City players must get disappointment out of their system, says Pearson

[davieG]

From the Merc

Nigel Pearson told his Leicester City players to clear the air before they headed off for their summer break yesterday.

Pearson is determined there should be no lingering hangover from their heartbreaking penalty shoot-out defeat at Cardiff on Wednesday night and told the players at yesterday's debrief meeting at Belvoir Drive to have their say and then move on.

After striker Yann Kermorgant's audacious, but disastrous, spot kick contributed to City's penalty defeat, none of his devastated team-mates went to console the Frenchman, but Pearson told the players to deal with any issues and then put them behind them before the summer.

"It is important that by the time they leave the training ground that if they have anything to say to each other, they need to say it," he said.

"And likewise for us (the coaching staff) when we disperse, because everyone needs to recharge mentally as much as anything, and we need to make sure there is no hangover from this experience when we reconvene in July.

"When you have a disappointment it is how you deal with it that defines whether you can go on and be a success.

"Historically, we have seen clubs who have been relegated or have faced situations similar to this and not recovered from it.

"Our first challenge is to put this into perspective and build on it."

Kermorgant and Martyn Waghorn missed the penalties which eventually cost City, but Pearson refused to blame either player.

"Unfortunately, life is about decision-making," he said. "They will be reliving those moments over and over again.

"Whenever any of us make mistakes in life you have to accept that you haven't done things how you would have liked to have done them, but you have to get on with. You have to take the responsibility.

"They were both very different penalties and I am not going to apportion blame. People have their own opinion on that.

"What is important is that they do get things out of their system."

Pearson said the heartbreak was even worse the day after their play-off exit, but he took solace from his side's performance in coming back from two goals behind in the tie to win the second leg 3-2, and from their efforts throughout a memorable campaign.

"When it comes down to a penalty shoot-out, and at the minute the emotions are still raw, it is quite cruel, but I have to look at the bigger picture," he said, in reflective mood.

"We have applied ourselves well throughout the season.

"We talked about when you get to the play-offs, sometimes they can pass you by, but what will help the players get over the experience is the fact that we haven't done a Sheffield United from last year or a Leeds United from a few years ago where we have not turned up. The players have done everything they can. It is unfortunate to go out the way we have, but that is how it is.

"We have made positive strides again this season and the players who have been on loan have made positive impacts. I am proud of the way they have gone about their business, as I am of the players who are here full time.

"Some players will play larger parts than others, but it is still important for the players who have not appeared as often as others to still have a positive influence around the place. That has been the hallmark of our season.

"It doesn't hide the disappointment of course. When you get so close it is very difficult to take."

The players were given their close season programmes yesterday and will return for pre-season training on July 1.