THAI BOSSES VOW STRONGER LEICESTER
Strategic changes on the cards to ensure top-10 finish, writes Kittipong Thongsombat
The Thai-owned Leicester City defied all odds to stay put in the Premier League and its chairman Vichai Srivaddanaprabha is now full of optimism that the team will go a notch better in the next season. After being promoted to the Premier League in the 2014-15 season, Leicester City proved that they had the potential to stay in the top flight of English soccer when they finished in the 14th place in the 20-team table, six points clear of the relegation zone.
The 57-year-old chairman, whose team earned promotion as winners of the Championship, said his players were quite excited and nervous when the team made their Premier League debut. However, their individual talents and support from the fans helped them survive in the league with a match to play.
“It was really hard because we had less experience than most of the teams in the league. The good thing is that all our players have talent and they proved it on the pitch.”
However, there is always some room to improve, Vichai added.
They are now expected to implement some strategic changes to improve the team after learning from their first year experiences, making the Foxes stronger and hard to beat next season.
Instead of buying established stars and launching a quick and strong challenge for the title, Vichai said he was more interested in laying down a strong foundation for the team to help them attain a sustainable growth.
“We would be content if we can finish among the top 10 next season,” Vichai added.
Besides Leicester City, Burnley and Queens Park Rangers were the two other teams who were promoted last year. However, the Foxes are the only team to survive.
The team started its season well by picking up eight points in six matches, including a fantastic 5-3 victory over Manchester United and a 1-1 draw against Arsenal at the King Power stadium. However, after that, their form slumped.
“After beating United, our players seemed to get carried away. They celebrated and then lost focus,” said Vichai’s son and club’s vice chairman Aiyawatt.
“You cannot do that in the Premier League where anything can happen and where every team has potential to beat each other.”
After the triumph over Manchester United, the Foxes lost 11 matches in their next 13 outings.
At the beginning of April, the Foxes were at the bottom of the table and seven points adrift of safety. However, they saved their best for last as they secured 22 points in their final nine matches that prolonged their stay in the Premier League for at least another season.
Aiyawatt said: “Normally, the team at the bottom after Boxing Day is likely to be relegated, but we survived. The result is better than what we had expected.”
Aiyawatt confirmed that the board never thought of firing coach Nigel Pearson when the team suffered a poor run of form. Instead, they talked and supported each other. “He is the one who had guided the team to the Premier League, so we were confident that he would help us survive as well. We believed in him and he proved us right.”
While crediting all the players for a successful season, Aiyawatt singled out arrivals of veterans Robert Huth and Esteban Cambiasso for their great contributions. “You need this kind of experience to help the team survive,” said Aiyawatt.
Looking ahead to next season, Aiyawatt said that the defence and midfield must be strengthened, while a striker is not a priority, thanks to the good form of England international James Vardy and Leonardo Ulloa.
Aiyawatt said: “Last season, it was hard to find any good players because we were new in the Premier League, but now that we have proven our credentials it will be easier to get some strong players.
“Apart from looking around in Europe, I have advised my staff to observe Japanese and South Korean players as well. As an Asian, I want to see more Asian players here and it is another way to develop the game in our region.
“When we played in the Championship, we had a player from Japan and because of him we had about 200 Japanese fans at every match.”
Apart from improving the on-field performance of the team, the 29-yearold Aiyawatt said that the club is also seeking a permission to increase its stadium capacity from 32,000 to 42,000 seats.
Manager Pearson said it was hard to say what was the turning point in the team’s fightback because there were lots of ups and downs during the course of the season. “The most important thing was the spirit of the team that helped us overcome all situations,” he said.
Pearson added: “We fought together even when we suffered disappointment and endured criticism. Now, we will reflect on our last season’s performance and learn from that to put on a better show next season.”