Remember The Shining - Beware The Leicester Caretaker!

Ok, Jack Nicholson hasn't been linked with the Leicester job yet and all those in the running are more like the two dimensional cartoon villains in Scooby Doo, but nevertheless, the sacking of Sven and his replacement with a caretaker may not be to our advantage this weekend. Remember the last time we came up against a team with a caretaker manager? O'Neill had just parted company with Villa and we rocked up for Avram's first game in charge, and were annihilated. Villa scored four but nobody could have quibbled had the caretaker led side scored seven!

Logic says that Leicester should arrive in a state of disarray, demotivated and with no game plan. But since when has logic ever applied where West Ham are concerned? When we appoint caretakers - Brooking apart - we lose: 2-3 to West Brom and 0-3 to Sunderland; but every other bugger seems to raise their game.

Make no mistake, this is a huge game. Leicester are still equipped to succeed in this division and are only five points behind us as things stand. Victory over them would establish a very handy buffer and keep us in the running at the top of the table; defeat would make the sacking of Sven and the adulation of Allardyce look stupid, especially as Leicester seem to have no idea of who they want to replace him. Dreams of O'Neill's return were always extremely optimistic and it was no surprise to me when he announced yesterday that he doesn't want the job. He has his eye on a bigger stage - like Tottenham.

So, the big question is, can the would be England manager outwit a caretaker? If not, maybe yet another new broom will be needed at Upton Park before the season's end!