Leicester City ‘still looking for playing identity’ - Kasper

[urban.spaceman]

Leicester still looking for playing identity - Kasper Schmeichel

Kasper Schmeichel says Leicester lost their way after winning the Premier League

Leicester City are still searching for their Premier League identity but boss Brendan Rodgers can make them a top club, says Kasper Schmeichel.

The club were promoted to the top flight in 2014 and won the Premier League title in 2016 before their owner died in a helicopter crash last season.

Rodgers was appointed in February, replacing Claude Puel, who was sacked after 16 months in charge. 

"I don't think we had a Premier League identity," said goalkeeper Schmeichel.

"We had an identity in the Championship, the way we played under Nigel Pearson for three years. Then we came up to the Premier League and we had the great escape season, then winning the Premier League in our second season.

"But then you're floating around thinking 'what kind of team are we?'

"We skipped a few steps. It's really important now we find that identity - who are we and what kind of team are we. 

"Everything is in place; we have an amazing manager, amazing owners, a new training ground and everything is there to establish ourselves.

"When you look at the squad, the potential, the youth, the chances are endless. We are a club that believes in the impossible and want to establish ourselves as one of the top clubs."

Schmeichel says Brendan Rodgers' arrival in February "raised everything a little bit"

Rodgers, who joined Leicester from Celtic midway through last season, said he wants his team to play "exciting and entertaining" football "in a way that improves players".

The 46-year-old Northern Irishman took over with the Foxes 11th in the Premier League, and led them to a ninth-place finish.

After supporters' complaints about the style of football under former boss Puel, Schmeichel said Rodgers' arrival "raised everything a little bit".

Rodgers added: "Culture is very important, culture is half the battle. If you can create an environment where players come into work you can create a code in your work and then you live by that every day, that's absolutely key. Running alongside that is a playing identity. 

"I have an inherent belief in the way I work. It's not the right or wrong way, but it's how I've always perceived development of players and how I want my teams to perform. 

"Ultimately we are here to win but we want to win in a way that excites and entertains supporters and in a way that players will improve. 

"Building that culture and environment is something we have put a lot of work into and something that will continually grow the longer work together."

Schmeichel also believes Leicester can rely on the culture that was enforced by former owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, who lost his life in a helicopter crash at the King Power Stadium last October.

"His identity is imprinted on this club wherever you go," the Danish goalkeeper said. "All his values, everything he was about, we are about: family, togetherness, unity, courage and making the impossible possible.

"He was nicknamed 'the impossible man' and he had a belief. You could doubt it but when you looked him in his eye, you were in no doubt that he meant what he was saying. When a man like that says that, he gives you belief and his loss will always be felt within the club.

"Luckily we have his son [Aiyawatt]. The way he has stepped up and dealt with unbearable grief and not tried to hide it, but to share it with fans and to lead the club, we are lucky."

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/49195076

[fox_up_north]

That tells me Rogers is looking to senior players, who have been around since the promotion, to create something long-term.

 

I've no doubt he'll leave the club as/ when a "big job" comes along but not before he does something recognisable here. 

[StanSP]

I agree.

 

Puel definitely sent us in to regression by trying to change too much too quickly. 

 

Rodgers seems to be getting us back on the right track. I saw lots of it yesterday in the Atalanta match that he wants us to press high and get that intensity back about our play. I'ma ll for that identity because it's good to watch. Proper gets the crowd going, too.

 

I especially like this bit:
 

Quote

 

"We had an identity in the Championship, the way we played under Nigel Pearson for three years. Then we came up to the Premier League and we had the great escape season, then winning the Premier League in our second season.

"But then you're floating around thinking 'what kind of team are we?'

"We skipped a few steps. It's really important now we find that identity - who are we and what kind of team are we. 

"Everything is in place; we have an amazing manager, amazing owners, a new training ground and everything is there to establish ourselves.

"When you look at the squad, the potential, the youth, the chances are endless. We are a club that believes in the impossible and want to establish ourselves as one of the top clubs."

 

 

The potential we have is ridiculous. We really have to capitalise on it and this could be the best season to do it. 

[lfu]

2 hours ago, StanSP said:

I agree.

 

Puel definitely sent us in to regression by trying to change too much too quickly. 

I wouldn't say that; he definitely brought us forward but the momentum stalled (for obvious reasons) and we probably wouldn't have continued to make progress under him

[StanSP]

4 minutes ago, lfu said:

I wouldn't say that; he definitely brought us forward but the momentum stalled (for obvious reasons) and we probably wouldn't have continued to make progress under him

I meant in playing style.

[foxinsocks]

I don't know what t make of this - surely after the great escape we became the high energy high press counteracting football - not only to win the league but to do very well in Europe because those guys hadn't faced anything like it.

 

I appreciate that Brendan wants to go some place else - but I wonder about kasper's logic here.

[Benji]

Good interview.  This is very much the Man Utd mould and something we must strive to achieve.  Talk to any true United supporter and for them it’s all about the identity and culture of being Man Utd and their biggest frustration in recent years is a lack of direction.  I hope Kasper stays for many years and with Top and his team creates a culture and identity that in 3-5 years makes many top players want to join the club and help us achieve great things.

[Happy Fox]

Just now, Benji said:

Good interview.  This is very much the Man Utd mould and something we must strive to achieve.  Talk to any true United supporter and for them it’s all about the identity and culture of being Man Utd and their biggest frustration in recent years is a lack of direction.  I hope Kasper stays for many years and with Top and his team creates a culture and identity that in 3-5 years makes many top players want to join the club and help us achieve great things.

 

New training ground will help, and stadium expansion.

[Vardinio'sCat]

14 hours ago, foxinsocks said:

I don't know what t make of this - surely after the great escape we became the high energy high press counteracting football - not only to win the league but to do very well in Europe because those guys hadn't faced anything like it.

 

I appreciate that Brendan wants to go some place else - but I wonder about kasper's logic here.

 

We kind of bottled making that style our club identity, arguably. A kind of English Atletico Madrid. Klopp was loving us that season.

 

But I think Vichai and Top wanted 'proper' football.

 

Maybe BR is a good fit because he wants that high press, but still wants to play at the same time.

[TheLittleBigMan]

15 hours ago, foxinsocks said:

I don't know what t make of this - surely after the great escape we became the high energy high press counteracting football - not only to win the league but to do very well in Europe because those guys hadn't faced anything like it.

 

I appreciate that Brendan wants to go some place else - but I wonder about kasper's logic here.

I get this, I felt like we had an identity post title win. the culture was the thing that had been built through the recent championship seasons but in terms football identity in the prem it wasn't until the title I really felt like we had one. He mentioned it being like we missed a step and I think he's right. We had a plan to become a stable prem club over a few years, building an identity as we went and the title win blew everything out the water. It's almost like we've been winging it in a way but now we're getting back on track, building it how we we're supposed to in the first place, before we went and created the best god dam sporting story in history.