Leicester are Champions. (Pic: CaughtOffside)
Eden Hazard, who decided where the Barclays Premier League trophy stayed last year, did it again in a truly gorgeous fashion. He did it, not for Chelsea, but for the side who escaped relegation last season: Leicester City. Leicester City are Champions of England for the first time in their 132-year history! Unbelievable, absolutely unbelievable!
Fortune, really does, favour the brave. We still eulogise about David defeating Goliath. This triumph, is your modern-day David and Goliath. It has all the makings of the classic underdog fairytale. Everton frontman Romelu Lukaku costs more than this side (£25m), (Leicester City £21m). Most of the players were written off, also their manager. The tinker-man, Italian Claudio Ranieri, a former Chelsea manager, was booted out of the door by Russian Oligarch Roman Abramovich. This same man and his players will be welcome in two weeks' time at Stamford Bridge with the illustrious guard of honour. Talk about the irony. He had to wait for 28 years to know what it means to win a trophy. He was at famous clubs, with huge transfer budgets compared to his current side like Roma, Chelsea, AS Monaco, Valencia, and he never won it there! PFA Player of the Year Riyad Mahrez, was a reserve at French strugglers Le Havre, Football Writers Footballer of the Year Jamie Vardy was playing non-league football at Stockbridge few years ago. N'Golo Kantè, was probably never heard of until this season. The same goes for Danny Drinkwater, Danny Simpson, Christian Füchs, who were all deemed 'finished' by their clubs (Manchester United and Schalke respectively). Bookmakers never even gave them a hair's breadth of a chance: 5000-1!
Tinker Man Claudio Ranieri finally wins a league title (Pic: Express)
To win any league, is no mean feat. Maybe the superpowers didn't have their gear on the season; the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool. It doesn't really matter in truth. Leicester City lost only three games out of a possible 38. That stat, in its entirety, is mind-boggling. For a side, who had a near-relegation experience last season, to come and punch really above their weight, and still be victorious, is truly truly special.
The Barclays Premier League, is the best league in the world. This season has shown us that anyone, just anyone, can win a title. Everyone has a challenge, more money has come into the Premier League as owners with large pockets look to reap immense rewards as we have seen and are still seeing with Thai owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha. Another revelation is Tottenham Hotspur who normally finish outside the top-four are now guaranteed passage into Europe's elite competition, the UEFA Champions League, next season. The beauty of a league and this sport which is so unpredictable, is when anyone, I mean anyone, does something like this. This achievement by Leicester City defies description. They have won the league with two games to spare, they were top at Christmas! This is so surprising considering their squad. They haven't got any superb player really. They are just a side who stick together and get stuck in for the cause. A side drilled on winning possession so quickly and blitzing on the counter attack.
I am sure you'll never ever see something like this again. Last time England witnessed anything like this, was in 1978, when Nottingham Forest, swept everyone aside. The Bible goes, 'give honour to whom honour is due.' Take a bow, Leicester City, you are truly fantastic. Claudio Ranieri, a charming man, has shown us fortune really does fortune the brave.
Stand up for the Champions (Pic: Leicestermecury)
I cannot wait for next season, with the likes of Pep Guardiola, Jürgen Klopp, Antonio Conte, and with rumours suggesting the Special one, Jose Mourinho all coaching clubs come August. It's going to be a fair old rumble, and neutrals will be licking their lips at the prospects of that unfunfolding.
Fowora Ayotomiwa
@El_Fowora
Post a Comment