Leicester City can bounce back, says Cardiff City boss Dave Jones

[davieG]

I think it would have been prudent of him to wait until after the Play-off Final, they may yet have to bounce back themselves and if they lose they might find it harder after 2 consecutive last minute failures.

But I guess as Pearson's mate someone asked him the questions?

From the Merc

Victorious Cardiff City manager Dave Jones believes Leicester City can learn from the Bluebirds and bounce back after their play-off semi-final disappointment.

Jones, who is a close friend of City boss Nigel Pearson, said it had taken him five years to get Cardiff into the play-off final and that they had learned from their own personal setbacks.

Last season the Bluebirds missed out on a play-off place on goal difference, but bounced back this year to reach the final after beating City in a dramatic penalty shoot-out.

"It is a sad way to lose and I am just glad I am on the other side," Jones said. "I have been on the other side so I know how my mate is feeling.

"I have been through everything you can imagine and I appreciate the good times, but you have to learn from and suffer the bad times.

"This is a good time for me, but I know how my mate is feeling. It is not the best way to lose a football match.

"We have gone one better than we did last year. I am proud to be manager here and I appreciate everything that has gone on. It could have easily gone the other way.

"For us, my first two years at the club were about survival and the next three have been about progression and building. You see the new stadium, the facilities and you see everything we have been trying to achieve."

City have enjoyed a meteoric rise under Pearson. When he took over two years ago they were still experiencing the hangover of relegation to League One, but he has taken them to the brink of back-to-back promotions.

Now the challenge for Pearson and his team is to follow Cardiff's example and bounce back next season after their play-off exit.

Pearson is acutely aware that expectations will be higher next season and some fans may even expect a challenge for automatic promotion, and he knows from speaking to Jones how that can become a burden.

"Expectation levels next year will be higher and I was speaking to Dave about it at Cardiff," he said. "They have been close on a few occasions and, because they have been close, the expectation has been higher and that is another level of pressure, but, just have to deal with it, as simple as that. With success comes more pressure.

"We have to be able to cope with that. The first thing is to deal with this situation. We are still getting over what has happened and everyone will be feeling worse now than they did on the night, let me tell you.

"But it is important that any ghosts that are there are exorcised before we come back in July."

Pearson has a season of rebuilding ahead with five loan players – Martyn Waghorn, Jay Spearing, James Vaughan, Alex Bruce and Ryan McGivern – returning to their parent clubs.

Pearson has already drawn up a list of possible replacements and knows the areas that he wishes to strengthen.

He will look to bring in cover for left-back Bruno Berner, a centre-back to replace Bruce, and another central midfield player, while he will need at least one more striker after the departures of Vaughan and Waghorn.

As has become his trademark, Pearson will have to utilise all markets – Bosman signings, loans and transfer market – as he attempts to match that expectation.