The Barclays Premier League thread 2015/2016

[therockbox]

Guus Hiddink resigned today.

Then Pearson gets sacked.

Coincidence?

Yes. What's 'arry up to?

Edited June 30, 2015 by therockbox

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Okay.

Okay.

REMEMBER. You can only trust yourselves......Oh yeah and our fans.....and your families.

But only yourselves.

Now get nice and tight into me. Ooooh.

[brenchill]

Okay.

Okay.

REMEMBER. You can only trust yourselves......Oh yeah and our fans.....and your families.

But only yourselves.

Now get nice and tight into me. Ooooh.

I'll never understand this garbage.

What a joker.

[Lineker]

Nigel Pearson's sacking by Leicester was linked to his son's role in a racist sex tape in the owners' homeland of Thailand, the BBC has learned.

Pearson's son James was one of three trainees dismissed by the club for their involvement in the tape.

The issue was the final straw in the deteriorating relationship between the owners and Pearson.

BBC Sport's Pat Murphy has learned that the 51-year-old's sacking was "definitely not a football issue".

Murphy said that the Thai owners acted because they were concerned about damage to the club's reputation, while a Leicester statement said the relationship between Pearson and the board was "no longer viable".

Murphy added: "There is no doubt that the image and the reputation of the club in their homeland of Thailand has been damaged by the behaviour of, among others, the manager's son James on the 'goodwill' tour to Thailand."

Pearson was involved in several high-profile incidents last term, including calling a journalist an "ostrich" and clashing with Crystal Palace's James McArthur, but ended the season in superb form as seven wins and a draw over their last nine games averted relegation from the Premier League.

Despite the success on the pitch, Murphy says the incident involving Pearson's son was "the straw broke the camel's back" for the club's billionaire owners, father and son Vichai and Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha.

After the incident with McArthur in February, media reports suggested Pearson had lost his job, but the club issued a statement saying said the rumours were "inaccurate and without foundation".

With the club then bottom of the Premier League, Pearson said he "had conversations" about his job but would not reveal the details.

Writing before BBC Sport learned further details surrounding Pearson's departure, former Leicester and England striker Gary Lineker criticised the club over the decision.

"So, after not only getting LCFC promoted but pulling off the most miraculous escape in PL history, Pearson is sacked," Lineker said on his Breathesport blog.

"Those who run football never cease to amaze with their stupidity."

The Match of the Day presenter also tweeted: "Can you kindly reinstate him like the last time you fired him?" referring to the confusion over Pearson's future that arose after the McCarthy incident.

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher also weighed in, saying: "And people ask why the modern player chooses punditry."

[Colly]

Nice covering up with 'before we found out the circumstances' for Linekers tweets, as if it wasn't beyond obvious it wasn't for footballing reasons.

[Benji]

Nigel was totally the 4th person who was behind the camera.

[brenchill]

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher also weighed in, saying: "And people ask why the modern player chooses punditry."

Oh fuck off, Carragher.

[TCO]

Modern footballer's choose punditry so they can abuse fans and their sons can racially abuse prostitutes while getting head on camera in peace?

[Colly]

Modern footballer's choose punditry so they can abuse fans and their sons can racially abuse prostitutes while getting head on camera in peace?

That's what he would've said were it not for the character limit.

[METALMAN]

Neil Lennon is frontrunner for Leicester job apparently. Makes sense, I suppose, although he was never spectacular as Celtic manager. Got a couple of good results against Barcelona though.

[Meacon Keaton]

Ten clubs eliminated in my quest to find a club to support. I took Man U, Man City, Chelsea, and Liverpool out of my hat prior to the drawing, so only six teams were eliminated fairly.

The ten remaining:

Arsenal

Bournemouth

Everton

Leicester

Newcastle

Norwich

Stoke

Swansea

Spurs

Watford

West Brom

The next elimination round will see me draw five more clubs out of the hat. Those five will be eliminated. With five left, I'll pull four out, and the last club remaining will win my undying support...as long as I get enough of their matches on television.

[Lineker]

Three of those ten are excellent choices!

[Meacon Keaton]

You like only three of those ten? Be honest. I've heard the stories about you.

[Lineker]

Honestly though, all of those are fine choices bar Arsenal.

And Newcastle.

[Cymbols]

They all suck. Apart from West Brom.

They really suck.

[Summers]

Pick Villa.

Like Sousa.

[DavidMarrio]

What a shit selection of clubs remaining....

[EddieG]

You americans and your elimination style playoffs. JUST PICK ONE ALREADY

[brenchill]

If you end up supporting West Brom I think I'll be genuinely devastated.

[METALMAN]

I dunno. With the exception of Arsenal, Spurs and Newcastle they are a decent enough bunch, if somewhat innocuous.