Leicester City boss targets winning brand of football

[davieG]

Merc

Nigel Pearson may have breezed back into Belvoir Drive on Wednesday as if the last 17 months had not happened, but he is not about to merely pick up where he left off, writes Rob Tanner.

For a start, the 48-year-old recognises this is a very different Leicester City than the one he left behind to join Hull City in June, 2010.

• ​Nigel Pearson is all smiles at the King Power Stadium after his return to City

There may be many consistencies, such as the welcoming staff at the training ground and several members of the first-team squad, who Pearson initially recruited.

However, Pearson knows the ambitions are greater, the expectation is higher and the pressure more intense.

The old adage in football is that you should never go back, but Pearson is determined to show that the next chapter can be more exciting and successful than the first, and he vowed that he is ready to step up his own performance.

For a start, he warned that the old guard in the squad are not necessarily guaranteed a place in his team simply because they played for him before, or that he will adopt the same pragmatic approach he did when he was trying to establish City in the Championship after leading them to the League One title in his first season.

Pearson says he is ready to take City to the next level.

"I know some people would question why I would come back, and it has been interesting for all of us in the sense that we have come back to a club that has moved on significantly," said Pearson.

"It is an interesting scenario. There are a number of players who remain from my last tenure here, and there are a number of players who have been bought since.

"They all have an opportunity and it would be wrong for people to assume that, just because I know certain people, they will get the nod ahead of somebody else.

"We have to create a squad ethic in which the goals are pretty clear. If there is a united approach to it then we have a much better chance of succeeding.

"Clearly, this year with the change to five subs instead of seven means there will be two more players who are less happy.

"There can only be 11 on the pitch and that is life. It is about us trying to achieve success as quick as possible, but everyone has a clean slate.

"Throughout the next period of time, the first goal is to get us back to winning ways and then hopefully get on a run in which we instil the belief, not just in the players but the fans as well, that we can have a good season.

"As it stands at the moment, we are where we are. The expectation is very high but that is part of the job. You only get stability if you have success, and I think that is always the goal for any manager.

"Every manager wants success but it is relative. I know exactly what my remit is here and what the expectations are. It is something I am looking forward to."

Pearson said he would hope that his side can adopt a more expansive approach to games, but his first priority is to get them playing a winning brand of football.

With City three points off the play-offs and nine off automatic promotion with 30 games remaining, he knows they must find some consistency in their results, and quickly.

"It is clear we do have a number of very talented players," he said.

"My job is to get the players competitive among themselves and playing to their best week in, week out as individuals and, more importantly, as a team.

"I would hope we could play more expansive football, but the bottom line is it is about playing winning football. That is the key and, when you have good players and they are confident, you will play good football. I think it is fairly straight-forward.

"The priority at the moment is to get back to winning ways."

Pearson will make his bow as City boss on Sunday when in-form Crystal Palace visit the King Power Stadium, and he is looking forward to getting started.

"I can't wait, but there is a lot of work to be done before then," he warned his players.

"It has been good to be on the training ground. It was a surreal feeling in many ways, but it was good to be back and I am looking forward to the challenge ahead."

[Ric Flair]

I like what Pearson is saying, but then again I never bought in to this myth that we played horrendous football under him. I look forward to being an absolute brick wall for opposition to get through once again. I have no doubts that there's enough goals there in Nugent, Beckford, Schlupp, King, Gallagher and a few others as well. We just need to tinker with a few wingers and we'll be alright.

[Fox92]

I also don't buy the he played rubbish football thing. Ok, he likes having big men in the team, but the likes of Gallagher, Wellens, Spearing, Davies, Cleverly etc all play football on the ground, yet they decided to join Leicester under Pearson. I wouldn't think they would have signed if we played boring football.

[Guest MattP]

I like what Pearson is saying, but then again I never bought in to this myth that we played horrendous football under him. I look forward to being an absolute brick wall for opposition to get through once again. I have no doubts that there's enough goals there in Nugent, Beckford, Schlupp, King, Gallagher and a few others as well. We just need to tinker with a few wingers and we'll be alright.

This.

[lcfc_sam_p]

A good solid team is what you need in this division. We played some really good football under sousa at times but it counted for nothing. Pearson has money available this time and a better squad of players, he didn't have a lot to work with before.

[ozleicester]

We played simple route one football under Pearson and in the main that worked, but lets be honest its not the best to watch and enjoy. I guess if he gets us promoted, (and he is going to have to) then how he does it isnt relevant. The questions will be asked if we continue to play it in the prem..and struggle as a result.

Cmonnn yooo blooooossssssssssssss

[Thracian]

Merc

Nigel Pearson may have breezed back into Belvoir Drive on Wednesday as if the last 17 months had not happened, but he is not about to merely pick up where he left off, writes Rob Tanner.

For a start, the 48-year-old recognises this is a very different Leicester City than the one he left behind to join Hull City in June, 2010.

• ​Nigel Pearson is all smiles at the King Power Stadium after his return to City

There may be many consistencies, such as the welcoming staff at the training ground and several members of the first-team squad, who Pearson initially recruited.

However, Pearson knows the ambitions are greater, the expectation is higher and the pressure more intense.

The old adage in football is that you should never go back, but Pearson is determined to show that the next chapter can be more exciting and successful than the first, and he vowed that he is ready to step up his own performance.

For a start, he warned that the old guard in the squad are not necessarily guaranteed a place in his team simply because they played for him before, or that he will adopt the same pragmatic approach he did when he was trying to establish City in the Championship after leading them to the League One title in his first season.

Pearson says he is ready to take City to the next level.

"I know some people would question why I would come back, and it has been interesting for all of us in the sense that we have come back to a club that has moved on significantly," said Pearson.

"It is an interesting scenario. There are a number of players who remain from my last tenure here, and there are a number of players who have been bought since.

"They all have an opportunity and it would be wrong for people to assume that, just because I know certain people, they will get the nod ahead of somebody else.

"We have to create a squad ethic in which the goals are pretty clear. If there is a united approach to it then we have a much better chance of succeeding.

"Clearly, this year with the change to five subs instead of seven means there will be two more players who are less happy.

"There can only be 11 on the pitch and that is life. It is about us trying to achieve success as quick as possible, but everyone has a clean slate.

"Throughout the next period of time, the first goal is to get us back to winning ways and then hopefully get on a run in which we instil the belief, not just in the players but the fans as well, that we can have a good season.

"As it stands at the moment, we are where we are. The expectation is very high but that is part of the job. You only get stability if you have success, and I think that is always the goal for any manager.

"Every manager wants success but it is relative. I know exactly what my remit is here and what the expectations are. It is something I am looking forward to."

Pearson said he would hope that his side can adopt a more expansive approach to games, but his first priority is to get them playing a winning brand of football.

With City three points off the play-offs and nine off automatic promotion with 30 games remaining, he knows they must find some consistency in their results, and quickly.

"It is clear we do have a number of very talented players," he said.

"My job is to get the players competitive among themselves and playing to their best week in, week out as individuals and, more importantly, as a team.

"I would hope we could play more expansive football, but the bottom line is it is about playing winning football. That is the key and, when you have good players and they are confident, you will play good football. I think it is fairly straight-forward.

"The priority at the moment is to get back to winning ways."

Pearson will make his bow as City boss on Sunday when in-form Crystal Palace visit the King Power Stadium, and he is looking forward to getting started.

"I can't wait, but there is a lot of work to be done before then," he warned his players.

"It has been good to be on the training ground. It was a surreal feeling in many ways, but it was good to be back and I am looking forward to the challenge ahead."

There's just the hint there that Pearson finally recognises that he needs to be more "expansive" to be a genuine success although there's no hiding mention of the word "but" whenever he mentioned the word "expansive".

So will he remain the manager who's over-riding caution stopped him getting the goals and points needed to get promotion from the Championship? Or will he really show the courage to build an expansive team after a period of re-development.

How amusing it is to hear Pearson talking about the very thing people criticise me for encouraging. And that on top of his far better PR efforts which I thought have let him down in the past.

Well, I'm encouraged to think that Pearson sounds at least as if he wants to improve and present a better and more exciting product. And if he succeeds no-one will be happier or keener to praise the bloke than me. I am truly sick of our club being held back by an over-cautious philosophy.

I just hope Pearson can truly believe in the new approach. I like his mention of the word "winning". It's not easy to go against your instinctive nature. But if he succeeds then just maybe he will go on to join MON and Matt Gillies as genuine legends at our club.

[Kitchandro]

Pearson got it right the first time for me, organise individuals into a hardworking team, then the good football will develop out of that. Sven's approach was almost literally just saying 'go out and 'express yourself' from what the players have said over the last year, but it doesn't work like that. Sousa got us doing the passing and movement part great, but neglected everything else, meaning we rarely saw any good football and leaked goals no end. You can't just click your fingers and it happens, it takes a bit of time to get a team playing good football. Pearson showed this in the play-off season, gradually we developed into a team that played good effective football that wasn't bad to watch at all.

I'm not expecting us to play that well against Palace, but I'd give it time before assuming we will play boring football with this squad under Pearson.

[Guest Col city fan]

There's just the hint there that Pearson finally recognises that he needs to be more "expansive" to be a genuine success although there's no hiding mention of the word "but" whenever he mentioned the word "expansive".

So will he remain the manager who's over-riding caution stopped him getting the goals and points needed to get

promotion from the Championship? Or will he really show the courage to build an expansive team after a period of re-development.

How amusing it is to hear Pearson talking about the very thing people criticise me for encouraging. And that on top of his far better PR efforts which I thought have let him down in the past.

Well, I'm encouraged to think that Pearson sounds at least as if he wants to improve and present a better and more exciting product. And if he succeeds no-one will be happier or keener to praise the bloke than me. I am truly sick of our club being held back by an over-cautious philosophy.

I just hope Pearson can truly believe in the new approach. I like his mention of the word "winning". It's not easy to go against your instinctive nature. But if he succeeds then just maybe he will go on to join MON and Matt Gillies as genuine legends at our club.

Hey! Maybe you could offer yourself as part of Pearsons back room team!

You could then discuss your expansive football to death?

Just an idea?

[Bob Weasel Fox]

I think we all want to see attacking flowing lovely football ideally but if we get the basics right and keep things tight at the back and then build from there which i think is Nige's plan i dont think many of us will mind the odd boring 1-0 along the way. Up the Blues