It’s Danny joy for Simpson as Foxes keep flying high
PREMIER League winner Danny Simpson is confident that his old club Leicester will earn their place back at the top table this season.
The defender enjoyed his greatest moment in football with the Foxes when they were crowned champions in 2016, with Jamie Vardy leading from the front.
And Simpson, who enjoyed five campaigns at the King Power Stadium, believes Italian boss Enzo Maresca is working wonders at the club with his Pep Guardiola-inspired brand of football.
“I’ve been very impressed with them this season,” said Simpson, who clocked up 213 appearances in the Premier League during a distinguished playing career.
“The start of the season was so important, to get those first wins under their belt and then the new manager has come in and done a great job.
“He plays this Pep way, with inverted full-backs and that attacking style.
“From what the lads at Leicester have been telling me, they’re loving their football.
“The players are happy and enjoying it, so I’m not surprised with how well they’ve played and where they’re going this season.”
The Foxes suffered agony last season with relegation to the Championship, but they have taken the second tier by storm this term and are flying since former Juventus midfielder Maresca took charge.
The manager masterminded a 2-0 win at Cardiff on Friday to make it seven victories on the spin.
“I know the players respect him,” said Simpson (above). “He’s a good man-manager from what I’ve heard – and you can knock on his door if you need to talk.
“Tactically he’s on point because he’s learnt as Pep’s assistant at Man City.
“I met him briefly and he’s a really nice bloke, he’s someone the players like and want to play for.
“It’s a challenge for them to see if they can get the most points they can this season and to keep their levels as high as they can for the whole season to get that promotion.
“From what I’ve seen from him, if you don’t then you won’t be playing – and that’s good.”
Simpson was gutted when the Foxes were relegated after a nineseason spell in the top flight – and just two years after winning the FA Cup.
But the former Manchester United man, who recently reignited his playing career with seventh-tier outfit Macclesfield, has belief that the only way is up under Maresca.
“It’s hard to say they shouldn’t have gone down, but football is football and it’s up to them to bounce back,” said Simpson.
“They should be in the Prem, it’s where they’ve been and they need to be back up there. “This manager has had six months at the club now, he’s brought fresh players in and if or when they go up, he will have another summer to build and to get Leicester back to where they should be – which is pushing up the top of the Premier League.”