It is really amazing, especially in this day and age. I think there was something of a perfect storm going on this season. Leicester had a great run at the end of last season and I think Pearson had created a good team spirit which I think Ranieri only developed further. They got a good momentum going and I think once they got going they just kept going.
I was talking to a friend who's a Villa fan last week and I think there were some games last October/November which actually defined Leicester's season, specifically their game against Villa when they came back from 2 goals down. In fact I think there were a few games after that when they did the same thing and I think they got this feeling like they couldn't lose, as if they could always come back. Luck doesn't play much of a part over the course of a season but confidence is key. Winning is contagious and so is losing (and that game might have been the one that knocked any fight out of Villa conversely). The same applies to Vardy's goal scoring record (which I think actually kept the focus off the rest of the Leicester team and kept them relaxed initially).
Throw in not having any major injuries and you have to factor in how rubbish so many of the big teams have been, especially Chelsea but also both Manchester teams, plus Liverpool and of course Arsenal--I've long defended the guy but Wenger really has shot his bolt, if ever Arsenal were going to win the league under him again this was the season to do it.)
You can't take anything away from Leicester though, they're the best team over the course of the season, and even managed to see off a very strong showing from Spurs as well. It really is proper Roy of the Rovers stuff.
As a Derby fan who works in Leicester and lives in Nottingham I'm really glad for them, but also know LCFC fans are going to be insufferable from now on so next season I'll be back to hating them as local rivals!
I wouldn't bet on any 5000-1 shots next season, I'm almost certain that normal service will be resumed so I'd put money on Man City/Chelsea, though I hope Spurs have another tilt at the title next season. I hope I'm wrong, and maybe a team like Southampton or West Ham could 'do a Leicester' especially given the new Sky contract meaning even small teams can afford much better plays these days.
As for Leicester. I'm half tempted to bet on them getting relegated next season, if only because Europe can be a hell of a distraction for teams that don't have the infrastructure to handle it. On the one hand if you don't bulk your squad out injuries will take their toll, but on the other spending money on lots of new players when you might have a very limited run in Europe can leave you with a bloated/expensive squad and morale problems. Take a look at Hull a couple of years ago. Or go back further to Leeds and before them Ipswich.
Smaller teams who have a great season rarely follow it up with another great season. Then again no small club in recent times has had a season quite like Leicester's so who knows...maybe this time next year they'll be on the verge of celebrating a quadruple
I was talking to a friend who's a Villa fan last week and I think there were some games last October/November which actually defined Leicester's season, specifically their game against Villa when they came back from 2 goals down. In fact I think there were a few games after that when they did the same thing and I think they got this feeling like they couldn't lose, as if they could always come back. Luck doesn't play much of a part over the course of a season but confidence is key. Winning is contagious and so is losing (and that game might have been the one that knocked any fight out of Villa conversely). The same applies to Vardy's goal scoring record (which I think actually kept the focus off the rest of the Leicester team and kept them relaxed initially).
Throw in not having any major injuries and you have to factor in how rubbish so many of the big teams have been, especially Chelsea but also both Manchester teams, plus Liverpool and of course Arsenal--I've long defended the guy but Wenger really has shot his bolt, if ever Arsenal were going to win the league under him again this was the season to do it.)
You can't take anything away from Leicester though, they're the best team over the course of the season, and even managed to see off a very strong showing from Spurs as well. It really is proper Roy of the Rovers stuff.
As a Derby fan who works in Leicester and lives in Nottingham I'm really glad for them, but also know LCFC fans are going to be insufferable from now on so next season I'll be back to hating them as local rivals!
I wouldn't bet on any 5000-1 shots next season, I'm almost certain that normal service will be resumed so I'd put money on Man City/Chelsea, though I hope Spurs have another tilt at the title next season. I hope I'm wrong, and maybe a team like Southampton or West Ham could 'do a Leicester' especially given the new Sky contract meaning even small teams can afford much better plays these days.
As for Leicester. I'm half tempted to bet on them getting relegated next season, if only because Europe can be a hell of a distraction for teams that don't have the infrastructure to handle it. On the one hand if you don't bulk your squad out injuries will take their toll, but on the other spending money on lots of new players when you might have a very limited run in Europe can leave you with a bloated/expensive squad and morale problems. Take a look at Hull a couple of years ago. Or go back further to Leeds and before them Ipswich.
Smaller teams who have a great season rarely follow it up with another great season. Then again no small club in recent times has had a season quite like Leicester's so who knows...maybe this time next year they'll be on the verge of celebrating a quadruple
