The false narrative about Nigel Pearson.

[BrightWhiteTrainers]

Let me start of by saying that I haven't been following Bristol City very closely, so I can't comment too much on the job NP did whilst at your place. I did watch your game against Ipswich though, and was staggered that he has somehow got Andy King (A bit of a Leicester legend really) to be competitive at centre half, when we nicknamed him the 'Invisible man' here, as he'd not really do much all game but then pop up with a goal.

The reason I wanted to post was because I saw a couple of posts on Social Media about how this was 'Inevitable' because NP falls out with everyone, but from my experience, that's really not the case. He calls a spade a spade, no doubt, and that gets confused in the modern world as somehow being a negative. He never once fell out with our current ownership, and it's important to address the reason for his departure from our Club, he simply chose to back his Son and walk away from millions of pounds from his contract. There's no doubt his son was in the wrong, he along with a few other youth players were caught on camera, making derogatory remarks to a couple of Thai women that they were having sex with at the time. But he never 'fell out' with our ownership because of that, there was never a reaction from Pearson or our ownership that the outcome was indeed wrong. In fact, I think it was quite the opposite, Pearson respected that the owners had to do what they did (Demand the youth players including his son to be sacked), whilst our owners also respected that as a father, NP wanted to back and protect his son. During his time here, he had nothing but praise for our owners, and that has never changed even after he was sacked, for non footballing reasons.

He did fall out with previous owner, Milan Mandaric. But how is a manager supposed to react, when you've just won League 1 with a side, got them into the play offs during that first season back in the Championship, and whilst those play off games are going on, your owner is trying to convince Paulo Sousa to take his job for the following season? I think that's a perfectly valid reason to fall out with your owners. He also had incidents with certain players, he fell out with Matt Mills, because he believed he was a disgrace of a captain, and the fans shared the same view. But i've never heard a single player, come out with a legitimate reason as to why they disliked him, I've heard nothing but endless praise from every player or member of staff who have worked under him. What he did at our Club, is nothing short of miraculous. He was the man who signed Vardy, Mahrez and Kante, along with every other player who won the Premier League, with the exception of at most 1 or 2. He is responsible for building a side which won League 1, the Championship and the Premier League. I'm glad that the majority of your fanbase hold him in high regard, and could see that he was progressing the Club. Because that's ultimately what he does, if you let him. He will never get the credit he deserves from the job he did with us, because he's not someone who is willing to lie for personal gain. He values loyalty, and quite rightly, will not be told by non-footballing people, how to make footballing decisions.

I watched his interview, where it was obvious that someone above him had tried to influence his team selection, regarding the selection of Andy King. I'm sure you've seen it too, but I'd recommend watching the interview where Pearson gets confrontational with a Journalist and calls him an "Ostrich", as it goes to show why you need to leave Footballing decisions to footballing people. Ironically, it was Pearson who was and has been since, 'Ostracized' because of his comments in that interview. But it's important to understand the facts, that team Pearson had built, that the Journalist was questioning, went and won the Premier League the following season. The journalist, a non-footballing person, was made to look clueless, but unsurprisingly that was never addressed, and Pearson is still viewed as this man who just falls out with everyone for no reason.

All the best for the season, I just wanted to share a bit about a man who is responsible for one of the greatest stories in the history of our sport. How many managers have built sides to win three different domestic leagues at a single club? There will be some pro Pearson chants from the away end when we play later in the season as there were in the home game, the bloke is a god amongst most of our fanbase.

[milo1111]

99% of us are of the same opinion as you . Most of us are gutted he’s gone and think our owners have lost the plot.

Edited October 30, 2023 by milo1111

[JP Hampton]

Thanks for that insight. I think most fans here have the measure of the man 

[cidercity1987]

Excellent thread title, one I initially thought was dreamed up by a Lansdown apologist given the high regard Pearson is held in by 99% of our fanbase.

However you are perfectly right that the view of Pearson from the wider football world is not consistent with the man he is.

[Street red]

9 minutes ago, BrightWhiteTrainers said:

Let me start of by saying that I haven't been following Bristol City very closely, so I can't comment too much on the job NP did whilst at your place. I did watch your game against Ipswich though, and was staggered that he has somehow got Andy King (A bit of a Leicester legend really) to be competitive at centre half, when we nicknamed him the 'Invisible man' here, as he'd not really do much all game but then pop up with a goal.

The reason I wanted to post was because I saw a couple of posts on Social Media about how this was 'Inevitable' because NP falls out with everyone, but from my experience, that's really not the case. He calls a spade a spade, no doubt, and that gets confused in the modern world as somehow being a negative. He never once fell out with our current ownership, and it's important to address the reason for his departure from our Club, he simply chose to back his Son and walk away from millions of pounds from his contract. There's no doubt his son was in the wrong, he along with a few other youth players were caught on camera, making derogatory remarks to a couple of Thai women that they were having sex with at the time. But he never 'fell out' with our ownership because of that, there was never a reaction from Pearson or our ownership that the outcome was indeed wrong. In fact, I think it was quite the opposite, Pearson respected that the owners had to do what they did (Demand the youth players including his son to be sacked), whilst our owners also respected that as a father, NP wanted to back and protect his son. During his time here, he had nothing but praise for our owners, and that has never changed even after he was sacked, for non footballing reasons.

He did fall out with previous owner, Milan Mandaric. But how is a manager supposed to react, when you've just won League 1 with a side, got them into the play offs during that first season back in the Championship, and whilst those play off games are going on, your owner is trying to convince Paulo Sousa to take his job for the following season? I think that's a perfectly valid reason to fall out with your owners. He also had incidents with certain players, he fell out with Matt Mills, because he believed he was a disgrace of a captain, and the fans shared the same view. But i've never heard a single player, come out with a legitimate reason as to why they disliked him, I've heard nothing but endless praise from every player or member of staff who have worked under him. What he did at our Club, is nothing short of miraculous. He was the man who signed Vardy, Mahrez and Kante, along with every other player who won the Premier League, with the exception of at most 1 or 2. He is responsible for building a side which won League 1, the Championship and the Premier League. I'm glad that the majority of your fanbase hold him in high regard, and could see that he was progressing the Club. Because that's ultimately what he does, if you let him. He will never get the credit he deserves from the job he did with us, because he's not someone who is willing to lie for personal gain. He values loyalty, and quite rightly, will not be told by non-footballing people, how to make footballing decisions.

I watched his interview, where it was obvious that someone above him had tried to influence his team selection, regarding the selection of Andy King. I'm sure you've seen it too, but I'd recommend watching the interview where Pearson gets confrontational with a Journalist and calls him an "Ostrich", as it goes to show why you need to leave Footballing decisions to footballing people. Ironically, it was Pearson who was and has been since, 'Ostracized' because of his comments in that interview. But it's important to understand the facts, that team Pearson had built, that the Journalist was questioning, went and won the Premier League the following season. The journalist, a non-footballing person, was made to look clueless, but unsurprisingly that was never addressed, and Pearson is still viewed as this man who just falls out with everyone for no reason.

All the best for the season, I just wanted to share a bit about a man who is responsible for one of the greatest stories in the history of our sport. How many managers have built sides to win three different domestic leagues at a single club? There will be some pro Pearson chants from the away end when we play later in the season as there were in the home game, the bloke is a god amongst most of our fanbase.

Thank you! Can't believe our owner has made the most outrageous decision of his reign it's a joke and nothing will change while they are running our football club.

[mightyreds89]

Thanks for posting I wasn’t aware of some of that detail. There are some similarities here rumours knocking around about Pearson finding out a few weeks ago that instead of opening up contract extension discussions City were talking to other unemployed managers about the possibility of coming to AG when Pearson departed (no new contract offered) also some that believe that Pearson was asked to resign a week or so back a way of getting their new man in earlier than his contract expiry hence his comments after last weeks win V Cov “I’ll honour my contract”.

I’ve seen that Ostrich video and it’s clear that on both occasions he’s taken offence (rightly so) that he’s been questioned about team selections by a senior part of the clubs ownership/management structure.

Will be interesting to see what comes out in the wash. 

[Isawjonshaw]

I want to cry

[NickJ]

21 minutes ago, BrightWhiteTrainers said:

Let me start of by saying that I haven't been following Bristol City very closely, so I can't comment too much on the job NP did whilst at your place. I did watch your game against Ipswich though, and was staggered that he has somehow got Andy King (A bit of a Leicester legend really) to be competitive at centre half, when we nicknamed him the 'Invisible man' here, as he'd not really do much all game but then pop up with a goal.

The reason I wanted to post was because I saw a couple of posts on Social Media about how this was 'Inevitable' because NP falls out with everyone, but from my experience, that's really not the case. He calls a spade a spade, no doubt, and that gets confused in the modern world as somehow being a negative. He never once fell out with our current ownership, and it's important to address the reason for his departure from our Club, he simply chose to back his Son and walk away from millions of pounds from his contract. There's no doubt his son was in the wrong, he along with a few other youth players were caught on camera, making derogatory remarks to a couple of Thai women that they were having sex with at the time. But he never 'fell out' with our ownership because of that, there was never a reaction from Pearson or our ownership that the outcome was indeed wrong. In fact, I think it was quite the opposite, Pearson respected that the owners had to do what they did (Demand the youth players including his son to be sacked), whilst our owners also respected that as a father, NP wanted to back and protect his son. During his time here, he had nothing but praise for our owners, and that has never changed even after he was sacked, for non footballing reasons.

He did fall out with previous owner, Milan Mandaric. But how is a manager supposed to react, when you've just won League 1 with a side, got them into the play offs during that first season back in the Championship, and whilst those play off games are going on, your owner is trying to convince Paulo Sousa to take his job for the following season? I think that's a perfectly valid reason to fall out with your owners. He also had incidents with certain players, he fell out with Matt Mills, because he believed he was a disgrace of a captain, and the fans shared the same view. But i've never heard a single player, come out with a legitimate reason as to why they disliked him, I've heard nothing but endless praise from every player or member of staff who have worked under him. What he did at our Club, is nothing short of miraculous. He was the man who signed Vardy, Mahrez and Kante, along with every other player who won the Premier League, with the exception of at most 1 or 2. He is responsible for building a side which won League 1, the Championship and the Premier League. I'm glad that the majority of your fanbase hold him in high regard, and could see that he was progressing the Club. Because that's ultimately what he does, if you let him. He will never get the credit he deserves from the job he did with us, because he's not someone who is willing to lie for personal gain. He values loyalty, and quite rightly, will not be told by non-footballing people, how to make footballing decisions.

I watched his interview, where it was obvious that someone above him had tried to influence his team selection, regarding the selection of Andy King. I'm sure you've seen it too, but I'd recommend watching the interview where Pearson gets confrontational with a Journalist and calls him an "Ostrich", as it goes to show why you need to leave Footballing decisions to footballing people. Ironically, it was Pearson who was and has been since, 'Ostracized' because of his comments in that interview. But it's important to understand the facts, that team Pearson had built, that the Journalist was questioning, went and won the Premier League the following season. The journalist, a non-footballing person, was made to look clueless, but unsurprisingly that was never addressed, and Pearson is still viewed as this man who just falls out with everyone for no reason.

All the best for the season, I just wanted to share a bit about a man who is responsible for one of the greatest stories in the history of our sport. How many managers have built sides to win three different domestic leagues at a single club? There will be some pro Pearson chants from the away end when we play later in the season as there were in the home game, the bloke is a god amongst most of our fanbase.

What a post, thankyou.

First, loved it when Leicester stuck it up the big boys.

Took my time to pass judgment on Nige when he came here, couldn't make my mind up.

Then I realised what he was doing, and what he's all about, and knew he's a goodun.

Our ******* owners couldnt recognize a proper bloke and a decent manager, because they aren't proper blokes and they aren't decent managers.

Hope to hear your lot loud and clear singing for Nige when we play you at AG, fairly confident our lot will join you.

 

[exAtyeoMax]

22 minutes ago, NickJ said:

What a post, thankyou.

First, loved it when Leicester stuck it up the big boys.

Took my time to pass judgment on Nige when he came here, couldn't make my mind up.

Then I realised what he was doing, and what he's all about, and knew he's a goodun.

Our ******* owners couldnt recognize a proper bloke and a decent manager, because they aren't proper blokes and they aren't decent managers.

Hope to hear your lot loud and clear singing for Nige when we play you at AG, fairly confident our lot will join you.

 

Definitely 

[Kid in the Riot]

1 hour ago, BrightWhiteTrainers said:

Let me start of by saying that I haven't been following Bristol City very closely, so I can't comment too much on the job NP did whilst at your place. I did watch your game against Ipswich though, and was staggered that he has somehow got Andy King (A bit of a Leicester legend really) to be competitive at centre half, when we nicknamed him the 'Invisible man' here, as he'd not really do much all game but then pop up with a goal.

The reason I wanted to post was because I saw a couple of posts on Social Media about how this was 'Inevitable' because NP falls out with everyone, but from my experience, that's really not the case. He calls a spade a spade, no doubt, and that gets confused in the modern world as somehow being a negative. He never once fell out with our current ownership, and it's important to address the reason for his departure from our Club, he simply chose to back his Son and walk away from millions of pounds from his contract. There's no doubt his son was in the wrong, he along with a few other youth players were caught on camera, making derogatory remarks to a couple of Thai women that they were having sex with at the time. But he never 'fell out' with our ownership because of that, there was never a reaction from Pearson or our ownership that the outcome was indeed wrong. In fact, I think it was quite the opposite, Pearson respected that the owners had to do what they did (Demand the youth players including his son to be sacked), whilst our owners also respected that as a father, NP wanted to back and protect his son. During his time here, he had nothing but praise for our owners, and that has never changed even after he was sacked, for non footballing reasons.

He did fall out with previous owner, Milan Mandaric. But how is a manager supposed to react, when you've just won League 1 with a side, got them into the play offs during that first season back in the Championship, and whilst those play off games are going on, your owner is trying to convince Paulo Sousa to take his job for the following season? I think that's a perfectly valid reason to fall out with your owners. He also had incidents with certain players, he fell out with Matt Mills, because he believed he was a disgrace of a captain, and the fans shared the same view. But i've never heard a single player, come out with a legitimate reason as to why they disliked him, I've heard nothing but endless praise from every player or member of staff who have worked under him. What he did at our Club, is nothing short of miraculous. He was the man who signed Vardy, Mahrez and Kante, along with every other player who won the Premier League, with the exception of at most 1 or 2. He is responsible for building a side which won League 1, the Championship and the Premier League. I'm glad that the majority of your fanbase hold him in high regard, and could see that he was progressing the Club. Because that's ultimately what he does, if you let him. He will never get the credit he deserves from the job he did with us, because he's not someone who is willing to lie for personal gain. He values loyalty, and quite rightly, will not be told by non-footballing people, how to make footballing decisions.

I watched his interview, where it was obvious that someone above him had tried to influence his team selection, regarding the selection of Andy King. I'm sure you've seen it too, but I'd recommend watching the interview where Pearson gets confrontational with a Journalist and calls him an "Ostrich", as it goes to show why you need to leave Footballing decisions to footballing people. Ironically, it was Pearson who was and has been since, 'Ostracized' because of his comments in that interview. But it's important to understand the facts, that team Pearson had built, that the Journalist was questioning, went and won the Premier League the following season. The journalist, a non-footballing person, was made to look clueless, but unsurprisingly that was never addressed, and Pearson is still viewed as this man who just falls out with everyone for no reason.

All the best for the season, I just wanted to share a bit about a man who is responsible for one of the greatest stories in the history of our sport. How many managers have built sides to win three different domestic leagues at a single club? There will be some pro Pearson chants from the away end when we play later in the season as there were in the home game, the bloke is a god amongst most of our fanbase.

Just to say, as further testament to Pearson, I know Ian Baker - the journalist that Nige called an ostrich - and he holds Nige in the highest possible regard. 

I contacted him when Pearson got the job here and he told me the players love him, and he actually rated him as one of the best English managers working in football. 

[BrightWhiteTrainers]

2 hours ago, Kid in the Riot said:

Just to say, as further testament to Pearson, I know Ian Baker - the journalist that Nige called an ostrich - and he holds Nige in the highest possible regard. 

I contacted him when Pearson got the job here and he told me the players love him, and he actually rated him as one of the best English managers working in football. 

 

I couldn't agree more with that. Even though we're having an outrageous start to the season, Pearson's work here is so deeply ingrained, that still a decade later, Enzo Maresca is another manager who is benefitting from his work.

When we won the Premier League, there was oddly a bit of sadness amongst our fanbase. Now that might sound a bit stupid, and it might sound very condescending and ungrateful towards Ranieri, but there was a sense of disappointment that it wasn't Pearson who was at the helm. He was our Sir Alex Ferguson, our Arsene Wenger, the man we wanted to have at the Club forever. Still to this day, when we heard he was sacked, the first immediate thought for so much of our fanbase, would be to bring him back in a role between the manager and the ownership. So many forget about him winning League one and the Championship, and building the team which won the Premier League. 

The greatest thing I can say about Pearson, is that he's the reason our ownership were exceptional before Vichai's unfortunate death. When they arrived they wanted the typical 'big name' that foreign owners tend to do, and they brought in Sven. He wasted money on the likes of Matt Mills, Jermaine Beckford and the like. So whilst we did fail FFP in order to get promoted, Pearson was actually reducing our wage bill whilst getting us promoted. He taught the owners what running a football club meant and he really did give Vichai a lesson in how do get success in football. 

I think what I dislike the most about the way outsiders view him, is this myth about him not being a 'progressive' manager. He's often treated like he's the second coming of Tony Pulis. If that's the case, how on earth does he sign a player like Riyad Mahrez, who tracks back into his own half less than the linesman? Or sign a player like Kante, who's about 3 foot tall, to be his midfield enforcer? I don't know much about Alex Scott's progression with regards to Pearson's influence, but looking at the stats, he played him a hell of a lot for a manager who isn't 'progressive'. Then you've got Guardiola who plays 4 centre halves, and he's a modern footballing genius. It will always stick out to me something he said whilst managing us, about his time as a player at Middlesbrough when they were signing Juninho/Ravanelli etc. He said that they were never successful because there just wasn't enough balance, and that's something he always tried to do here. For every Riyad Mahrez, there was an Esteban Cambiasso, for every Jamie Vardy there was a Kevin Phillips. He just understood the game, and what it takes to progress, long term. He understood that you could actually finish lower in the league the following season, but actually progress, that's not something I believe owners understand. 

The last thing...I could go on about the bloke all day! The way he's seen as being 'egotistical', again, is just something that's completely false. He delegates, managers with a huge ego don't do that, when he was here he brought through the likes of Chris Powell and Kevin Phillips from their last games as players and was their first step on the ladder as coaches. Even when Chris Powell left to take his first job, Pearson took him to Derby. He always looked to sign leaders and big personalities, he wanted players who would challenge him, the same with coaches, he wanted young coaches who would bring new ideas. He always seems to know his weaknesses, and employ people with those strengths and he always seems to learn from his mistakes. 

 

[bearded_red]

Brilliant posts @BrightWhiteTrainers and you’ve summed up so many of the things that make Nige so impressive.

Yesterday we made the biggest mistake I’ve seen in my time supporting the club, and christ knows that’s a ******* long list.

Nige has more honesty, decency and knowledge in his little finger than both members of that ******* family put together.

I really hope he is aware of just how highly appreciated he is by so many City fans.

[Mr Popodopolous]

Great posts can only echo others @BrightWhiteTrainers and I might add Cambiasso although more defensively minded, was perfectly technically sound if conservative too I'm sure. Don't play lots of games cor Inter and Argentina in the main if a clogger.

Him aside, NP has left us in a far better place than he found us, evolved the side and along with the fitness and commitments are two major items I am happy with. A terrible decision to sack him more widely. Ridiculous, so foolish.

'll be honest one of my naive concerns was that he may try to replicate 4-4-2 a decade form its car more common use but very happy to say I am wrong,  the side evolved and changed in his tenure here. Tactically speaking while not an innovator, pretty good.

Initially tried out new things as we were drifting and have to see the squad before beginning a major rebuild. Some types of 4-4-2 and 4-3-3 towards the end of 2020-21.

Then in 2021-22, about September time early on he stated a preference for a 4-3-3..but wasn't sure we quire had th3 players. In some ways a bit of a conservative 4-4-1-1, on occasion with DaSilva LB, Pring Left side of a midfield 4 but that's fine especially away from home.

After fluctuating shapes we settled on a 3-5-2 and 3-4-3 hut a back 3 predominantly and this convinced with mixed results but real green shoots, at home a front 3 of Weimann-Martin-Semenyo gave us some good games, some good intent. Some alright away too but less so.

Then more of the same in 2022-23, wages continuing to fall, Scott starting to step up.. but Naismith.  New dimension from the back albeit with some errors, but suddenly when we played the threat level increased.

Helped Scott along, helped Semenyo along then at HT losing at home again not that we necessarily deserved some if the home losses or draws between October and start if Janaury is we merited more, we go to a version of 4-3-3. Naismith between the back 4 and midfield had merits as he could play both.

Thin I sacking him is a huge mistake for a host of reasons, Semenyo suddenly started to shine out there on the left of the front 3 too, unplayable v Birmingham mid Janaury in our first home win in some time. Inevitably he was sold, partly due to FFP arguably.

Scott too and not reinvesting a reasonable chunk of the 2nd is disgraceful. We're not some possession top heavy side but when most of our squad are fit we are or can be quite an exciting watch especially at home, while being able to spring on the break away.

He deserved much better, sacking him was a huge mistake.

[bpexile]

42 minutes ago, bearded_red said:

Brilliant posts @BrightWhiteTrainers 

I really hope he is aware of just how highly appreciated he is by so many City fans.

So do I mate, so do I.

What a total **** up by SL & JL, both are ****ing clueless & didn't like their deficiencies pointed out by someone who is well above what they will ever become  

[Son of Fred]

Absolutely sickened with the way our supposed ownership failed to support a great manager in any way.

Seemingly Mr Tinnion also has his fingers in the pie - sad to see a club legend become another fall.....

Pathetic people whom have gotten way,way beyond themselves.

Ego is the enemy of truth.

[exAtyeoMax]

10 hours ago, Kid in the Riot said:

Just to say, as further testament to Pearson, I know Ian Baker - the journalist that Nige called an ostrich - and he holds Nige in the highest possible regard. 

I contacted him when Pearson got the job here and he told me the players love him, and he actually rated him as one of the best English managers working in football. 

They’ve got to get him back! 

[Olé]

7 hours ago, BrightWhiteTrainers said:

He delegates, managers with a huge ego don't do that, when he was here he brought through the likes of Chris Powell and Kevin Phillips from their last games as players and was their first step on the ladder as coaches. Even when Chris Powell left to take his first job, Pearson took him to Derby. He always looked to sign leaders and big personalities, he wanted players who would challenge him, the same with coaches, he wanted young coaches who would bring new ideas. He always seems to know his weaknesses

This, a million times this.

This is the very definition of leadership and something those who are terrible leaders or over promoted (sons?) always misunderstand - thinking they need to do the complete opposite to hide their insecurity and to keep everyone else at arms length from decision making rather than create shared responsibility and leadership through delegation. 

It has been so obvious from the way he speaks and acts Pearson is a master of this with both his staff and his players. I have found it fascinating to hear how he articulated the environment he wants because it is so foreign to the owner and leadership of our club and how it has been run for decades, including under the LJ era that the owner so adored.

They are all inexperienced bluffers who are terrified of being shown up by real leadership and experience and create an environment where strong personalities are something to be scared of and to be avoided. We only want amateur yes men that keep the owner and his son feeling unexposed and able to lead. This is why Nigel Pearson has been such a breath of fresh air as even with mixed results and in difficult circumstances you could see the club was finally maturing and getting to be a place where leading by example mattered and standards reflected that.

And so the Lansdowns threw it all away again and consigned us to years more of wishy-washy make it up as we go along, rather than hear some home truths and trusting the experience of somebody who for once knows what developing a football club is all about. This is why it is so exhausting, painful and depressing this week - and why I have zero appetite or for any more years under this owner.

[One Team]

6 minutes ago, Olé said:

This, a million times this.

This is the very definition of leadership and something those who are terrible leaders or over promoted (sons?) always misunderstand - thinking they need to do the complete opposite to hide their insecurity and to keep everyone else at arms length from decision making rather than create shared responsibility and leadership through delegation. 

It has been so obvious from the way he speaks and acts Pearson is a master of this with both his staff and his players. I have found it fascinating to hear how he articulated the environment he wants because it is so foreign to the owner and leadership of our club and how it has been run for decades, including under the LJ era that the owner so adored.

They are all inexperienced bluffers who are terrified of being shown up by real leadership and experience and create an environment where strong personalities are something to be scared of and to be avoided. We only want amateur yes men that keep the owner and his son feeling unexposed and able to lead. This is why Nigel Pearson has been such a breath of fresh air as even with mixed results and in difficult circumstances you could see the club was finally maturing and getting to be a place where leading by example mattered and standards reflected that.

And so the Lansdowns threw it all away again and consigned us to years more of wishy-washy make it up as we go along, rather than hear some home truths and trusting the experience of somebody who for once knows what developing a football club is all about. This is why it is so exhausting, painful and depressing this week - and why I have zero appetite or for any more years under this owner.

Excellent post mate and exactly how I feel. Those of us in corporate or commercial roles in our own working lives will have seen this behaviour before and indeed know when it works well, as per the culture Pearson created. It feels like Pearson has allowed us to see behind the curtain here and it’s ugly, disappointing, frustrating and needs to come to an end. I think most of us now see it for what it is and this time there is no going back, white washing it or palming it off. 

[Swede]

Yes, thanks for the insight.

I just feel our owners have missed a massive trick. In Pearson we had a manager who has been there and done it. He's got all the credentials and experience needed to easily manage at this level. I think he likes to mould a team in his own style. He knew that this club has a reputation for letting managers/head coaches have the time to do it as well. I don't think he realised the extent of a financial mess the last management team had left us in but I actually thought he relished the challenge even more. 

On the outside and before he came to this club I've always thought he had all the charisma of a brick but since he's been here he's been a breath of fresh air simply telling it as it is. Sometimes taking 10 minutes to answer a question. I must say he doesn't suffer fools and that could clearly be seen on the press days with some of the banal questions put to him. He had a good working relationship with then chief exec  Richard Gould until he left for the ECB.  He's done everything the club have asked of him from reducing the wage bill & developing the academy players. There was a togetherness, a feel good factor despite being hampered with cost cutting measures in that here was an experienced person who knew what he was doing. A proper football man. There was a sense that we were on the cusp of something bigger. The £25M sale of Alex Scott should've been the green light to act as the financial springboard onto greater things and propel us up the league but the owners decided to twist when they had a better hand sticking. Its an unusual situation when you have over 90% of the fan base who can see the good job Nigel Pearson is doing in supporting the manager. Unfortunately the owners see different, have made a decision and with it all credibility they may have had has gone out of the window. Yet again we have to start again. A baffling and ludicrous decision and situation we find ourselves in.

[1960maaan]

8 hours ago, BrightWhiteTrainers said:

He always looked to sign leaders and big personalities, he wanted players who would challenge him, the same with coaches, he wanted young coaches who would bring new ideas. He always seems to know his weaknesses, and employ people with those strengths and he always seems to learn from his mistakes. 

And this is where I think it goes wrong. He is the polar opposite of our inglorious leader . 
Steve doesn't see himself having weaknesses , he doesn't like being challenged and he isn't fond of big or strong personalities . 
I was shocked we actually got him in, but clearly Lansdown's fragile ego could take no more . 

[ExiledAjax]

13 hours ago, BrightWhiteTrainers said:

Pearson respected that the owners had to do what they did (Demand the youth players including his son to be sacked), whilst our owners also respected that as a father, NP wanted to back and protect his son. During his time here, he had nothing but praise for our owners, and that has never changed even after he was sacked, for non footballing reasons.

So he did have a disagreement with them. Respectfully so, and over reasons that can be seen as valid - choosing his family over his job - but he had a disagreement with the board that led to the termination of his contract.

13 hours ago, BrightWhiteTrainers said:

I think that's a perfectly valid reason to fall out with your owners.

So again, he did fall out with Mandaric. There's a reason for it beyond just a personality clash, but there's still an issue there.

He also had issues with Morris at Derby and with the owners at Watford. I accept that neither of these are glorious beacons of good football club stewardship, but there is an undeniable pattern. Why does Nigel keep getting employed by bad owners? You even say that your current owners weren't the best before Pearson came along. Why doesn't he get jobs with good owners? They do exist but they seem to choose to employ other managers rather than Pearson.

My theory, if you're still reading, is that Pearson has an excellent "common touch". He is very able to get people who are below him in a hierarchy, or are outside of that hierarchy, on board. He does delegate well, and I'm sure he empowers people through that delegation rather than drown them. All very good. Almost too good.

Too good in that in doing this he creates a jealousy above him. A jealousy that he cannot manage. He's great at managing down and leading, but he's poor at managing upwards and explaining. He works in an industry where ego and bravado and delusional belief in ability abound at the level of Mandaric and Lansdown. He comes unstuck time and again because he can talk to paupers but not to kings.

For me this is why we were at our recent best when we had Richard Gould as a mediator and go between CEO. A man who could talk to both Pearson and to Lansdown and could help smooth the communication between them. Gould can talk to both paupers and to kings, and he was immensely useful in that role. I don't know enough about your club to know if you had an equivalent individual when Pearson was with you under the Thais, but you may well have done.

13 hours ago, BrightWhiteTrainers said:

the bloke is a god amongst most of our fanbase.

The gods of most pantheons are famously flawed. Vengeful, vindictive, vain and quick to anger and wrath. I'm not saying that Pearson is those things, but gods are imperfect and so is he.

Finally, to make my position clear. I do not support the sacking of Pearson on Sunday. I do not necessarily think he should have stayed forever, and have argued that a managed succession at the end of his contract could have been the best way to move on from him. So I may support a change from Pearson, but not like this, not this badly managed. 

[chinapig]

2 hours ago, ExiledAjax said:

So he did have a disagreement with them. Respectfully so, and over reasons that can be seen as valid - choosing his family over his job - but he had a disagreement with the board that led to the termination of his contract.

So again, he did fall out with Mandaric. There's a reason for it beyond just a personality clash, but there's still an issue there.

He also had issues with Morris at Derby and with the owners at Watford. I accept that neither of these are glorious beacons of good football club stewardship, but there is an undeniable pattern. Why does Nigel keep getting employed by bad owners? You even say that your current owners weren't the best before Pearson came along. Why doesn't he get jobs with good owners? They do exist but they seem to choose to employ other managers rather than Pearson.

My theory, if you're still reading, is that Pearson has an excellent "common touch". He is very able to get people who are below him in a hierarchy, or are outside of that hierarchy, on board. He does delegate well, and I'm sure he empowers people through that delegation rather than drown them. All very good. Almost too good.

Too good in that in doing this he creates a jealousy above him. A jealousy that he cannot manage. He's great at managing down and leading, but he's poor at managing upwards and explaining. He works in an industry where ego and bravado and delusional belief in ability abound at the level of Mandaric and Lansdown. He comes unstuck time and again because he can talk to paupers but not to kings.

For me this is why we were at our recent best when we had Richard Gould as a mediator and go between CEO. A man who could talk to both Pearson and to Lansdown and could help smooth the communication between them. Gould can talk to both paupers and to kings, and he was immensely useful in that role. I don't know enough about your club to know if you had an equivalent individual when Pearson was with you under the Thais, but you may well have done.

The gods of most pantheons are famously flawed. Vengeful, vindictive, vain and quick to anger and wrath. I'm not saying that Pearson is those things, but gods are imperfect and so is he.

Finally, to make my position clear. I do not support the sacking of Pearson on Sunday. I do not necessarily think he should have stayed forever, and have argued that a managed succession at the end of his contract could have been the best way to move on from him. So I may support a change from Pearson, but not like this, not this badly managed. 

Sure Nigel isn't perfect, nobody, is but in ranking integrity would anybody choose Mandaric or Morris over Pearson?

[Mr Popodopolous]

3 hours ago, 1960maaan said:

And this is where I think it goes wrong. He is the polar opposite of our inglorious leader . 
Steve doesn't see himself having weaknesses , he doesn't like being challenged and he isn't fond of big or strong personalities . 
I was shocked we actually got him in, but clearly Lansdown's fragile ego could take no more . 

On the SL personality point, one I can't quite place is Gary Johnson.

Clearly NP is a big personality, so too was Cotts in his own way. Millen, Holden etc were at the opposite end and inexperienced.

Gary Johnson although he clearly left on excellent terms, didn't strike me as a patsy or some novice who would simply be easily moulded and ordered..somewhere between the two maybe, definitely more experienced and forthright than Holden etc but at the same time, left on uniquely good terms it seemed.

[1960maaan]

15 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

On the SL personality point, one I can't quite place is Gary Johnson.

Clearly NP is a big personality, so too was Cotts in his own way. Millen, Holden etc were at the opposite end and inexperienced.

Gary Johnson although he clearly left on excellent terms, didn't strike me as a patsy or some novice who would simply be easily moulded and ordered..somewhere between the two maybe, definitely more experienced and forthright than Holden etc but at the same time, left on uniquely good terms it seemed.

With Johnson , I get what you're saying but, it was his biggest job at that time (turned out his peak job) . I wonder if he played the game , yes a character but was he a pain to the board. Pearson had had bigger jobs, higher profile and was towards the end of a career, he was never going to accept interference.  
It does feel as though Lansdown has become more touchy over the years, which if he reads a lot of Social Media you can understand to a point. 

[JP Hampton]

In regards to the big “ego” idea. I noticed whenever he talked about the club and what they were trying to achieve, it was always “we”. What we’re trying to do and never I!

  A person with a big ego just wouldn’t do that. Look at Euell’s praise of him. Doesn’t sound like someone who’s looking from on high at the minions. 

[JP Hampton]

13 hours ago, BrightWhiteTrainers said:

 

I couldn't agree more with that. Even though we're having an outrageous start to the season, Pearson's work here is so deeply ingrained, that still a decade later, Enzo Maresca is another manager who is benefitting from his work.

When we won the Premier League, there was oddly a bit of sadness amongst our fanbase. Now that might sound a bit stupid, and it might sound very condescending and ungrateful towards Ranieri, but there was a sense of disappointment that it wasn't Pearson who was at the helm. He was our Sir Alex Ferguson, our Arsene Wenger, the man we wanted to have at the Club forever. Still to this day, when we heard he was sacked, the first immediate thought for so much of our fanbase, would be to bring him back in a role between the manager and the ownership. So many forget about him winning League one and the Championship, and building the team which won the Premier League. 

The greatest thing I can say about Pearson, is that he's the reason our ownership were exceptional before Vichai's unfortunate death. When they arrived they wanted the typical 'big name' that foreign owners tend to do, and they brought in Sven. He wasted money on the likes of Matt Mills, Jermaine Beckford and the like. So whilst we did fail FFP in order to get promoted, Pearson was actually reducing our wage bill whilst getting us promoted. He taught the owners what running a football club meant and he really did give Vichai a lesson in how do get success in football. 

I think what I dislike the most about the way outsiders view him, is this myth about him not being a 'progressive' manager. He's often treated like he's the second coming of Tony Pulis. If that's the case, how on earth does he sign a player like Riyad Mahrez, who tracks back into his own half less than the linesman? Or sign a player like Kante, who's about 3 foot tall, to be his midfield enforcer? I don't know much about Alex Scott's progression with regards to Pearson's influence, but looking at the stats, he played him a hell of a lot for a manager who isn't 'progressive'. Then you've got Guardiola who plays 4 centre halves, and he's a modern footballing genius. It will always stick out to me something he said whilst managing us, about his time as a player at Middlesbrough when they were signing Juninho/Ravanelli etc. He said that they were never successful because there just wasn't enough balance, and that's something he always tried to do here. For every Riyad Mahrez, there was an Esteban Cambiasso, for every Jamie Vardy there was a Kevin Phillips. He just understood the game, and what it takes to progress, long term. He understood that you could actually finish lower in the league the following season, but actually progress, that's not something I believe owners understand. 

The last thing...I could go on about the bloke all day! The way he's seen as being 'egotistical', again, is just something that's completely false. He delegates, managers with a huge ego don't do that, when he was here he brought through the likes of Chris Powell and Kevin Phillips from their last games as players and was their first step on the ladder as coaches. Even when Chris Powell left to take his first job, Pearson took him to Derby. He always looked to sign leaders and big personalities, he wanted players who would challenge him, the same with coaches, he wanted young coaches who would bring new ideas. He always seems to know his weaknesses, and employ people with those strengths and he always seems to learn from his mistakes. 

 

Honestly can’t thank you enough for taking the time to write all this. I totally understand the sadness over Pearson not being there to enjoy what was ultimately his  work at Leicester. I’m sure we’ll get a sense of that given the legacy he’s left behind. 

[RedLionLad]

14 minutes ago, JP Hampton said:

In regards to the big “ego” idea. I noticed whenever he talked about the club and what they were trying to achieve, it was always “we”. What we’re trying to do and never I!

  A person with a big ego just wouldn’t do that. Look at Euell’s praise of him. Doesn’t sound like someone who’s looking from on high at the minions. 

JL says 'WE' all the time

[ExiledAjax]

1 hour ago, chinapig said:

Sure Nigel isn't perfect, nobody, is but in ranking integrity would anybody choose Mandaric or Morris over Pearson?

No, and I recognise that.

We're not appointing/retaining managers based solely on integrity are we? Last time we did that didn't we get Dean Holden?

[JP Hampton]

16 minutes ago, RedLionLad said:

JL says 'WE' all the time

Yes but the reference is about Pearson specifically having a big Ego. You’d expectJL to say “we”. Him and his dad. 

[Atticus]

Our owners really are ******* idiots ain't they?

They have destroyed the best chance at progression we had. 

Fuming.