High Risk Army". Pearson will know well enough that Beckford's absence is a potential stick to beat him with, should we struggle in the coming weeks. Whatever the fans think of Beckford (and the other player(s) who have apparently fallen out of favour with Big Nige), it is easy to see Jermaine's departure at Pearson's hands as the act of man whose frantic to cling on to his fading authority, and who has been labelled as arrogant and unlikeable by some sections of the Foxes faithful.
And yet, with each win and after the win today at 'Boro, the third on the bounce, it is easier to see Pearson as a manager who simply knows what he wants, who knows what the Club should look like and who will not abide those who don't fit in with that view.
There is another manager who is often accused of arrogance. There is another manager who has exiled several big names from his kingdom, either after an open falling out (as appears to be the case with Matt Mills, Jermaine Beckford and others) or simply because the player no longer fitted into his plans (as appears to be the case with Sol Bamba, Max Gradel and others) and been derided for doing so.
Jaap Stam, Roy Keane, David Beckham, Paul Ince, Ruud Van Nistlerooy. All players who Sir Alex Ferguson has deemed surplus to requirements at Carrington, amid rumours of many fierce arguments, at least one boot flying around the dressing room and more hair dryers than a BaByliss factory.
And yet, we all know what Sir Alex Ferguson has achieved at Old Trafford. His authority is unquestionable and his actions are (almost totally) unquestionable. There was speculation at the start of the season that Wayne Rooney was the next big name for the chopping block, and the reaction amongst fans was almost indifference. If Fergie gets rid of a big name player, there are question marks over the player's career; there are no question marks over Fergie's managerial ability. Fergie Knows Best, is the mantra.
On Tuesday, Richie de Laet explicitly compared Big Nige to SAF, noting "There is something that is similar" between the two (http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/Nigel-Pearson-just-like-Alex-Ferguson-says/story-16975261-detail/story.html).
Such comments are easily mocked, as de Laet sucks up to the man in charge. The equivalent of Gareth massaging David Brent's shoulders, Richie massages the boss's (seemingly fragile) ego.
And yet, to compare Big Nige and SAF's managerial style is not to say they are of similar ability, or to say that Big Nige is the next SAF. The differences between the two managers are easy to see and hardly need recounting. They sit in the trophy room at Old Trafford (12 x Premier League titles, 5 x FA Cups, 4 x League Cups and 2 x Champions League titles).
All that can be said is that Pearson is stamping his authority on the Club. No player can be bigger than the manager, nor bigger than Leicester City FC. Pearson is well aware that his authority has to be total and he alone must decide who is worthy of pulling on the royal blue shirt.
That is admirable. He will not duck the hard decisions. He will put his neck on the line, and he knows it. Love him or loathe him, it is better that the manager runs the dressing room, rather than loses it; it is better that the manager is dictator of the dressing room, rather than is dictated by it.
Before today, Pearson was under immense pressure. That pressure will hardly alleviate.
But he should not be derided as arrogant when he gets rid of highly paid players who are deemed surplus to requirements. That is his job.
“The minute a footballer becomes more important than the manager, your club is dead – the history of this club goes down the drain. I am the most important man at Manchester United." said Fergie, "It has to be that way."
And yet, with each win and after the win today at 'Boro, the third on the bounce, it is easier to see Pearson as a manager who simply knows what he wants, who knows what the Club should look like and who will not abide those who don't fit in with that view.
There is another manager who is often accused of arrogance. There is another manager who has exiled several big names from his kingdom, either after an open falling out (as appears to be the case with Matt Mills, Jermaine Beckford and others) or simply because the player no longer fitted into his plans (as appears to be the case with Sol Bamba, Max Gradel and others) and been derided for doing so.
Jaap Stam, Roy Keane, David Beckham, Paul Ince, Ruud Van Nistlerooy. All players who Sir Alex Ferguson has deemed surplus to requirements at Carrington, amid rumours of many fierce arguments, at least one boot flying around the dressing room and more hair dryers than a BaByliss factory.
And yet, we all know what Sir Alex Ferguson has achieved at Old Trafford. His authority is unquestionable and his actions are (almost totally) unquestionable. There was speculation at the start of the season that Wayne Rooney was the next big name for the chopping block, and the reaction amongst fans was almost indifference. If Fergie gets rid of a big name player, there are question marks over the player's career; there are no question marks over Fergie's managerial ability. Fergie Knows Best, is the mantra.
On Tuesday, Richie de Laet explicitly compared Big Nige to SAF, noting "There is something that is similar" between the two (http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/Nigel-Pearson-just-like-Alex-Ferguson-says/story-16975261-detail/story.html).
Such comments are easily mocked, as de Laet sucks up to the man in charge. The equivalent of Gareth massaging David Brent's shoulders, Richie massages the boss's (seemingly fragile) ego.
And yet, to compare Big Nige and SAF's managerial style is not to say they are of similar ability, or to say that Big Nige is the next SAF. The differences between the two managers are easy to see and hardly need recounting. They sit in the trophy room at Old Trafford (12 x Premier League titles, 5 x FA Cups, 4 x League Cups and 2 x Champions League titles).
All that can be said is that Pearson is stamping his authority on the Club. No player can be bigger than the manager, nor bigger than Leicester City FC. Pearson is well aware that his authority has to be total and he alone must decide who is worthy of pulling on the royal blue shirt.
That is admirable. He will not duck the hard decisions. He will put his neck on the line, and he knows it. Love him or loathe him, it is better that the manager runs the dressing room, rather than loses it; it is better that the manager is dictator of the dressing room, rather than is dictated by it.
Before today, Pearson was under immense pressure. That pressure will hardly alleviate.
But he should not be derided as arrogant when he gets rid of highly paid players who are deemed surplus to requirements. That is his job.
“The minute a footballer becomes more important than the manager, your club is dead – the history of this club goes down the drain. I am the most important man at Manchester United." said Fergie, "It has to be that way."
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