Shearer Says: “What Leicester have achieved is the biggest story I have ever seen in all my time in sport.”
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Leicester triumph the biggest and best sporting story ever
What Leicester have achieved this season is incredible. When you consider who they had to take on in Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham and the vast sums of money these clubs have spent on players and managers, it’s just one hell of a story. It’s certainly the biggest and best story I have ever seen in all my time in sport.
I’ve heard comparisons to when we won it with Blackburn. Yes, they are a similar size club to Leicester but the big difference is, everyone knew we were in the hunt because we had finished second the season before. Nobody could stop us. With Leicester, nobody could see it coming. As I have said many of times this season on Match of the Day, if any pundit at the start of the season had said “I fancy Leicester for the title”, they would not have been paid again or be allowed to be a pundit because it sounded that ridiculous!
13 months ago Leicester were bottom of the Premier League so it is easy to see why they were 5000/1 shots at the start of this season. Ranieri came in and many people ridiculed the appointment. He was one of the favourites for the sack. When you put all that into perspective, you have the most surprising story in English football history.
Title rivals should be embarrassed as so-called rejects get the job done
The win which impressed me the most this season was their 3-1 victory away to Manchester City. That was the game that made everyone sit up and realise they were not going to go away. I’ve been in that position that Leicester were in, at the top of the table for so long, a position you have never been in before. People are constantly asking you the same questions. I’d be a liar if I said we did not get nervous at Blackburn. These guys though have shown no sign of nerves whatsoever. The more people have asked questions and expected them to fade away, the more they have done the opposite.
It must be really embarrassing for the big clubs in the league. Arsenal have tried for so long to win the title, Manchester City have spent a fortune over the last couple of years, as have Manchester United. For a lot of these Leicester players, they have all been rejected at some stage of their careers. They have now just stuck two fingers up to everyone who has rejected them.
Claudio Ranieri deserves so much credit for perfect campaign
Ranieri has believed in his players throughout the season. Most seasons in the Premier League, managers get involved in mind games and have pops at other managers and teams, Ranieri has done none of that though. He’s not moaned about decisions when they have gone against Leicester, he’s been the perfect professional and the way he has tried to take the pressure off his players has been admirable.
This result should give inspiration to every club playing in the Premier League next season as they have proved that anything is possible. On the flip side, the expectation from owners and chief executives will have gone up a notch. It also gives inspiration to every footballer who has been rejected by a football club before as if you get your head down and work hard, you can still be successful.
Lineker pants promise not so much of a Match of the Day Birthday treat!
I cannot wait for the first Match of the Day of next season where Gary Lineker is going to be wearing just his underpants for the show. He was up at 7 o’clock this morning pumping iron in preparation for it. He obviously wants to get himself in the best possible shape. I bet he regrets actually saying it now. It all comes from a tweet he put out back in December where he said he would present the opening show of next season in just his undies. He obviously did not expect them to remain at the top of the table.
It could have been a lot worse I guess because nobody expected them to do it at that stage. He won’t think this but, he might have got off lightly with the undies!
It’s actually my birthday on that opening Saturday and I cannot think of anything worse than having to sit with Gary who is just going to be wearing his kecks. Aren’t I lucky?!
Who knows what style he’ll choose to wear come the night but one thing is for sure, they’ll be blue and white and there’ll be a huge audience watching!
