What now for Leicester City?

Peter Taylor is sacked as manager of Leicester City after the team slump to bottom of the Premiership.

Who's in the shake-up to succeed him and where does Peter Taylor go from here?

It was duly expected and finally confirmed - Peter Taylor is packing his bags at Filbert Street.

The former England under-21 manager's star was rising after bridging the gap as national coach between Keegan and Eriksson.

But the man who had to follow in Martin O'Neill's footsteps has suffered a poor start to the season, with Leicester now lurking at the bottom of the Premiership.

Ex Hammers boss, Harry Redknapp is to hold talks with the club and Taylor has said he is ready to offer his services to England in the short term.

What now for Leicester? Who's in the frame to take his place?

And where will Taylor's career go now?

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Taylor had plenty of time to make a difference at Leicester - he made some shockingly poor buys and deserves his fate. I'm looking forward to some fresh blood in the Leicester manager spot.
Carolyne Whitehill, England

Time alone will tell if Taylor's sacking was a good or bad thing for the club. Personally, I feel that there was just that little something lacking in the Taylor/Leicester partnership. Harry Redknapp, I think, is the ideal replacement. He'll get the players onside straight away and he seems to get teams to really work for him in much the same way O'Neill did. All they need is a bit more of that 'Foxes never quit' attitude that Taylor seemed to have taken away from them.
Ollie, Corby, Northants

I think Leicester were daft to let Peter Taylor go. He is a very clever manager, so what if he had a bad start to the season? I blame this bad start on the players. Over all they haven't performed well recently and I think Robbie Savage hasn't helped team moral with his dirty diving tactics. Good luck to Peter Taylor in the future and good look to Leicester in Div 1!
Darrel Milner, England

The writing was on the wall for Taylor after the Wycombe game last year. He lost the confidence of the players and more importantly the fans. He was unlucky to follow the best manager Leicester has ever had in O'Neill, but it was not an impossible job. Leicester need an experienced head to get them out of this mess and only Harry Redknapp or George Graham looks fit to do the job. Perhaps Alex Ferguson's successor will take heed from this episode?
Chris, UK

Leicester should have given Peter Taylor more time to change things around

Simon Maycox, Merseyside, England

As one of the few Leicester season ticket holders not to give Taylor constant stick at this year's home games, I am disappointed but unsurprised at his dismissal. Whatever the atmosphere in the dressing room, some of the senior players should take a good look at themselves and put right what they have failed to do since that incredulous day in the FA Cup quarter final against Wycombe. Good luck to Peter, I have a feeling that this decision could come back to haunt us...
Wayne Baxter, Northampton, England

Leicester should have given Peter Taylor more time to change things around. Taylor is not a bad boss, as his record for the under 21's proves. He has been unfortunate with the injuries the team have suffered and the fans of Leicester should only lambaste new players when they have settled and are in a settled team, not one that is constantly changing through injuries.

My own team, Everton, had bad luck with injuries last year but this year with a more settled team they look completely different. This is without too many players coming in although we have lost some of our prized assets.

Taylor will bounce back and be better for it and with a touch of irony Leicester may regret it unless they appoint another manager who was treated appallingly and that is Harry Redknapp.
Simon Maycox, Merseyside, England

Replacing O'Neill - a Wycombe fan's view. Not an easy act to follow as we Wycombe fans know from bitter experience. Leicester may not have given Peter Taylor long enough, however, they must be sure to get the right man for the job. Soon after Martin left Wycombe, the board hired Alan "I'm bigger than this club" Smith who systematically tore apart a hugely successful team and nearly sent us back to the Conference.

Now, thankfully, we have another manager made from the same mould as O'Neill. Any manager who is passionate enough to occasionally over step the mark and get into "hot water" with the authorities is the kind of manager who gets results. All I can say is good luck Leicester, hard luck Peter, but hands off Sanchez!
Simon Rumble, England

I am so relieved that Elsom has finally done the decent thing and put us all out of our misery. Not only have we taken a pathetic eight points from a possible 57 in the last 19 games, he will forever be remembered for the unbelievable 5-0 capitulation at home to Bolton. That game has already passed into City legend as the most inept, spineless and downright dreadful display ever seen in LCFC history, and that is saying something. Just like Brian Kidd and Gordon Strachan before him, Taylor has proved that there is a world of difference between being a top class coach and a top class manager.
Andre Toulon, UK

I believe George Graham to be the best man for the job

Nola Ferdinand, London, UK

Although I do feel the decision vindicated, I applaud Peter Taylor for the manner in which he conducted himself during his time in charge. It would have been all too easy to have played the safe option and stuck rigidly to O'Neill's 3-5-2, but this was his Leicester team, and that¿s what he wanted to prove. The loss of Neil Lennon was no doubt the catalyst for what was to follow. However, although further criticism was poured upon Taylor for not finding an adequate replacement, the question has to be asked as to how on earth you go about replacing one of the best defensive ball-winners in European football.

There can be no doubting the fact that Taylor was highly unlucky with injuries and a little naive in his quest for lower league 'gems', but he is an honourable man and will return stronger for this. As for his replacement, I personally would like to see either George Graham or Dave Jones approached, but I see it being difficult to attract either given our current plight. We lost a great manager the day Martin O'Neill left for Celtic, and in Taylor we lost a great coach. That's the difference.
James Power, UK

It seems all those 'reeling' from Taylor's sacking have read the articles about him and decided he has 'a proven record' as a manager. Well he doesn't. He certainly seems to have potential but that alone is no reason to let someone relegate you. How anyone can say he has been harshly treated is beyond me. He meant well but simply had no answer to the downward turn we took and the signings he made seem like a rather bad (and expensive) joke.

There was a time when a new signing was an occasion in itself and he was expected (and often did) perform. During Taylor's reign they were falling out of the sky with minimal impact. The team has lost its character, its pride and its belief. Before we lose our Premiership status I ask if there are any better reasons for seeking a new, improved manager.
matt sheldon, Japan

I believe George Graham to be the best man for the job. He has a proven track record and the ability to motivate. This sacking will not damage Peter Taylor's career - it will only make him stronger. I don't think he'll have a problem finding a new job. Glenn Hoddle has made it quite clear that someone with his coaching abilities would be more than welcome at Tottenham. Peter Taylor should now concentrate on coaching for a while rather than management. When he is ready to go back into management, he'd be much better off starting small.
Nola Ferdinand, London, UK

Ask yourself which Leicester players would you want your club to buy?

Ian Griff, UK

George Graham, Harry Redknapp, Joe Royle, it will not really matter who Leicester get next. None can achieve without the spending power that will encourage players to remain at the club. This has not happened. As for technical nous (Matt, UK, earlier), where is the evidence? Taylor has barely won a game in the last 20, form that would see them relegated from the division but for the fact that the season ended when it did!!
Ian, New Zealand

Peter Taylor had to go. His own big buys condemned him to his fate. Wise looks like he's a 34-year-old winding down, and Benjamin and Akinbyi, both bought by Taylor for big money, can't get in the team.

Ask yourself which Leicester players would you want your club to buy? After Izzet and possibly Walker there's no others who would improve a Premiership squad. Leicester - already with some of the smallest crowds in the division - are going to get even less in that spanking new stadium next season.
Ian Griff, UK

Why sack Peter Taylor when their are no better alternatives? He is a fantastic coach, and time last year was being spoken of as the next England manager!
Russell Ford, UK

The sacking of Peter Taylor was inevitable. Whilst clearly a decent man and respected coach, he had lost all ability to motivate his players. His tactical acumen - which was so evident when we thrashed Leeds in the Autumn last year - slowly but surely dissolved, and we have been switching between 4-4-2 and 5-3-2 on an almost weekly basis.

In the six months since Christmas he killed off seven years worth of fighting spirit for which Leicester were rightly feared. Added to this, his excuses, like "buying for the future," have been getting weaker and weaker. Players like Cottee and Walsh were released and Guppy was frozen out for 12 months before his eventual transfer. The harsh fact is that Peter Taylor spent more than double the amount of money that Martin O'Neill did in a quarter of the time.

Clubs need to show patience with managers and not just dismiss them as soon as results go awry

Liam Herringshaw, England

Comparing the impact of purchases such as Izzett, Lennon, Guppy, Claridge, Elliott, Savage and Taggart with those of Akinbiyi, Benjamin, Davidson, Marshall, Cresswell, Lewis and Wise tells its own tale. The only solution to ensure Premiership survival is George Graham - it won't be pretty but it will be effective. Failure to stay in the top flight, combined with the cost of the new stadium and to the effects of lost revenue through lower gate receipts equals Sheffield Wednesday. Graham is a price worth paying - Redknapp is a disaster waiting to happen.
Ben Fletcher, UK

Leicester don't look like a very appealing club to be honest. West Ham had trouble appointing a big name manager at an attractive London club with money to spend, so exactly what a Leicester side with a small stadium, no real resources and no decent players are going to do to entice a new manager I don't know. It could well be another inside job like Southampton and West Ham before.
Freddy Fletcher, England

Harry Redknapp? No thanks. Last season, with a squad of Cole, Lampard, Carrick, Di Canio, Kanoute etc he just barely managed to keep West Ham in the division. I dread to think what he would do with Benjamin, Akinbyi, Wise, Scowcroft and Junior Lewis. Personally, I feel the man for the job has to be George Graham, he can bring the stability Leicester need!
Ben Nelson, England

How long does a manager get to establish himself these days? Peter Taylor was appointed by the Leicester board who clearly thought he was a bright prospect for a long and successful future with the club, and the week before the disastrous Wycombe game we had beaten Liverpool 2-0 and were second in the table. Taylor was being touted as better than Martin O'Neill, the best young manager in the Premiership, etc. Now, less than six months later, he is deemed an abject failure. He made some poor buys, admittedly, but clubs need to show patience with managers and not just dismiss them as soon as results go awry.
Liam Herringshaw, England

Taylor inherited the complete newspaper from Martin O'Neill and left us with something not fit to wrap the chips in

John Harrison, Leicester, England

I'm not surprised. Taylor's "success" at Leicester was due to the inheritance he received from Martin O'Neill. I hope he plays no further part in the England set-up either - he doesn't have the credentials (a bit like his namesake Graham, who was appointed England manager after one single successful season with Villa). A single season's success with Gillingham hardly rates as a qualification for an international management, and I can't see where his great reputation has come from. Unlucky Pete, stick in the lower leagues where you might have more joy again!
David Watts, England

So Peter Taylor is the first managerial casualty of the season, with terrible away form dating back from last season and dubious transfers to blame. When Alex Ferguson took over Man Utd in 1986 he spent colossal money on players like Mal Donagy, Jim Leighton and Mike Phelan. At one point in the 1988/89 season United were beaten at home by Coventry City, lost 5-1 away to Man City and lay third from bottom in the First Division. It took him four years to win his first trophy.

I believe that by today's fickle standards Ferguson would not have survived given the ease with which chairmen and boards conspire to rid the team of the manager at a run of poor results. Continuity is the key to success, look at Sunderland who have stuck by Peter Reid and are duly rewarded, I for one think that Peter Taylor has every right to feel hard done by, lets hope the International team make full use of his excellent capabilities.
Richard Burnell, England

Let's hope the chairmen of Derby, West Ham, Ipswich, Southampton, Fulham and Middlesbrough, who are only doing as good or marginally better, don't have the same idea as Elsom. A win last week would have put Leicester in the middle of the table!
Dave Lanman, Houston TX

Fans and players are to blame, not Taylor

Simon Jackson, UK

I totally concur with Stuart Marriot. I went to watch the reserves last night, we lost 5-2 to Fulham. The club is sick from top to bottom. Taylor inherited the complete newspaper from Martin O'Neill and left us with something not fit to wrap the chips in. Plus he has spent all the money for virtually nothing. Akinbiyi was even an poor against second team opposition, and Lewis is so bad it's hard to describe. Whoever gets the job needs immense motivational skills. It must be George Graham to organise and get the most out of a poor bunch.
John Harrison, Leicester, England

I hope that Leicester go down after sacking a good coach like Peter Taylor. Can Leicester fans not see that their recent run of results is more to do with the dross that appears on the pitch week in and week out than with bad coaching? Your so called hero¿s, Savage and Izzet, wouldn't get into any other team in the Premier League apart from Boro, yet you slate your better players such as Akinbiyi. Fans and players are to blame, not Taylor.
Simon Jackson, UK

Taylor may well have been a good coach but that is simply not good enough for a club like Leicester who have always had to buy players on a budget. The new stadium has been seen as a cure all, but is only exacerbating an already dire financial situation. Harry Redknapp could be the answer as he has an eye for reasonably priced quality players, but there will be limited funds after Taylor's £25m spending spree. Added to which, there are few players he could currently sell with the long injury list. I think Redknapp would see this as too risky a move, although I expect George Graham would jump at the chance to resurrect a flagging management career.
Rob Docherty, England

Whilst is was obvious that Taylor was a good coach, sometimes the "chemistry" just isn't right. He just didn't have the knack for buying players - or making silk purses out of pigs ears in the way that O'Neill did. Let's have George and not 'Arry - we need a bit of steel.
Pete Thirlby, UK

The co-management of Leicester and England was a major mistake

Richard Warriner, Bedfordshire

Time will tell if Peter Taylor's sacking is the right decision. For in time, the injured players will be fit again; the sports press will have found another victim to hound out of a job (at this rate Stuart Gray and Glenn Roeder surely won't be far behind Taylor); and the Leicester Board won't feel pressure to sack the replacement manager because Leicester will be winning matches again. The sacking will be vindicated and we'll all be convinced that Peter Taylor was just a lousy manager.

But while everybody is patting themselves on the back, Peter Taylor - an honest, inspiring and passionate professional will be building a squad elsewhere that will put Leicester Football Club's weakness and faithlessness to shame. He was not given a reasonable opportunity to do his job and will yet prove himself a more than capable Premiership manager. I wish him all the best and I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that Leicester, a side to be admired and respected under Taylor and Martin O'Neill, will end up playing Nationwide football next season.
Terry McFadden, England

Thank goodness that Peter Taylor is no longer manager of Leicester. His purchases (apart from Jones and Rowett) have been dreadful. Junior Lewis and Adi Akinbiyi are definitely not Premiership standard and there are severe doubts about Benjamin, Marshall, Royce and Wise. To the board of Leicester City: Please bring in George Graham at all costs - let's get a manager who knows how to organise a team effectively.
Stuart Marriott, Leicester, England

Taylor took over a side that had had four consecutive top ten finishes, reached three cup finals and qualified for Europe twice. He has spent £25million, signed and sold over 30 players and 15 months later we are bottom of the league. Peter Taylor can't argue with his sacking and anyone of his apologists on Fleet Street has to look at the facts before they talk of reputations and patience. Another fact for you: 8 points from the last 19 Premiership games.
Danny Myers, UK

No matter who the manager is you can't have a winning team with no cash for decent players

Matt, UK

I am sorry to see Peter go but it had to be done. In my opinion the co-management of Leicester and England was a major mistake. At a time when Leicester were already struggling, his mind should have been 100% on Leicester.
Richard Warriner, Bedfordshire

What is going on at Leicester? Players leaving through a seemingly revolving door, new ground sucking the cash away from much needed playing staff AND pretensions of being a European contender? Come on Elsom wake up! No matter who the manager is you can't have a winning team with no cash for decent players and with constant behind the scenes power struggles. It's no wonder players such as Lennon want to leave.

For what it's worth, I think Taylor has been done a disservice, he clearly has the technical nous to achieve at the highest level. But starved of resources, with an entire team on the physio's bench and forced to play youngsters way before they are ready, it was only a matter of time.
Matt, UK

This mistake to sack Peter Taylor will come back to haunt Leicester. Kentish as I am, I am grateful to Taylor for presiding over Gillingham's most successful period in 100 years of football. He is extremely competent, hence his England role. He has a great future. Good luck, Pete!
Chris, UK

Harry Redknapp is the ideal bloke to replace Peter Taylor. After all, he bought some quality players with the £18 million that West Ham got for Rio Ferdinand didn't he? He also made the most of a squad containing players like Cole, Lampard and Di Canio. And West Ham finished high up in the Premiership last season didn't they? Appointing a bloke with a track record like that is just what Leicester City need to get off the bottom.
Jim Mason, UK

Thank you Mr Elsom for having the guts to sack Peter Taylor before he did any more damage

Jeremy Bowley, Leamington Spa, England.

I moved to Australia last April and have followed Leicester all my life. Taylor had a hard act to follow but two wins since I arrived here says it all. We never recovered from the FA Cup loss to Wycombe. Taylor will be remembered as the man who bought Akinbiyi to the club & thought Scowcroft was the "player we'd been missing since Collymore", what a joke. Bring on George Graham...
James Chatfield, Australia

The notion that Taylor is a good manager is perpetuated again, but consider the players he has inherited at every management position he has filled. The season at Gillingham when he lifted them from fourth in the division to the lofty heights of third was hardly a monumental achievement. He was fortunate with the under-21s to have Owen come through during his reign. At Leicester, his first action was not to renew Walsh and Cottee but to give Collymore enough rope to hang himself. Is it any wonder Lennon took the opportunity leave? When you see Robbie Savage under performing you have got to ask questions and the answers were apparent from Christmas 2000.
Raj Sharma, UK

Thank you Mr Elsom for having the guts to sack Peter Taylor before he did any more damage. Taylor¿s propensity to buy Division One players has left us in a quagmire we will do well to escape from. The new manager will have to undo Taylor's mistakes before we can progress up the table. I hope 'he' has the time to turn things around. I can't face playing Grimsby away on a damp Tuesday in December.
Jeremy Bowley, Leamington Spa, England.

In all fairness the lad had to follow an absolute legend in Martin O'Neill. This put him under pressure right away. Then, he lost players like Neil Lennon and Steve Guppy. Leicester's loss was our (Celtic's) gain and it didn't help Taylor.
AH, Scotland

The old story - key players sold for large fees and cheaper replacements not up to the job. Poor old Peter Taylor isn't the first, and most certainly won't be the last manager to get this treatment.

Regarding the future for Leicester - I recall a chant of the early 80s that went 'there's only one Trevor Francis'.
Rodger Edwards, UK

Peter Taylor was given as much of a chance as possible

Stuart Cashmore, UK/Netherlands

Taylor has already proved how good he is with the England set-up. He must take the credit for the major changes he made in the England line-up. I hope he is invited back into the National management team, he would be a great asset.
Russell, Germany

I don't think that Peter Taylor was given long enough this year to sort the side out. They've had a poor start, but Leicester are now going to have to start from scratch. We all know what he is capable of, and I am sure it won't be long before he will be snapped up by another club.
Michael Fisher, UK

It's sad to see Taylor sacked. He's a good coach and the list of likely replacements do not fill me with much confidence. However, I really hope City go for someone like Redknapp, who has proven to be successful in the transfer market. As Taylor knows oh so well this morning - managers are only as good as the players they buy.
Johnny Abbott, Bahrain

I am from Leicester and have been completely disappointed so far this season. The players have not performed and the manager has failed to inspire them. Peter Taylor was given as much of a chance as possible, but going from top at one point last season to finish 13th and now have points from only three games we need help. Let's just hope whoever takes over can raise the players game!
Stuart Cashmore, UK/Netherlands

I would receive Peter Taylor at Upton Park with open arms

Tom Lodemore, London, England

Peter Taylor is purely another example of Premiership chairmen expecting too much, too soon, from their managers. However, Leicester's poor run has been ongoing since the end of last season, and perhaps John Elsom was right in his actions. After all, no manager is bigger than the club. I just hope that Sven Goran Eriksson (or the FA) offers Taylor a permanent job with the England team. You don't suddenly become a bad coach overnight!
Nitin Parmar, University of Bath, England

He had to go - although one wonders whether anyone can us from relegation this season.
Nathalie Lubithui, Leicester, England

Everyone 'within' the game says Taylor is a brilliant coach and manager, however, his record is poor at all levels. Leicester need a manager with a proven track record.
Andrew Pogson, England

At the moment, I would receive Peter Taylor at Upton Park with open arms. We need a new manager and at least two new centre backs.
Tom Lodemore, London, England