Leicester City tipped to take Burnley blueprint for success
Leicester City have been given a blueprint for a quick return to the Premier League.
In the week that the countdown to the season gathers pace, football academic John Williams has suggested that City follow the Burnley route to success.
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Nigel Pearson and Milan Mandaric
The Blue Army will know the scale of the task facing their heroes when the fixtures for the Championship campaign are published on Wednesday.
Williams, a sports sociologist at Leicester University who has carried out years of research into football and its fans, believes City can take inspiration from Burnley's promotion to the Premier League last season.
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The Lancashire club made it back into the top flight through the play-offs after a 33-year absence.
Williams said: "They can be the inspiration to City because they have got up into the really big time without spending a lot of money."
And he compared Clarets manager Owen Coyle to former City boss Martin O'Neill, who developed City into a Premier League top-10 side with two League Cup wins and a place in Europe.
"Just like in O'Neill's time at Leicester, the players at Burnley are an incredibly motivated group of players and Coyle is a good judge of players," said Williams.
But Williams thinks City will find it tough despite Milan Mandaric's pledge to back Nigel Pearson's rebuilding plans.
Williams believes City are facing strong competition to attract the quality of players needed to mount another title push after winning League One last season.
So far, Pearson has signed Bristol City goalkeeper Chris Weale and Hearts defender Robbie Neilson and made two loan players from last season, Jack Hobbs and Wayne Brown, permanent captures for the Walkers Stadium club.
Lincoln winger Dany N'Guessan says he has also struck a deal to join City.
But Williams says the arrival of Newcastle, Middlesbrough and West Brom from the Premier League puts these clubs in the driving seat in the close-season transfer merry-go-round
"Inevitably, City will be behind the likes of Newcastle, Middlesbrough and West Brom in the market for players because those three clubs have been relegated from the Premier League with parachute payments," said Williams.
"Newcastle's situation might not be that good but they have a huge fan base and £30million worth of players, which is a high value. If a couple of these teams get off to a flier, you could be looking at just one place into the Premier being up for grabs."
Williams said it is difficult to predict how much Mandaric needs to spend to push City back into the top flight. He is not ruling out City making an immediate impact but says it is more likely if will take at least two seasons to return to the top flight.
He said: "I can't put a figure on what City need to spend but, if they do really well and end up back in the Premier League, the £14.5m debt written off by Mandaric at the end of May 2008 will have been a small price to pay and will have seemed entirely worth it.
"He may have to spend a lot of money but the stakes are very high.
"I think the City fans understand that the club may need one or two seasons to establish itself in the Championship.
"But, after that period, the fans will be expecting a challenge and Mandaric will have to accept that expectation.
"And I'm sure Nigel Pearson won't be expecting to still be at the club in three years if they are not established in the Premier League."
Williams also said that, if the Walkers Stadium is staging top-flight football in the next three years, it would enhance City's chances of staging World Cup matches if England's bid for the 2018 competition is successful.
"The team making the bid will be looking for suitable grounds a good while before they submit their application and Leicester will need to be in the Premier League to be in with a shout," he added.
Comments
by Paul, Burnley
Tuesday, June 16 2009, 1:05PM
“We don't have a template, there isn't one, city will have little to fear in the championship if they can keep the focus and determination from last season. It's not about sqad size (ours was pathetic) or gates (ditto) or a rich benefactor. It's about a manager harnessing the potential and developing a tight squad that want to win - Bristol shocked a few with less, city will aim for top 6 and make it IF they avoid daft signings that disrupt the squad and keep their manager.
All we proved is that it's not about money. The championship has got gradually more open as premier leage sides implode on relegation, about 12 clubs are average to poor, it's there to take.”
by loz, loughborough
Tuesday, June 16 2009, 12:49PM
“look what Forest achieved with a smaller population than Leicester! 2 European cups, a league championship, 4 league cups, an F.A cup final and the list goes on........”
by Chig, leicester
Monday, June 15 2009, 2:16PM
“Professor Williams, may well be justifying his existance! (I presume his research was not done on as a chartitable contribution to footy but was paid for)!?”
by Carl, Leicester
Monday, June 15 2009, 1:47PM
“I agree RAV i don't think we need to follow any particular template apart from that of the manager in charge of the team at the present time. He knows what he wants and hopefully he will deliver. At the end of the day Proffessor Williams is looking at this from his own perspective and Leicester fans don't have to take his comments to heart although clearly some do.”
by Rav, Glenfield
Monday, June 15 2009, 1:31PM
“point taken carl but Burnley won the cup in 1913/14,the may have a better support ratio but why do we have to look at anyone for a blueprint, not so long ago i remember teams looking at LCFC under O'Neil as a blueprint,look what happened to us, let them enjoy it while it lasts and lets hope LCFC make the Premier at the 1st attempt and then let;s worry about it.”
by Carl, Leicester
Monday, June 15 2009, 1:17PM
“I think some of you underestimate the success of a club like Burnley. For a start they are one of the founder members of the Football league and unlike Leicester have won the League and FA Cup plus their average attendances are on a par with Leicester owing to the fact that their average attendance is one of the best in ratio to the size of the town. Burnley has a population of 70,000 compared to Leicester which is around 300,000.”
by Alex, Leicester
Monday, June 15 2009, 1:08PM
“I think Wolves are the perfect template to follow, not Burnley.”
by Chig, leicester
Monday, June 15 2009, 12:29PM
“I hope Pearson and Mandaric dont use Burnley as a "template" for success. We are a bigger club, with larger home gates (even in league one), and we're not an outback town in the northern reaches of Lancashire!”
by Steve, LEICESTER
Monday, June 15 2009, 11:41AM
“Are we ever gonna sign any strikers or attacking midfielders again? Everyday I come on here expecting to see a signing or two, and everyday all I see is people doing down our chances. Yes, next season will be hard, but not impossible... Lets see some more positivity from the LM's reporting.”
by Richard Hart, Dorset
Monday, June 15 2009, 11:03AM
“This is a nonsense story - wake up Mercury and dont insult the fans”