Handy Andy knows what it takes to beat the drop
ANDY King is not short of experience when it comes to relegation battles, and the new Swansea City signing sees similarities between Carlos Carvalhal’s men and his Leicester side who upset the odds to beat the drop.
King, 29, joined the Swans on loan from the Foxes on transfer deadline day after finding game-time hard to come by under Claude Puel, and looks set to make his bow against Burnley this weekend.
The midfielder, who featured for Wales in their Euro 2016 semi-final defeat to Portugal, has admitted his future looks set to lie away from Leicester – where he has been for nearly 12 years – and he will be keen to ensure he has no shortage of suitors come the summer.
But he is not looking beyond the task of keeping Swansea City in the Premier League.
King knows better than most what is required to fight the drop with success, having been part of the Leicester side that performed an incredible turnaround under Nigel Pearson at the end of the 2014-15 season.
It was a sequence of results which laid the groundwork for their title tilt the following campaign.
It means King knows all too well how important momentum can be, and it is a factor very much in Swansea’s favour as they look to continue an eight-match unbeaten run under Carlos Carvalhal.
“At Leicester, even last season we were not safe until the end of the season. We just put a good run of games together and it has a snowball effect like it did when we got out of trouble before. I see that here.” said King.
“You’ve just got to stay together as a team, as a squad, as a city.
“The fans have got to stay with the team because it makes such a big difference going out on the pitch knowing everyone’s behind it. Every time I’ve played here that’s always been the case, it’s always been a hard place to come to.
“I think that’s going to be big going into the run-in. We’ve got some winnable games at home, if we can get that right then we’re nearly there.
“The momentum is the big thing. No game is easy, we’ve just beaten Liverpool and Arsenal but that doesn’t necessarily say you’re going to win the next game against someone who is not such a big club.
“The Premier League doesn’t work like that. So you’ve got to make sure you’re right for every game, make sure you’re feeling confident and see where it takes you.”
Whether it comes via a starting role or an introduction from the bench, whenever King pulls on a white shirt it will be the first time he has played first-team football for a club other than Leicester.
The affection the Wales international is held in by the Foxes faithful was clear to see when the Swans visited the King Power Stadium just last weekend.
Every mention of his name was roundly applauded, there was even a lengthy chant in his honour despite the midfielder being nowhere to be seen on the field.
That’s what over 370 appearances over more than a decade of service allied to League One, Championship and Premier League titles - does for you.
His loan signing looks increasingly prescient business for the Swans with Leroy Fer out for the season, Renato Sanches a long-term absentee and Roque Mesa and Jay Fulton at other clubs.
He will want to take the chance to make a good first impression against the Clarets as he adjusts to his new surroundings, and will hope it proves memorable for the right reasons after acknowledging his bow for Leicester in October 2007 was not a straightforward affair.
“I remember my Leicester debut well,” he says.
“It was a 0-0 draw with Wolves at home. It was a dire game, but I was just happy to be out there. “But the team was booed off at the end, we were 17th or 18th in the Championship and we barely created any chances. I don’t think it was great – but hopefully it will be better on the weekend.
“That was a long time ago and it is a bit strange being in new surroundings after all this time, but I’ve gone away with Wales on a number of occasions, so it’s not as if I’m not used to playing with different people.
“I know a couple of the lads in there and all the lads and staff have brilliant with me, they’ve been very welcoming and I’ve really enjoyed it.”
Before sealing his move to the Liberty, 29-year-old King took the chance to tap into the knowledge of some of his Wales and ex-Leicester team-mates before making a decision, and admits the positive impression created by the likes of Nathan Dyer and Ashley Williams played a part in swaying him when there were other offers on the table.
“Obviously I played with Nathan Dyer and Kyle Naughton at Leicester. They’ve always spoken highly about the club and Ashley Williams and Neil Taylor been really helpful for me as well,” he said.
“I had heard and seen good things over the years and I was delighted to come. I’m looking forward to helping the team, I cannot wait to get started.
“It’s a little bit nervous when it gets down to deadline day, especially for someone in my position who wasn’t playing.
“It was important for me because I didn’t want to wait until the end of the season and see what happened then.”