Over the years, we have witnessed that football is big business and clubs have to spend big to be able to compete and win laurels, but the case of newly crowned Barclays Premier League champions, Leicester City, has shown that that is not always the case.
Yes, soccer is big business. You have to invest in players to win trophies, but again, it is not about spending a lot of money, you have to spend wisely, have the right coach and players on board.
Manchester United’s squad is ten times more expensive than Leicester City’s squad but Leicester’s victory proved that big money does not guaranty success in football.
For the first time in their 132 years history, Leicester are the champions of England after establishing an insurmountable 10 points lead over Arsenal, 13 points against Manchester City and seven-point lead over Tottenham with two games to spare.
The Foxes broke almost every football rule by winning the 2015/2016 Premier League title, a true story of an underdog tale indeed.
Leicester City tutored by a seasoned and tactically sound Italian manager, Claudio Ranieri with vast experience in club management at the highest level.
In the course of his illustrious coaching career, the 64-year old have managed top Serie A sides; Juventus, Roma, Inter Milan and also had a feel of the Spanish La Liga with top club like: Atletico Madrid and Valencia.
No wonder, Leicester concurred against top sides like; Arsenal, money spinning Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham to claim the title.
The Foxes have taken only two years to become champions of England after a decade stuck and struggling in the second and third tiers.
It’s no news that the Premier League trophy has not left the shores of London and Manchester for the last twenty years. Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City have maintained top position and shared the trophy, each with enormous financial clout.
Mondays 2-2 draw by Chelsea at Stamford confirmed Leicester as the champions of England, what a fairy-tale ending. A low-budget club surpassed the big hitters to clinch the title, goes on to show that big spending does not always give birth to trophies.
So many football lovers and pundits round the world celebrated with the Foxes for this ground breaking achievement, but we must admit that it is a big blow to the face of the elite teams, a low-budget club surpassed the big hitters to clinch the title, goes on to show that big spending does not always give birth to trophies. For a few consecutive years, the money has done the talking with little success to show for it.
Both Man City and Chelsea have splashed the cash since their respective takeovers by Sheikh Mansour and Roman Abramovich. City sit at the top of the spenders list, its current squad features big-money signings such as Kevin De Bruyne [£58m], Raheem Sterling [£44m] and Sergio Aguero (£38m], the club boasts an incredible £411m worth of players.
Man United come right behind, with the likes of Anthony Martial [£36m] and Juan Mata [£37.1] seeing their squad total £391.1m.
Let it go into the records that Leicester current squad totals just £52.8m. All praise to the mastermind Claudio Ranieri. The 64-year-old Italian coach became a league title winner for the first time in his career. 12 years after Roman Abramovich fired him.
After a managerial career in big teams like Chelsea, Valencia, Parma, Juventus, Roma, Inter Milan and Monaco, only now has Ranieri become a title winner. His name will be passed down in EPL folklore for his hostile takeover and as the mastermind of the greatest triumph in Premier League history.
The Foxes clearly had a passion, zeal and determination which money could not buy, just a few but key signings strengthened the Leicester side. Ranieri signed midfielder N’Golo Kanté to improve their countering efficiency; he was remarkable for his ability to execute interceptions and tackles more than any player in the Premier League this season.
Mahrez arrived in 2014 from Le Havre for €450,000, just a dime compared to the money spent on a few players by the elite teams, he went on to be named as the PFA player for this season.
Leicester will be presented with the EPL trophy after Saturdays clash with Everton, This team will never be forgotten, Schmeichel in goal; Simpson, Morgan, Huth and Fuchs at the defensive end; Mahrez, Drinkwater, Kanté and Albrighton in midfield; and Okazaki playing just behind Vardy up front. Let it go into the history books that they came, they saw and they conquered.
Thai billionaire and owner of the Leicester side, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha has boldly stated that his key players will not be sold.
Anthony Nlebem & Martins Noel
