(Not hypothetical anymore) Leicester win the league!

Jayop

...will it be the biggest upset in the history of sport?

I certainly can't think of anything in soccer that's even remotely comparable to this Roy of the Rovers story.

tastyt

without doubt footballs greatest ever shock, up there with Balboa knocking out Drago for all time sporting upsets

Van.Bosch

Jayop wrote: »

...will it be the biggest upset in the history of sport?

I certainly can't think of anything in soccer that's even remotely comparable to this Roy of the Rovers story.

Possibly, thinking about it maybe Greece in the Euro's but with cash etc. Leicster woukd be bigger for me, a league over a cup etc. More games etc.

Jayop

Van.Bosch wrote: »

Possibly, thinking about it maybe Greece in the Euro's but with cash etc. Leicster woukd be bigger for me, a league over a cup etc. More games etc.

Aye, Greece in the Euro's is a good shout. Possibly even Denmark too previously although they did have some really good players.

henke

Van.Bosch wrote:

Possibly, thinking about it maybe Greece in the Euro's but with cash etc. Leicster woukd be bigger for me, a league over a cup etc. More games etc.

Great achievement by Greece but I think if Leicester do it will be a bigger upset. The euros was 6 games and you could argue Spain hadn't yet their golden generation and Germany weren't a major force then. Leicester over 38 games in a league with clubs who have spent vast sums would be epic. Hope they do it.

5starpool

Jayop wrote: »

Aye, Greece in the Euro's is a good shout. Possibly even Denmark too previously although they did have some really good players.

At one point Denmark would have been a higher price as they hadn't even qualified!

However, I struggle to think of anything widely quoted at 5000/1 to come good in a sporting competition over, especially over a 9 month season. I don't think I would find anything to compare either.

Notts Forest going from 2nd Division to winning the European Cup (never mind retaining it) in 2 years is probably the closest in football terms I can think of.

That_Guy

This is what football used to be like with teams coming out of nowhere to win trophies.

But given the influx of money and the spending power of teams at the upper echelon of the table, it's an incredible achievement.

Alright, Leicester have spent money themselves but comparatively they really have no business being up there at this stage of the season.

grumpymunster

Yea Denmark crossed my mind as well, certainly as they did not qualify as of right only due to the break up of Yugoslavia a little while before the start of the tournament.

But certainly in the Premier League few would have backed this in August.

Jayop

Given their history it really will be something special.

Only once ever have they come second in the league - 1929
Never won the FA Cup
League Cup 3 times is their only major silverware.

:pac: they've only ever played 4 ties in Europe winning one against Glenavon in 1961.

thebaz

Jayop wrote: »

...will it be the biggest upset in the history of sport?

I certainly can't think of anything in soccer that's even remotely comparable to this Roy of the Rovers story.

I think it will too - Sport can throw up the odd one off - Japan beating South Africa in the Rugby WC - Greece won a poor Championship , playing dour football .

Given the riches Leicester are up against - United, City, Arsenal, Chelsea and the like - and given its over a marathon 38 game season , one where they were favourites for relegation - if they win it will be the greatest achievement I have seen in Sport.

Jayop

thebaz wrote: »

I think it will too - Sport can throw up the odd one off - Japan beating South Africa in the Rugby WC - Greece won a poor Championship , playing dour football .

Given the riches Leicester are up against - United, City, Arsenal, Chelsea and the like - and given its over a marathon 38 game season , one where they were favourites for relegation - if they win it will be the greatest achievement I have seen in Sport.

And they play good football for the most part. Not much possession but they are easy on the eye when they do attack unlike that Greece team which defended it's way to the Euros.

Iused2likebusts

Hopefully they do it. It's been a remarkable season. Leicester to win the league. Hopefully west ham can sneak into the top 4. Watford and Bournemouth more or less being safe with 8 games to go is also an unbelievable achievement.

Chrissybhoy

Porto CL that years CL was a bit the same of this years PL with Monaco making the final and Spurs and Leicester fighting it out for PL neither would of been fancied at all at the start of each season

If they win the league I'm booking the first flight over for the party

Arsenal ain't gonna do it and even aside from not wanting Spurs to do it it'd be fantastic to see Leicester do it. Hope there were plenty of nutters stuck a tenner on them at the start of the season.

GLaDOS

Montpellier winning the French league deserves a mention, but if Leicester were to win the EPL it would go ahead of them.

Would probably be the biggest league win in modern footballing history.

Jayop

Chrissybhoy wrote: »

Porto CL that years CL was a bit the same of this years PL with Monaco making the final and Spurs and Leicester fighting it out for PL neither would of been fancied at all at the start of each season

Another great shout although as a United fan I'm still butthurt about that semifinal and the fact we were (imo) cheated out of a Champions League.

Ulysses Gaze

Jayop wrote: »

...will it be the biggest upset in the history of sport?

I certainly can't think of anything in soccer that's even remotely comparable to this Roy of the Rovers story.

Hellas Verona winning Serie A back in 1985 would be the only one I can think of that would come close to it.

bpb101

not really. Every year they could have won it , they just weren't bothered until now

Like they do what they want

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-X3XNRbZpI

Chrissybhoy

Jayop wrote: »

Another great shout although as a United fan I'm still butthurt about that semifinal and the fact we were (imo) cheated out of a Champions League.

Was that the same year keane got sent off for a stamp on Porto keeper in the first leg ?

Jayop

Chrissybhoy wrote: »

Was that the same year keane got sent off for a stamp on Porto keeper in the first leg ?

Aye, wasn't the semi either like I somehow remember it being. Was a knock out game.

Dirty Dingus McGee

I think it's nailed on they'll win it now.

I think the only thing that's going to stop them now is nerves.

Liam McPoyle

Cant think of a bigger upset / shock, certainly in league football.

It will be a wonderful, historical achievement if they can hold out.

keeponhurling

Ireland winning Euro 2016 will be right up there as well

Paully D

Nottingham Forest winning the league directly after being promoted and winning 2 European Cups in a row the following 2 seasons under Clough would be right up there, but the spending advantage the big clubs have now in comparison to back then means I think Leicester winning the Premier League gets the nod.

kksaints

Kaiserslautern in 1998 winning the Bundesliga maybe. Promoted that season and went on to win the Bundesliga that very season.

ArmaniJeanss

Jayop wrote: »

...will it be the biggest upset in the history of sport?

In betting odds terms (Leicester 5000/1 preseason) I can't think of anything to compare.

Golf has thrown up the odd 1000/1 winner of a major (John Dalys first one is an example I think). Tennis possibly also, especially the womens majors where unheralded eastern europeans can pop up for their moment in the sun.

Omackeral

Will there be a generation of Leicester fans in this country if they do it? Young kids like?

Ulysses Gaze

Omackeral wrote: »

Will there be a generation of Leicester fans in this country if they do it? Young kids like?

Depends if it is a flash in the pan once off.

If they win this year and then crash and burn in the league next year, finish in mid-table let's say, and get knocked out of Europe early then no.

If Ranieri is given the money and can build something there, who knows.

Fr Tod Umptious

Dirty Dingus McGee wrote: »

I think it's nailed on they'll win it now.

I think the only thing that's going to stop them now is nerves.

People have been saying that since Christmas.

Fr Tod Umptious

Paully D wrote: »

Nottingham Forest winning the league directly after being promoted and winning 2 European Cups in a row the following 2 seasons under Clough would be right up there, but the spending advantage the big clubs have now in comparison to back then means I think Leicester winning the Premier League gets the nod.

Yea Forest is the only one that come close in the 'league position the previous year' comparison but as you point out, the spending disparity between the clubs was a lot less in the later '70s.

I think it beats Denmark, Greece, Porto, all of them,

Denmark were in a tournament of 8, 5 games.
Greece were in a tournament of 16, 6 games.
I don't know how many games Porto played
Leicester if they win will have done it consistently for 10 months over 38 games.

recylingbin

If Leicester...

It'll be the first time the premier league hasn't been bought.

A_Sober_Paddy

Before the season started I was in work,a family came in, the young kid was wearing a Leicester jersey, I joked saying so do you think ye'll win the league, to which the response from.his dad was, his not a fan, it was a gift from family, bet that kid is a fan now ha ha

Pawwed Rig

keeponhurling wrote: »

Ireland winning Euro 2016 will be right up there as well

If Leicester do it I am sticking €50 on Irl for the euros

Flint Fredstone

recylingbin wrote: »

If Leicester...

It'll be the first time the premier league hasn't been bought.

They're not paying their players and they were all free transfers?

mansize

Deleted User wrote: »

If they win the league I'm booking the first flight over for the party

Guys looking at you like wtf...

Arghus

Nottingham Forests achievements under Clough were out of this world, but I think it was an era were there wasn't such a cavernous distance between the spending and player power of the top teams and everyone else. Leicester were 5000 to 1 to win the title for good reason: it just shouldn't be happening. It's weird how them being top of the table is kinda just a fact now, my brain knows that something is wrong with the picture, but it somehow doesn't seem as amazing a thing as it really is. Surely someone must have known that they had it in them, I think to myself. And then I realise: No; If someone had suggested they'd win the league, I'd have thought they were utterly insane. So, that's Leicester: making the impossible and insane possible. If they do it, it'd be the biggest achievement in team sports.

I think Greece winning Euro 2004 was extraordinarily mental stuff, but it was over 6 games, not 38, and a well drilled and disciplined side always stands a fair chance of going deep in an international competition. Greece went where no one - except Denmark, who had a better squad of players - had gone before, but their percentage chances of triumph must have been higher for them then than they are for Leicester now.

TheTownie

Deleted User wrote: »

If they win the league I'm booking the first flight over for the party

mansize wrote: »

Guys looking at you like wtf...

For sure they be like...



...but MicksJaguar don't care, he be like...

StringerBell

recylingbin wrote: »

If Leicester...

It'll be the first time the premier league hasn't been bought.

They did get all their players for free actually.... that and the likes of Huth, Mahrez Okazaki and Vardy coming up through the ranks, and agreeing to play for free just out of love of the club

mansize

In fairness Leicester weren't replying on a war breaking out to qualify...

I go with Denmark!

tanko

I really hope Leicester win it but in a way it would be better if Spurs are premiership champions just to see the reaction of Arsene Wenger and the Arsenal supporters. I don't think they'd be able to handle it at all.

mansize

tanko wrote: »

I really hope Leicester win it but in a way it would be better if Spurs are premiership champions just to see the reaction of Arsene Wenger and the Arsnal supporters. I don't think they'd be able to handle it at all.

Don't think Arsene would give a fcuk. Wilshere would probably cry so much he'd shatter his ankle... What do think of your Ankle Jack?... Sh-t!

Mr.Nice Guy

It would also be one of the most remarkable managerial turnarounds as well for Ranieri, considering the terrible experience he had with Greece.

Can anyone think of an example of a manager that had an awful experience and struggled with one side, and then went to another team and had such stellar success? I'm struggling to think of one.

Jayop

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

It would also be one of the most remarkable managerial turnarounds as well for Ranieri, considering the terrible experience he had with Greece.

Can anyone think of an example of a manager that had an awful experience and struggled with one side, and then went to another team and had such stellar success? I'm struggling to think of one.

Mourinhio next season at United.

sabat

tanko wrote: »

I really hope Leicester win it but in a way it would be better if Spurs are premiership champions just to see the reaction of Arsene Wenger and the Arsenal supporters. I don't think they'd be able to handle it at all.

I don't think the Tottenham fans would be able to handle it; I mean if they actually won a major trophy would Spurs still be Spurs? What would happen to their carefully constructed ideal of a football club in which winning things is beneath them-a tawdry act more in keeping with the traditions of Chelsea and Arsenal?

St. Pats went from the Leinster Senior League to the League of Ireland in the early 50s and won it in their first season, and twice more during that decade.

Alf Ramsey's Ipswich Town won the First Division immediately after promotion in the 60s, Forest in the 70.

Leeds in the early 90s were promoted and went on to finish 4th and 1st in their first 2 seasons back.

All different to Leicester of course, just examples of clubs coming from lowly expectations.

Dirty Dingus McGee

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

People have been saying that since Christmas.

I know and that's because the other teams aren't good enough to put a great run together sso Leicester are going to need to collapse in order not to win it.

If they don't win it now I think it will be because they lost the league not anyone else won it and I can't see them needing any more than 5 wins to seal it now.

~Rebel~

Dirty Dingus McGee wrote: »

I know and that's because the other teams aren't good enough to put a great run together sso Leicester are going to need to collapse in order not to win it.

If they don't win it now I think it will be because they lost the league not anyone else won it and I can't see them needing any more than 5 wins to seal it now.

Yup, even less I think with Spurs having a pretty tough run coming up. As it is, Leicester would need to draw three games (given their run, draws are looking more likely than losses) for Spurs to get ahead, and that's if Spurs keep a perfect record.

I think 3 or 4 wins and a few draws will be enough for them.

On a side note, the longer this goes on, and the more I type the word 'Leicester', the less sense the spelling of the word makes to me. It's like when you say a word too often and it loses all meaning - every time I type Leicester, it looks all weird and I'm convinced i've made typo's all over the shop.

Liam McPoyle

recylingbin wrote: »

If Leicester...

It'll be the first time the premier league hasn't been bought.

So salty.

mansize

TheTownie wrote: »

For sure they be like...



...but MicksJaguar don't care, he be like...

If the wimminz in Leicester really looked like that, Jamie Vardy would be having a party more often...

Chardee MacDennis

the manner of which they're are doing it makes it a better achievement than Greece imo.

Watching Greece was a miserable experience, Leicester have been really enjoyable to watch all season.