Claude Puel tells French media why things were different with Vichai

[davieG]

Leicester City have been big news around the football world for some years now.

 

The club’s unlikely Premier League success launched their name and now when teams from South America to Asia are on the verge of achieving something against all the odds, it can be sure that the Foxes will be referenced.

One man at the centre of that was Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha.

 

The club’s owner was not only at the forefront of the success but also made sure the majority of the major players were kept for as long as possible, with several still there.

Losing his life so tragically in the helicopter crash, Srivaddhanaprabha has been celebrated this weekend by the club’s supporters, and there are plans for a statue outside the stadium.

 

Claude Puel has been speaking to L’Equipe, and told the French newspaper: “Vichai was a real member of the family in the eyes of all the employees of the club. He was someone who always smiled and felt the need to please his entourage, to be in a positive atmosphere.

 

“He often invited me to London and I borrowed this helicopter several times with him (long silence)… We had very cordial relations. We talked a lot, but only 10% about football. It is more with his son “Top” (Aiyawatt) that I exchanged on the club, for example concerning the transfer window. Vichai also often invited me to attend horse races. I’m not a big fan, but it was always beautiful to see and a good time to live with him. All this marked me a lot.”

 

L’Equipe then asked if the relationship was very different from what Puel had experienced at other clubs: “It’s something else indeed, even if I had only been around for a year. It was felt every moment that he had changed the lives of people in this city, far beyond football.

 

“He wanted deeply to do good around him. That’s why people are so affected. He certainly invested a lot of money, but he also bet on the human. That’s why he was so special and so much appreciated by everyone.”

[Tuna]

Scary reading about Claude borrowing the helicopter.

 

It could have been much, much worse.

[stripeyfox]

1 minute ago, Tuna said:

Scary reading about Claude borrowing the helicopter.

 

It could have been much, much worse.

I really don't know where would had be if Top had been at the West Ham game too....

 

[joachim1965]

8 minutes ago, stripeyfox said:

I really don't know where would had be if Top had been at the West Ham game too....

 

We would have been in the shit mate, I really think that when Top is ready he will have a real go at taking us to the next level in honour of his father. 

[StanSP]

45 minutes ago, stripeyfox said:

I really don't know where would had be if Top had been at the West Ham game too....

 

I thought he was but just didn't go in the helicopter? 

[stripeyfox]

12 minutes ago, StanSP said:

I thought he was but just didn't go in the helicopter? 

I *think* he was in Thailand at the time. There was a lot of talk on here on the night when everyone was trying to work out who was on board and it was stated that people had seen Vichai at the game, but not Top

 

[st albans fox]

18 minutes ago, StanSP said:

I thought he was but just didn't go in the helicopter? 

 

4 minutes ago, stripeyfox said:

I *think* he was in Thailand at the time. There was a lot of talk on here on the night when everyone was trying to work out who was on board and it was stated that people had seen Vichai at the game, but not Top

 

Top was thankfully in Thailand ..... was a difficult one to know because being West Ham, vichai wouldn’t sit in his seat with their directors restored to the front row. Initially,  I was under the impression that both of them were at the game - thank god they weren’t. ...... 

[Soar Fox]

22 minutes ago, StanSP said:

I thought he was but just didn't go in the helicopter? 

Top was supposed to be at the game but got delayed in Bangkok. 

 

Will his brother start being more active of the running of the club nowadays? Until this tragedy happened I didn’t know their was another son. 

[st albans fox]

Just now, Steve_Walsh5 said:

Top was supposed to be at the game but got delayed in Bangkok. 

 

Will his brother start being more active of the running of the club nowadays? Until this tragedy happened I didn’t know their was another son. 

I don’t believe Apichet is particularly a lover of the game ..........  he is, however, on the executive board - I expect vichai was planning for the longer term 

[420Hashish]

Top being delayed in Bangkok was sort of a blessing in disguise, if you understand what I mean.