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PREVIEW INDEX.
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Match Preview: City v Watford
12.2.00
Premier League
We Walk The Line
Peter Gilbert. 8.2.00
It's hard to put your finger on the success that Leicester City
have achieved over the last few years but if I was to hazard
a guess I would say it's down to two things: i) Martin O'Neill
has made sure with his signings that he 'knows the man' as well
as the player. Very few have gone wrong, or failed to live up
to expectations or hopes. ii) Once signed a positive team ethic
is instilled into each and every player with great emphasis being
placed on the idea that 'one is weak - many is strong.' Leicester
City players surround any given situation, you just watch them.
There are also no stars.
These two major points make it quite incredulous that MON should
want to sign Stan Collymore; but let's give him a chance if he
does sign, remember Martin's judgement is rarely wrong. I never
doubt my wife's judgement on a similar principle, after all look
who she decided to marry.
Finally Leicester City appear to take nothing for granted, and
of course they never give in. They don't take for granted that
Chelsea or Arsenal are going to beat them , neither do they simply
expect to beat the likes of Hereford or Fulham which goes a long
way to ensuring that they win out in the end, even if it takes
extra time or penalties. They have a gritty resolve, that is
very hard to crack.
You can bet your bottom dollar that Leicester won't be 'expecting'
to beat Watford, neither will they be wishing or hoping but they
will be trying. There's a fine line between success and failure
and we walk the line.
Newly promoted Watford (via the play offs, oh how I miss them)
are performing very poorly, but their manager Graham Taylor is
refusing to panic. He has not rushed out with his cheque book
courtesy of Elton John, and got the club into potentially disastrous
debt. He has stuck to his guns, the captain will go down with
the ship I fear as surely as The Captain went down with the Titanic
while the music played.
There is something likeable about Graham Taylor, he's logical
and he answers questions in a straight way that is refreshing.
However it would appear that his team is doomed, and we can't
expect, hope or wish for three points but we know they're there
for the taking and whoever steps out on to the Vicarage Road
turf will be giving their all.
I for one expect, hope and wish the same of Stan Collymore should
he be a City player by then. Potentially this is a very attractive
fixture all of a sudden whereas a month ago it suggested just
the opposite. Once again it will be more than interesting to
see who makes the team and why.
Did You know?
1. Watford started life in 1881 as Watford Rovers after a brief
spell as West Herts the club changed it's name in 1898.
2. They have never won the League Championship, but they finished
second in the old first division in 1982/83 which is a quite
phenomenal achievement for such a small club, that was of course
back in the John Barnes days.
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