Nigel Pearson may be out as the manager at Leicester City. According to reports, the embattled manager was told at a meeting on Sunday afternoon that he had been sacked.
Then, Sunday night, the club confirmed he was still in charge and that “contrary to media speculation on Sunday evening, Nigel remains the first team manager. Reports to the contrary are inaccurate and without foundation.”
It’s somewhat hard to believe that trusted sources within the media would blindly report such a drastic change without being informed of the move and considering everything we have seen this season, the foundation is certainly there for Pearson to be fired.
Leicester City’s position at the bottom of the Premier League table speaks for itself as their 17 points have them four points back of clearing the relegation zone and a ridiculous 39 points back of league leaders Chelsea. Their latest defeat to Crystal Palace at home on Saturday featured Pearson getting involved with Eagles midfielder James McArthur in a bizarre incident where he seemingly grabbed a hold of him and prevented him from getting off the pitch.
It wasn’t the first time that Pearson was involved in a physical altercation either as earlier this season, The Guardian reported that his “abusive and/or insulting words towards a spectator” saw him hit with a one-match ban and a substantial fine. It would be hard to argue that the lack of discipline displayed by Pearson has had a positive influence on a team that has somewhat mirrored that with their play this season. It’s also undeniable that his behavior – and his team’s performance – represent the foundation as grounds for his dismissal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AbMB8LNgT4
With rumors swirling about what certainly must feel like an inevitable exit for Pearson, the focus has already shifted to his possible replacement and there is no shortage of candidates:
Martin O’Neill
According to a recent poll, the fan favorite to take the job is Republic of Ireland boss Martin O’Neill, who spent five successful years at the helm between 1995-2000. More than 40% of the votes went to O’Neill as the fans made it clear who they want to see leading their club for the remainder of the season.
Neil Lennon
Neil Lennon worked under O’Neill during his time at Leicester City and was a fan favorite with the club.
Tim Sherwood
Tim Sherwood also wants another chance to manage at the highest level and he might get it. His job at Tottenham left much to be desired, though, as he was sacked last May.
Kevin Keegan
Has had ample success with Newcastle in the early 90s and was even coach of England’s national team for a brief period of time, but he hasn’t achieved much recently as a manager, serving mostly as an analyst for ESPN.
Steve Walsh
He spent most of his career as a player at Leicester City, so this could be a homecoming. He previously tried to become manager in 2007 when Gary Megson vacated the position.
Tony Mowbray
The former Scott Football Writers’ Association Manager Of the Year has a track record of some success with Hibernian as well as West Bromwich Albion, winning the Football League Championship in 2008. He’s been on the sidelines since leaving Middlesbrough last season.
So where does Leicester City go from here? The problem is that they’ve created a mess. Pearson started it but now, by firing/not firing him, there’s a lame-duck situation. And in deciding to keep him for the time being, the team’s performance could decline even further as veteran players know what the end result will be. There will be no shortage of potential successors to Pearson when the club decides to make a change and it could only be a matter of time before O’Neill or another suitable candidate takes over as manager at Leicester City. However, if they sink in the standings and end up relegated, the list of quality candidates is going to get shorter.
