Kelechi Iheanacho reveals how it felt to be booed by Leicester City supporters

[davieG]

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/kelechi-iheanacho-reveals-how-felt-5473222

 

The striker finished as City's top scorer this season, two years after he endured a 12-month goal drought during which time he was jeered by the club's own fans

ByJordan Blackwell
07:00, 30 MAY 2021

Kelechi Iheanacho finished the season with his impact hailed by Leicester City fans, but that was not always the case for the Nigerian.

Iheanacho bagged 16 goals in the final three months of the campaign to help City win the FA Cup and keep up their battle for a Champions League, the 24-year-old eventually finishing with a tally of 19 to end Jamie Vardy’s five-year streak as the club’s top scorer.

But rewind two years and Iheanacho was in a difficult period. Iheanacho finished the 2018-19 season with just two goals to his name, and amid a goal drought that would eventually last 12 months.

Midway through the campaign, during the final few months of Claude Puel’s tenure, Iheanacho’s appearances as a substitute were met by boos from sections of the City fanbase.

The striker described the experience of being jeered by the club’s own supporters as “draining” but said he never lost faith that his career would turn a corner.

“As a player you face trials in your football career,” he told the BBC earlier this month. “It came at that time for me.

“It’s draining in that position as a player, but I’m always a happy boy and I’m always working hard.

“I was really strong mentally to keep training hard and not to lose my mind, to focus, to help the team to achieve the goal that the team wants, so that was the most important thing.

“I had faith in God that one day it was going to be fine, something was going to work out for good. It is working out now, so I thank God for that. I will keep working hard to help the team.”

Helping Iheanacho through the tough times was Wilfred Ndidi. The midfielder, who arrived at the King Power Stadium six months before Iheanacho, has been a friend since their days in Nigeria’s youth set-up.

Ndidi has been someone Iheanacho can rely on for support, and someone to share a joke with.

“We’ve been really close for a long time, since the Under-17s until now,” Iheanacho said.

“He’s really funny and he cracks me up every single time. He helps me a lot.

 

“Most importantly during my trying times, he really helped me a lot, he talks to me and he is always there, in training and at home. He used to come to mine, and I used to go to his, before lockdown. He speaks to me a lot so we are really close like that.

“He said he wasn’t surprised that I’m scoring goals because he always believed it was going to happen. He is really a good friend of mine.”

It was also Ndidi that came up with the nickname 'Seniorman' by which Iheanacho is now known throughout his homeland.

[shailen]

Our fans don't help our own players at times, never right to boo our own player until after full time if the result isn't right. Nacho is clearly affected by negative energy and it's no wonder he's been sensational when the fans haven't been allowed back in. 

[TiffToff88]

5 minutes ago, shailen said:

Our fans don't help our own players at times, never right to boo our own player until after full time if the result isn't right. Nacho is clearly affected by negative energy and it's no wonder he's been sensational when the fans haven't been allowed back in. 

 

I don't think it's ever right to boo our own players. Booing drains confidence and can make things worse.

 

Its a case of the Carrot Vs Stick method. And I'm in favour of the carrot

[davieG]

It's the definition of counter productive to boo your own players coming into the game.

 

Even if the thought is it might motivate them cheering and applause would most likely help just as much and would also help the team as a whole. What would the other 10 players be thinking when they see a player being booed surely not going to lift them.

[shailen]

3 minutes ago, TiffToff88 said:

 

I don't think it's ever right to boo our own players. Booing drains confidence and can make things worse.

 

Its a case of the Carrot Vs Stick method. And I'm in favour of the carrot

Fair point, neither do I but some of those performances under Puel, I understood the reaction to them but some of it was premeditated and it almost felt like some people decided to boo before they turned up. 

[Super Shinji]

There is a big difference between not being good enough (I.e. not having the ability or the confidence) and not bothering to put the effort in (a la Mahrez in his last season with us). I don’t have any issue with a player who is putting in 90-100% and it just not coming off. Kelechi just needed that run of games and a goal or 2 to boost his confidence.

[Corky]

Booing a player onto the pitch is utterly moronic. Every game is different. Imagine reading this- "Player, who was booed on as a subtitute by some fans, scored the winner"- and how ridiculous it looks.

[mozartfox]

Booing is negative.  Solves nothing and usually makes matters worse when aimed at 'your' team.  Personally not something I would ever get involved in.  

[Gamble92]

The Carl Cort one was the worst. Yeah he was useless but what you aiming to achieve with it? At best, you'll just look an idea when they score. 

[Beechey]

14 minutes ago, Corky said:

Booing a player onto the pitch is utterly moronic. Every game is different. Imagine reading this- "Player, who was booed on as a subtitute by some fans, scored the winner"- and how ridiculous it looks.

Pretty sure that happened in the Everton (2-1) game. I heard jeers when he came on.

Edited 30 May 2021 by Beechey

[Dr The Singh]

Some of our fans 

 

Not only the booing but the silence they bring.

[davieG]

22 minutes ago, Super Shinji said:

There is a big difference between not being good enough (I.e. not having the ability or the confidence) and not bothering to put the effort in (a la Mahrez in his last season with us). I don’t have any issue with a player who is putting in 90-100% and it just not coming off. Kelechi just needed that run of games and a goal or 2 to boost his confidence.

Even then you don't know why they might not be putting in 90-100%, which is somewhat subjective anyway, they may be carrying an injury, have tactical instructions to conserve energy and to not run around like a headless chicken etc. 

[lgfualol]

The booing of players that season was shameful

[Corky]

This happened with Gallagher as well about a decade ago.

[rachhere]

Wondering if it’s a coincidence that he’s not been playing as well since playing in front of fans again... 

[JerryLundegaard]

21 minutes ago, Corky said:

This happened with Gallagher as well about a decade ago.

Now i feel old

[fuchsntf]

One reason Why players  & managers are sometimes "stand-offish" with fans...!!

Booing any players ( ex-players / own out of form-player s) during a match, I find Sick & contemptious..

& Shows total lack of understanding of Club , player & Fellow terrace-fans....

Booing IMO is the Psychological Equivalent to spitting...and Shows more the imaturity of the participants.

 

If One Shows displeasure or boos, because of some horendous-club-stance, aka...Superleague/ inept management...etc

Thats another thing..!!

 

Though it  also can be taken out of context, when the cameras are panning  or Media delibrately takes some shot out of context..!!

[lifted*fox]

booing is the thick man's choice imo

 

much SMARTER ways to go about getting a performance out of a struggling player

[Steve_Guppy_Left_Foot]

1 hour ago, TiffToff88 said:

 

I don't think it's ever right to boo our own players. Booing drains confidence and can make things worse.

 

Its a case of the Carrot Vs Stick method. And I'm in favour of the carrot

You didn't live through the levien years? If you didn't boo after a game you might have literally exploded. 

[murphy]

It is absolutely shameful to boo your own players and to boo them on to the pitch seems even more moronic. 

 

I particularly hate it because a (hopefully) small minority reflects upon all of us.  The 'fans' are often seen as a single entity and we all suffer guilt by association because of a few idiots.

 

It is surely as counterproductive as it is brainless and unnecessary and what happens if and when a player turns things around like Nacho has?  Martin O'Neill famously never forgot it and he never forgave.

[UpTheLeagueFox]

I do hope the players and manager don't read Foxes Talk.

[iancognito]

Remember the game (v Spurs?) when Nacho was booed on to the pitch as a sub and the absolute look of disbelief on Maddison's faith. Think he was near Kop corner waiting to take a kick and looked disgusted when Nacho was booed.

 

Booing the whole team when they've been mullered by Bolton at home (or Palace in Puel's case) is one thing but targeting individual players is just a no-no. It always seems a bit of an Arsenal thing to do.

[majaco]

Chilwell is a Champion's League winner.  The way our own fans booed him made it surprising that he remembered to put one foot in front of another to move forward.  I remember how I. The home loss to Southampton in 19/20 how he became worse and worse as the boos became increasingly vitriolic.

 

Booing our own players is pointless.

[st albans fox]

Booing your own players for whatever reason is never going to be productive. Nor is it a v intelligent thing to do. Hence it’s no surprise that football fans are often guilty of it ! 

[Unabomber]

I remember when Iheanacho was coming on and fans booed as his name was read out. I was absolutely fuming. Some fans are so ****ing stupid it beggars belief.