04 May 2026 20:58:00
The injury to Jesse Derry was sickening and my thoughts are with him and let's hope he makes a full recovery. Fair play to the Forest fans for clapping him off, really appreciated. Jesse was superb up to that moment and, for me, deserves that left wing spot in the Cup Final and going forward. Brilliant goal by Joao Pedro as well for his 20th of the season. The rest is not worth talking about, but me and my mates were totally unanimous that had Maresca stayed (no need to discuss why he left, did he walk out, was he forced out, or whatever, as that has been done to death), we would be comfortable in a top 4 spot right now and the majority of our squad would be staying next season.
Small margins but Maresca leaving has totally destroyed our season.
04 May 2026 21:46:40
Greenaway. I repeat, I didn’t want him to go, but it’s pretty obvious that the club had little alternative but to let him go.
From what I know, and just on this particular subject, I totally blame Maresca for this particular situation.
I also blame the owners for putting in place a structure with what looks like no accountability. They seriously need to look at themselves when it comes to the promised end of season internal review.
04 May 2026 22:00:21
Why did the club have little alternative to let him go, Tom? All he did was point out to the sporting directors that their project was wrong, and he wanted to steer the ship. Egghead backed the sporting directors, and that led to Maresca leaving and us ending up in this mess.
I admire your love for the owners and sporting directors, mate, but I will have to disagree with you.
If Maresca had stayed in charge, we would be top 4 now.
My opinion only, and this is a great banter site where all opinions are welcome, so respect, dude.
04 May 2026 22:09:52
Greenaway,
Maybe if Maresca had concentrated on the club that was paying his salary rather than talking to City and then playing everything out in the media instead of keeping it in house, he would have still been at the club.
And I do not have a love in with the SD's and owners, far from it.
04 May 2026 22:14:25
Greenaway, he was having secret meetings with City while under contract. If Maresca had behaved professionally we may well be I a Champions League spot. He didn't, he behaved in my opinion like a complete ar@e hole
Also and I am getting bored with repeating myself, I have NO love for the owners. I did not want them as our owners and I do not like funds as owners. I will applaud there success as business men and when I think they have got things right with there Chelsea ownership.
Unlike some I am not an all in hater of our SD's mainly because the responsibility for some of there failings is in my opinion again down to the owners. From the outside they have put together five bloke with no person having accountability.
05 May 2026 03:41:39
I should add that prior to finding out about his secret City meetings, I didn't want Maresca to leave.
05 May 2026 08:17:33
Tom, I'm sure the full story around Maresca leaving will come out in due course, but my whole point around his departure is aimed at Egghead and Blue.co. They could and should have backed Maresca instead of Lawrence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, and then Maresca may well have stayed. We may well have got those missing ingredients, an experienced centre back and midfielder, and may well now have happy players in a top 4 position.
The same thing happened with Poch as well.
Bill, you wanted Maresca out from the day he joined the club, and well before he actually left, often calling him "Leicester Maresca", so your wish came true.
05 May 2026 08:53:26
Greenaway,
I wanted him gone, but would have given him to the end of the season. That being said, he wanted out of our club more than I wanted him out, but hey ho.
05 May 2026 09:01:42
Greenaway, I have no idea when Maresca decided to have secret meetings with City. It could have been before or after any supposed disagreement with the SDs.
He fully understood (as did Poch) the part the SDs have in player recruitment, and while their input, I assume, is welcomed, it is the SDs who appear to have the final say.
To me, all that is almost irrelevant. He spoke (secretly) to a Premiership rival while under contract to CFC.
He had a control function at the club and no doubt had a "duty" under the terms and conditions of his contract to do his best for CFC at all times.
His behaviour was a disgrace, and in my opinion he deserved the sack for gross misconduct.
My guess is that agents for players and managers talk to other clubs about their respective clients being unhappy. As far as I understand, that is allowed (shame), but a person, player or manager should never talk to any opponent team directly.
05 May 2026 09:28:11
Tom, all of this is hypothetical, as neither of us know the facts. My understanding is Maresca was very happy in his role following the conclusion of last season; he had a very settled squad and had delivered Champions League football and 2 trophies. Whilst being nowhere near elite level, he was seen as a very good up and coming coach who was showing signs of very astute tactical nous and his reputation was growing.
Yes, he (and Poch before him) knew the terms of the role but felt it needed challenging, just as many of us on this site do, and he asked the sporting directors for a centre back who had experience and could play out from the back when Colwill got injured. He also asked for an experienced central midfielder due to Lavia's injuries, but got knocked back. As I understand it, that is where the tension with Winstanley and Stewart started, as he felt the club didn't match his ambition.
This is where Egghead and Blue.co should have stepped in, but they chose to follow their blueprint and back the sporting directors. The relationship then deteriorated as the season progressed, and the writing was on the wall. The sporting directors winning out, and Maresca looking after his own interests, and, quite frankly, who can blame him?
I repeat, I think Egghead and Blue.co needed to back Maresca and clear out the sporting directors, but they didn't, and fundamentally that is my gripe. I fully understand you don't agree with me, and that is what makes this such a good banter page, and every one of us has an opinion, and we are all very probably wide of the mark.
05 May 2026 09:43:30
Greenaway, you are correct, we do not know the order of events, but my point remains. Maresca spoke directly and secretly with a Premiership opponent.
He could have asked for the club's permission, or, as I understand the process, his agent could have discussed his client's unhappiness. He didn't do either. In my opinion, he was in breach of his contract and should have been sacked.
I did not reach this conclusion lightly, as I wanted him to remain as our manager, but when the secret meeting was mentioned, I think by Es, I have no further interest in the man.
Let's see if and when he is appointed as City manager, and if he comes in for any of our players.
05 May 2026 11:00:30
Only time will tell, Tom, but the bottom line was Egghead and Blue.co had a choice to make, not once but twice, and he chose the wrong path in my opinion, and I respect your opinion for believing he made the right call. Banter at its best.
05 May 2026 12:14:20
No, the "bottom line" is he chose to have a secret meeting with a Premiership opponent.
05 May 2026 14:41:55
Tom, you are entitled to your opinion, I'm entitled to mine. I called the bottom line, you called the bottom line. It is a debate and all opinions must surely be welcome.
05 May 2026 17:50:51
Without doubt.