NEVER BELIEVE IT’S IMPOSSIBLE
Ranieri offers hope to SPFL clubs after a week of more Euro despair
LONG before Wes Morgan hoisted the Premier League trophy into the evening air in May, Leicester City had figuratively opened the dictionary and put a red pen through the word impossible.
Deemed by the nation’s turf accountants as more unlikely than the discovery of the Loch Ness Monster or Sir Alex Ferguson winning Strictly Come Dancing, the joy emanating from a win for the ages was felt far beyond the boundaries of the small East Midlands city.
For fans of unfashionable clubs the world over, hope sprang eternal that one day the same heavenly fate might befall them.
For managers throughout the land desperately clinging to modest budgets as a viable excuse for underachievement, keeping one’s own counsel became the most prudent course of action.
And what of Scotland in 2016? A nation that seems to be scared of its own reflection in the mirror when it comes to the national game is surely also indirectly shamed by the Foxes’ refusal to bend a knee to anyone.
Even those domiciled on the dark side of the Moon these days appreciate the financial disparity that exists between the leading Scottish sides and teams from the upper echelons of England’s second tier.
Of course, money talks. But does that in any way excuse our club sides coming off second best to teams from Gibraltar, Luxembourg and Malta in recent weeks? Not a bit of it.
Leicester’s triumph may have owed much to the towering figure of Morgan and the telepathic understanding between Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy but its true strength was indomitable team spirit, a respect for opponents but a healthy appreciation of self-worth.
Were Claudio Ranieri of a mind to bottle his secret this week, he could have named his price from a nation currently looking for its old swagger down the back of the sofa.
‘I don’t know if we are an inspiration,’ said the Italian with typical modesty.
‘I know clubs like Chelsea and United and Liverpool who don’t arrive at the top, the next season they want to be there and the pressure is over there. We enjoy. We try to enjoy every match.
‘I hope Leicester can be a good example to a lot of people not only in sport but in their lives, because the dream can come true. It’s important to work hard. In my life always at first there is the idea, the dream, but after that you work hard to achieve.’
Determined to take a straight bat to the inevitable ‘Battle of Britain’ questions yesterday — (I’m Italian!) — Ranieri still expects a rigorous test of his side’s credentials this afternoon.
Notwithstanding the fact that Brendan Rodgers’ men are three weeks ahead of his side in terms of their preparations, Andy King and Vardy won’t meet up with the English champions until they fly to Los Angeles next week.
‘It is of course a good test,’ said the 64-year-old. ‘Celtic are ahead of us, they’ve already played some Champions League games.
‘It is very good for us to increase our fitness, stamina. It will be a very important match for us also to bring more experience.
‘Not all of our players are internationals or very experienced.
‘We have 20-22 players. We play tomorrow, then in Los Angeles against Paris St Germain and then Stockholm (against Barcelona).’
Inevitably, there are now toasting absent friends. Vardy may have spurned Arsenal’s advances but N’Golo Kante is now a Chelsea player, while Steve Walsh — the man whose eagle eye identified so many talents — is now director of football at Everton.
It seems even the prospect of an inaugural Champions League campaign has been unable to spin out the fairytale for a while yet. ‘All I can say from the inside is that all are working hard and are a good solid unit,’ said skipper Morgan.
‘We’re sad to see players and staff depart but we’re professionals and we know what our jobs are. We’ll keep looking forward. We just want to go out there and prove what we can do.
‘I don’t see why it will have a destabilising effect. We’ve got new additions to our team so, if anything, we should be stronger.’
Predictably, even the departure of two key components of last year’s success wasn’t going to take the light from the affable Italian’s eyes.
‘Yes but the benefit is for everybody,’ Ranieri smiled. ‘N’Golo made a fantastic season and Chelsea paid a lot of money.
‘Steve did a fantastic job and now he goes to Everton, and now we continue to play and continue to try to build what the chairman told me one year ago: “Build, slowly slowly, a team to try to achieve the European Cup, to try to reach the Champions League” — and within one year we made everything!
‘But now it’s important to clean up everything and restart the building.”
Given the fevered speculation surrounding so many of his players, Celtic’s plight in terms of qualification for this year’s Championship League proper is scarcely at the top of Ranieri’s list of priorities.
Nonetheless, as a figurehead for the ultimate underdog, the man who once came close to taking over at Hearts would be gladdened to see the side he will face today joining Leicester in the group stages.
‘If somebody tomorrow wants to compare English football with Scottish football, then they are making a mistake because it is not true,’ he said.
‘That is due to our different preparations so far. It is better to see Celtic play in the Champions League. Then it is a true match and you can compare in this way.’
What Rodgers would give for a
“I’m hoping that Leicester can be good example”
first competitive meeting with the Italian before Christmas. Axed by Liverpool in October just as Ranieri was beginning to work his magic in the East Midlands, the pair were denied the chance to pit their wits against each other. Yet the Italian’s admiration for the Irishman is clear.
‘I think Brendan is a fantastic manager,’ he added. ‘He was very close to winning the title and was unlucky.
‘I wasn’t surprised that he came up to Scotland. Football is the same in every country.
‘I don’t know if he could have been a good England manager. I’m just thinking of Leicester.’
As hyped as today’s encounter has inevitably been, there will be no sleepless nights from either party as to the outcome.
‘I expect a very good match because Celtic will want to beat the Champions of the Premier League,’ Ranieri said.
‘We aren’t ready but we will try to do our best of course. Foxes never give up and never quit.’