Our system detected that your browser is blocking advertisements on our site. Please help support FoxesTalk by disabling any kind of ad blocker while browsing this site. Thank you.
Jump to content
StanSP

Andy King - Interview in The Times

Recommended Posts

Reading that makes me want to give him a place in the 25 man squad without question.

 

His time here is surely coming to an end though realistically.

 

He was majestic in that Everton game after we won the title.

 

Such a shame that he was treated abhorrently by Puel and we can now be in no doubt as to how wrong his appointment was in some ways and how it was never going to work out for him here long term. We needed change but he went about in completely the wrong way.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's strange that we were never actually in any serious relegation trouble under Puel given how poor his man-management skills were. If things were that bad behind the scenes surely we'd have been fighting relegation for most of his tenure rather than treading water in midtable. Every chance we could be doing that again this year with a much more popular manager.

 

Going back to King I've always been slightly baffled by the extreme esteem he's held by many in here given his role as essentially an average reserve player over the past 7(!) years. I still think he's needed getting rid of for the past 3 as he's genuinely contributed nothing football wise in that time (we shouldn't be paying somebody around £6m to be popular in training) but my respect has grown a bit having read this great article and the bit about Forest is genuinely one of the best quotes a Leicester player has ever given! ?

 

 

Edited by Gubbins
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, Gubbins said:

It's strange that we were never actually in any serious relegation trouble under Puel given how poor his man-management skills were. If things were that bad behind the scenes surely we'd have been fighting relegation for most of his tenure rather than treading water in midtable. Every chance we could be doing that again this year with a much more popular manager.

 

Going back to King I've always been slightly baffled by the extreme esteem he's held by many in here given his role as essentially an average reserve player over the past 7(!) years. I still think he's needed getting rid of for the past 3 as he's genuinely contributed nothing football wise in that time (we shouldn't be paying somebody around £6m to be popular in training) but my respect has grown a bit having read this great article and the bit about Forest is genuinely one of the best quotes a Leicester player has ever given! ?

 

 

Last 7 years:

 

184 appearances 19 goals.

Became our all time top scoring midfielder

Vital goals in our great escape

Vital goals in our League win

Man of the Match performance on the day we lifted the Premier League trophy.

 

True his role on the pitch for us may now be coming to an end but the bloke is an absolute legend.

  • Like 3
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Koke said:

 

We can practically guess the players who hated Puel. 

 

Simpson

Morgan

Fuchs

Vardy 

Slimani

 

5 of the 6 were holding us back from progressing. I think Puel didn't say a word to Simpson either.. Shinji is too nice of a guy to dislike someone. On the other hand I'm sure Maddison, Ricardo, Hamza, Chilwell and Tielemans will speak about Puel in positive terms. 

 

Puel was clearly a poor communicator according to tgis piece, we can all acknowledge that without being revisionist about his time here. Anyone who says Puel didn't move the club foward and left us in a much better state than when he arrived clearly has a personal vendetta against the man. 

Sounds like a new game for the kids,at Xmas....sorry I can't get into this silly

Guess who,what,where and wild cards of who said and did this & that......

My life has more meaning than chasing

Silly agendas on. a football forum...

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

King is a top bloke, model professional and role model to any aspiring young player. This guy would bleed blue if you cut him.

 

He has been respectful and did not kick off when dropped from the squad.  His insights into what was going on at the club in respect of Puels mission to attempt to remove every last one of the title winning squad is very revealing and confirms what many thought at the time.  Yes a transition and new blood was required, but it seems that Puel knew there was a strong spirit and bond amongst the squad and he decided that the best thing would be to break that in order to enforce his authority.  That was never going to work. in any walk of life, when new people are appointed at the top, then the first thing they usually do is assess what resources they have and get those employees with the experience, knowledge and skills on board rather than alienating them. 

 

These guys are professionals and they know that it is a short career and understand that eventually their time at the top will be over. Clubs, and the manager have a responsibility to handle this sympathetically, it is never easy telling someone that they can no longer cut it or that they do not fit in with the plan, but to totally abdicate that responsibility and leave it to others is disgraceful.  It was also rather short sighted, as it is well known that the players (particularly, but not limited to the senior ones) have a good rapport with the senior management at the club, who are not stupid and would see the unrest.  Having read this fascinating article, I am even more convinced that, but for the tragedy that hit the club, Puel would have been gone long before Christmas.

 

It also speaks volumes for the spirit at the club that the new signings that Puel brought in seem to have been integrated into this family ethic by the other players (and no doubt the owners), despite his attempts to break it down.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, urban fox said:

He has been respectful and did not kick off when dropped from the squad.  His insights into what was going on at the club in respect of Puels mission to attempt to remove every last one of the title winning squad is very revealing and confirms what many thought at the time.  Yes a transition and new blood was required, but it seems that Puel knew there was a strong spirit and bond amongst the squad and he decided that the best thing would be to break that in order to enforce his authority. 

Maybe yes, maybe he just saw a bunch of mostly past it players who needed moving away from. He seemed to have no problem with Gray or Chillwell, both being title winners. Or Kasper, or Wes for the most part, or Albrighton. Can we really argue that he shouldn't have got rid of Simpson, Okazaki, moved on King etc etc. 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Babylon said:

Maybe yes, maybe he just saw a bunch of mostly past it players who needed moving away from. He seemed to have no problem with Gray or Chillwell, both being title winners. Or Kasper, or Wes for the most part, or Albrighton. Can we really argue that he shouldn't have got rid of Simpson, Okazaki, moved on King etc etc. 

 

That was kind of my point though.  We all knew that some of these players were past their prime, but simply for what they achieved, there should have been some respect.  There is a way of taking people to one side and explaining that it may be best for them if they got their agents to look at trying to  find them another club in the long term rather than simply  cold shouldering them and freezing them out.  Don't get me wrong, I actually believe that Puel was given a mandate to refresh the squad and transition us into a younger team with a view to the sustainability that the owners talk about but it seems that he went about it in entirely the wrong way.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

There's loyalty about him that is indeed rare in modern football. Less people are caring about the club more than money or careers. But that's because of what our owners have fostered the family community aspect that other clubs barely do. As with any thing in life. It starts from the top and trickles down. Our club represented the will of Vichai and now Top, and it shows through. 

How many other Chairmen of clubs are as close to the players and staff as ours are? Practically none. It shows that we are a good club. We look after our own. Even the our Legends like Walshy, Elliot and Taggs are now part of our set up after being in the retired wilderness for so long. We keep the Birch. A Grandad figure to have around the place because... It's just nice to have a figure like that around. 

 

P. S. Am I the only person who actually doesn't give a fuch about Nottingham or Derby anymore?

I mean it. They're literally nonexistent to me anymore. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

28 minutes ago, pds said:

Last 7 years:

 

184 appearances 19 goals.

Became our all time top scoring midfielder

Vital goals in our great escape

Vital goals in our League win

Man of the Match performance on the day we lifted the Premier League trophy.

 

True his role on the pitch for us may now be coming to an end but the bloke is an absolute legend.

His role on the pitch came to an end post title season where the much maligned Amartay was regularly the better of the two as we nosedived with that pair as our central midfield.

 

On closer inspection I should have put 6 years really as his first team place was taken by James midway through the championship promotion season and since then the majority of his 120 plus appearances would have been as subs or in cup games. Plenty of players got vital goals in those 6 years as well and played bigger roles but aren't treated with the same reverence as King. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Babylon said:

Or he was just the fall guy who took the brunt of the clubs aim to move on and transition away from an ageing title winning squad. There are two parts to the job and he has dealt with and sorted the difficult transition task whilst having us finish comfortably mid-table, and left us with a young vibrant squad. He was just never going to get much more out of them. 

I think you're being very generous. My own view - admittedly from afar, but based on considerable on-field evidence (i.e. watching every game during his tenure) - is that Puel's tactical stubbornness allied to his character flaws - especially his inability to communicate effectively and motivate - actually stalled and hindered the team's progress. A different manager coulld have achieved far more success than he did.

 

Like I said, it would be interesting to hear some of the other players' opinions on the matter.

Edited by Hammo
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, Gubbins said:

His role on the pitch came to an end post title season where the much maligned Amartay was regularly the better of the two as we nosedived with that pair as our central midfield.

 

On closer inspection I should have put 6 years really as his first team place was taken by James midway through the championship promotion season and since then the majority of his 120 plus appearances would have been as subs or in cup games. Plenty of players got vital goals in those 6 years as well and played bigger roles but aren't treated with the same reverence as King. 

Last 6 years

 

113 League Appearances (out of 136 total)

10 League Goals (out of 12 total)

69 as a starter

44 as a sub

;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Cujek
2 hours ago, norwichfox said:

fixed....

No one in the club has a bad word to say about this guy. 

 

He is true blue Leicester through and through. 

 

Why on earth would people not want him around, its weird to be honest. 

 

He knows he isn't first team now, but wants to stay and fight for a place, i know a few examples of what this guy is like that I won't go into as I dont want to betray anyone's trust, but he had done some genuinely nice stuff for people. 

 

He has a level of respect in Lcfc that few others have achieved. 

 

Football needs more people like Andy King. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Hammo said:

I think you're being very generous. My own view - admittedly from afar, but based on considerable on-field evidence (i.e. watching every game during his tenure) - is that Puel's tactical stubbornness allied to his character flaws - especially his inability to communicate effectively and motivate - actually stalled and hindered the team's progress. A different manager would have achieved far more success than he did.

 

Like I said, it would be interesting to hear some of the other players' opinions on the matter.

"Far more success" Considering he took over a team that had just seen off two managers for basically going into the bottom three and looking just as shite as we ever looked under him, with a squad full of flops and ageing players I'm not sure what more could have been expected. A title winning manager and a bloke they all apparently loved couldn't get anything from them!

 

A top 10 finish, three cup quarter finals, whilst transitioning away from said old squad and with the club assembling a young and vibrant team is, considering what we've done in most of our history a pretty decent return, but it always looked limited to just being steady and never pushing on. 

 

If you have to take an axe to the squad you're always going to have upset players, the issue is just him being a dick about it. 

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, Hammo said:

I think you're being very generous. My own view - admittedly from afar, but based on considerable on-field evidence (i.e. watching every game during his tenure) - is that Puel's tactical stubbornness allied to his character flaws - especially his inability to communicate effectively and motivate - actually stalled and hindered the team's progress. A different manager would have achieved far more success than he did.

 

Like I said, it would be interesting to hear some of the other players' opinions on the matter.

Lineker on MOTD: Tell me Jamie what was Claude really like?

Vardy: Well Gary, as I once said on Sky sports he was a F****** K*** H***

GL: Ben (Chilwell) so what was the younger players view?

BC: Gary, its like Jamie said. But, TBF he did give me my chance in the team but I think, and I am sure i am speaking for a few of the boys here, that now he has gone, I might decide to stay after all.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Babylon said:

"Far more success" Considering he took over a team that had just seen off two managers for basically going into the bottom three and looking just as shite as we ever looked under him, with a squad full of flops and ageing players I'm not sure what more could have been expected. A title winning manager and a bloke they all apparently loved couldn't get anything from them!

 

A top 10 finish, three cup quarter finals, whilst transitioning away from said old squad and with the club assembling a young and vibrant team is, considering what we've done in most of our history a pretty decent return, but it always looked limited to just being steady and never pushing on. 

 

If you have to take an axe to the squad you're always going to have upset players, the issue is just him being a dick about it. 

 

Well at least we agree that the team are better off now with Puel gone.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, pds said:

Last 6 years

 

113 League Appearances (out of 136 total)

10 League Goals (out of 12 total)

69 as a starter

44 as a sub

;)

This makes it sound a lot but he was first choice for a part of the championship season (before losing his place) and part of the post title collapse (due to a lack of options) which will account for a good chunk of those starts . So 69 starts out of a possible 240 (approx) over 6 years. Still far off being regular first teamer numbers.

 

I don't really want to slag off King but the reverence showed him for this sort of contribution over the past 6 years is out of proportion when compared to true legends like Vardy Schmeichel and Morgan. Kings numbers put him more in the Schlupp and Nugent level of player.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Carl the Llama said:

You've got a bit of a chip on your shoulder over people being sceptical of this but I'm really not sure how else you expect people to respond to anonymous claims of dressing room unrest in an age where media figures like to blow things out of proportion and where that particular accusation's made pretty much every time any team has a bad run of form.  I mean just look at all the bs circling around Maguire and tell us you expect people to take everything they read in the media at face value. 

 

You've been pretty spot on lately but instead of whining at us for being dubious of anonymous info, maybe whine at your colleagues who drag your profession through the dirt?

It’s not really a chip on his shoulder,  I think the point is certain posters think they know it all.

Even when there are people providing information with links to the club which may come from their working environment.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, Gubbins said:

This makes it sound a lot but he was first choice for a part of the championship season (before losing his place) and part of the post title collapse (due to a lack of options) which will account for a good chunk of those starts . So 69 starts out of a possible 240 (approx) over 6 years. Still far off being regular first teamer numbers.

 

I don't really want to slag off King but the reverence showed him for this sort of contribution over the past 6 years is out of proportion when compared to true legends like Vardy Schmeichel and Morgan. Kings numbers put him more in the Schlupp and Nugent level of player.

Our academy product who has himself been the only player to go through everything with us, is only on par with Schlupp and Nugent compared to a non league player, a journey man goalkeeper and an ex Forest captain. 

I wonder what your criteria is mate. 

Vardy, Schmeichel and Morgan will forever be Premier League legends. 

But King is a Club legend. There is something about a 1 club man that holds reverence compared to the big names. And King has earned that reverence. 

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 minutes ago, Cujek said:

No one in the club has a bad word to say about this guy. 

 

He is true blue Leicester through and through. 

 

Why on earth would people not want him around, its weird to be honest. 

 

He knows he isn't first team now, but wants to stay and fight for a place, i know a few examples of what this guy is like that I won't go into as I dont want to betray anyone's trust, but he had done some genuinely nice stuff for people. 

 

He has a level of respect in Lcfc that few others have achieved. 

 

Football needs more people like Andy King. 

 

And neither do I, he's been a great asset on the football field at all 3 levels, but he's just not good enough to be a Premier League midfielder in the City team now. We have terrific youthful midfield options currently available and his  ability is not up to it these days imo. Would be a good PR man when Birchy calls it a day.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Babylon said:

Or he was just the fall guy who took the brunt of the clubs aim to move on and transition away from an ageing title winning squad. There are two parts to the job and he has dealt with and sorted the difficult transition task whilst having us finish comfortably mid-table, and left us with a young vibrant squad. He was just never going to get much more out of them. 

Rodgers performed the same function at Liverpool. The title run was a fluke that nobody expected.

He's even said in interviews that his job was to sell and thin out the squad of under performing players. Probably the reason they lost the title was that the squad was threadbare.

 

As a manager you have to be a bit of a tea leaf reader. Looking at a club overall figuring out how your going to fit in to the planning of ownership.

Having enough power yourself in order to effect change so you can compete. Knowing when to take a job and when to walk away is its own art/skill in the world of management.

Could be that your not allowed a job to build a club until you've emptied one out?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gonna go out ona limb here and say he's far from done atm, he's still got a few years left and the lack of games in the last few years will have saved the mileage. But he seems to have the reverse Drinkwater problem. 

Danny has been said that he doesn't fit in a midfield 3 at Chelsea, only in a 2 man midfield. 

King seems to work better in 3 and struggle in a 2.

 

There, I've said it. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, J.Lisemore said:

Just to add another point to the rest, I think Puel would have been respected more had he actually tried to learn the English language ( e.g Bale at Real) he was coming out with the same things every week and didn’t even know what they meant. How are the players going to respect their manager that they can’t communicate with on a personal level? never going to end well. 

Learn something every day. I know he is Welsh but didn't expect his English to be that bad!!!

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 hours ago, walkerleeds said:

"Last January, with Puel still in charge, King had a chance to go to Nottingham Forest, Leicester’s rivals. “Forest are a great club, history, tradition, really good stadium, great fans, but I don’t think you can wear Leicester for so long, make all those memories, and then go and play for Forest. It was hard enough going to Derby (that January) because there’s a little rivalry there. Forest was always going to be a no, no.”

 

He really is one of us isn't he?

Absolute embodiment of club before self.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...