Grieving players turn to counsellors after tragedy
Many of Leicester City’s players have undertaken sessions with grief counsellors as the emotional impact of chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha’s death hits home.
Srivaddhanaprabha and four others were killed in a helicopter crash on Saturday night, in a tragedy which has left the Premier League club devastated.
It has emerged that members of Claude Puel’s squad have already taken up the offer of personal therapy, and many of the players are thought to have found the sessions “helpful and cathartic” as they deal with the aftermath.
Vichai’s son Aiyawatt, who is the Leicester vice-chairman, has flown in from Thailand and held a number of meetings with Puel and the players. Though distraught at the loss of his father, it is understood he has reiterated his commitment to the former champions and declared his intention to build on the legacy of “The Boss”.
Puel, his goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel and long-serving head physiotherapist David Rennie also made speeches at the club’s training ground yesterday – no training took place – before arriving at the King Power Stadium in the afternoon. The details of the speeches were kept private, but they are understood to have included rallying calls and a determination to honour the club’s beloved benefactor.
In emotional scenes yesterday afternoon, Aiyawatt, known at the club as “Top”, and Vichai’s widow, Aimon, laid a wreath in the centre circle of the pitch in front of players, coaches and club staff.
Some Leicester players, including Schmeichel, had earlier been in tears as they walked around the tributes outside the stadium, where there were row upon and row of wreaths, replica jerseys and messages from clubs up and down the country. Hundreds of fans also gathered to pay their respects.
A number of Leicester players have expressed their thoughts on social media. England Under-21 international James Maddison said: “A wonderful thoughtful man who lived and breathed Leicester City Football Club. Rest in Peace Boss.”
Two full England internationals posted heartfelt messages. Striker Jamie Vardy said: “Thank you for everything you did for me, my family and our club. I will truly miss you.”
Full-back Ben Chilwell said: “Vichai was one of the best people you could wish to meet, making you happy made him happy, he was always smiling and laughing. What he did for not just this football club but for Leicester as a city is incredible. He bought us all together.”
‘Second best was not good enough. This club will always owe a lot to him’
A decision will be made in the next 24 hours on whether Leicester’s league game at Cardiff on Saturday will go ahead. The Premier League and Cardiff are understood to be sympathetic to Leicester’s period of mourning, but it is believed the game will not be postponed. Leicester’s scheduled Carabao Cup tie against Southampton tonight was postponed at the weekend.
Meanwhile, shocking footage has emerged of the helicopter spiralling out of control before plunging to the ground and erupting in a ball of flames, an hour after the 1-1 draw with West Ham United.
Srivaddhanaprabha’s death was officially confirmed by the club on Sunday evening, while Leicestershire Police named the others killed in the crash as Nursara Suknamai, Kaveporn Punpare, pilot Eric Swaffer and his partner, Izabela Roza Lechowicz.
A team investigating the crash have recovered the aircraft’s digital flight data recorder and further details are expected to emerge.
Peter Shilton, the former England and Leicester goalkeeper, has described the crash as “one of the most horrendous things anybody could ever see”, after witnessing the accident with his wife, Stephanie.
“It will live with us forever,” he said. “It was surreal and we weren’t sure what was happening, but then it started to spiral. We realised it was out of control and all of a sudden it started coming towards us.
“Steph was panicking and it was shock, fear – and all of a sudden it seemed to drop a bit and then crash. It all happened so quickly. My wife became hysterical. I was in shock, I think I still am. I grabbed hold of her. She wanted to do something, but we couldn’t.
“The police arrived very quickly, then the fire engines came and we were so helpless. The image keeps coming back to me of the helicopter spiralling down. Knowing it was the chairman and thinking it could’ve been the whole family in there made it even worse – even though it couldn’t really be any worse.”
Alan Birchenall, the club’s ambassador and a former player, also made an emotional tribute to the legacy of Srivaddhanaprabha, who bought the East Midlands club in 2010.
He said: “Not long before he came in we were living hand-to-mouth and had been in administration. Then Milan Mandaric negotiated with Khun Vichai [Srivaddhanaprabha] and these 4x4 cars arrived. I thought, ‘Five minute wonders’. How wrong was I? From that day he transformed this football club.
“Lots of owners want to change club colours, or the badge. He didn’t change anything like that. What he changed was the mentality. Secondbest was not good enough.
“This football club will always owe a lot to him. His legacy will carry on.”