Happy Fox Posted 26 June 2013 Share Posted 26 June 2013 http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Ex-Leicester-City-star-urges-fans-patient/story-19394516-detail/story.html Former Leicester City striker Steve Claridge has urged fans to have patience as the club launches another bid for the Premier League. City fans were heart-broken last season when Troy Deeney's late strike for Watford dumped them out of the Championship play-off semi-final. Despite being in second place two thirds of the way through the campaign, City ultimately had to resign themselves to a 10th season outside the top flight. The sole aim since the club's Thai owners took over has always been promotion and next season will be no different. But Claridge urged fans not to put too much pressure on the players too soon. "It is going to take some kind of understanding from the crowd and from everyone that it is no good putting pressure on from the start," said the man who sent City back into the Premier League with his 120th-minute goal in the 1996 play-off final. "That's probably why they fell down a bit last season because of the pressure and expectation. It is not easy to play when you are expected to win things. "Different players react in different ways to pressure. Some enjoy it, some thrive on it but some don't like playing like that. "It will be interesting to see what the expectation will be this year – there is no doubt when teams play under that sort of pressure they can find it a struggle. "The expectation should be, look, 'let's see this team settle, let's see this team develop and let's have a look at this at Christmas unless it is an absolute disaster'." City's performance last season was definitely a tale of two halves. At the end of January, they were sitting pretty in the automatic promotion spots. But an abysmal run of just three wins from 17 Championship games after that saw them relying on a stoppage-time winner on the final day of the season proper to creep into the top six. "They will just want more consistency next season," said Claridge. "If they do that, they'll probably make the play-offs and might even nick an automatic spot. "I think they also might need to strengthen a bit in central midfield and they need more consistency from the wide players. "The back four did okay, albeit for one or two hairy moments. Up front they have got players who can score goals but they went through some poor patches. "Also they need a little bit more strength when they are not on the ball. "They are very good, as a lot of teams are, when they have got the ball, and look nice with it, but when they haven't got it, they look a bit vulnerable." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterborofox Posted 26 June 2013 Share Posted 26 June 2013 Cant say i disagree. No doubt people will disagree though and slate him like when they did under Sven. I remember him criticising us and the tactics under Sven saying we had no proper wingers and werent set up properly etc. Turned out to be spot on about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dickov22 Posted 26 June 2013 Share Posted 26 June 2013 He was right about Sven and is right again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicester_Numan Posted 26 June 2013 Share Posted 26 June 2013 Totally agree. I wish we'd try something radical like supporting our team instead of dragging them down with our high expectations, criticism, moaning and booing. Leave it on the forums. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GorlestonFox Posted 26 June 2013 Share Posted 26 June 2013 Good old steve-o <3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyB Posted 26 June 2013 Share Posted 26 June 2013 Cant say i disagree. No doubt people will disagree though and slate him like when they did under Sven. I remember him criticising us and the tactics under Sven saying we had no proper wingers and werent set up properly etc. Turned out to be spot on about it. Couldn't agree more. Claridge has many years experience in the profession and know's a lot more than some posters on here. I respect his opinion as it's based on his many years experience and knowledge at different levels within the game rather than from just watching the highlights on the TV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loggy88 Posted 26 June 2013 Share Posted 26 June 2013 Definitely need something extra in midfield, I don't think we're rough and tough enough when sides have the ball. And when teams came to the KP we had no answer to them going 4 5 1 and sitting behind the ball, especially in the last half of the season. A midfielder is surely a priority. Trotter from Millwall would be good but looks like we have to sell before we can buy. I'm sure Nigel has got his targets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GorlestonFox Posted 26 June 2013 Share Posted 26 June 2013 We need STEEL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MattP Posted 26 June 2013 Share Posted 26 June 2013 It's amazing how on the ball he is with us, he must still watch us every week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SystonFox Posted 26 June 2013 Share Posted 26 June 2013 It's amazing how on the ball he is with us, he must still watch us every week. Yet appears to slate us on sky but maybe its just down to frustration? He knows how well loved he is and we must hold a very special place in his heart. What a legend Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MattP Posted 26 June 2013 Share Posted 26 June 2013 Yet appears to slate us on sky but maybe its just down to frustration? He knows how well loved he is and we must hold a very special place in his heart. What a legend He does but it's justified a lot of the time and like someone else said, he was absolutely spot on with us when it came to Sven despite a lot of idiots slagging him off for daring to have a different opinion to them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharpe's Fox Posted 26 June 2013 Share Posted 26 June 2013 Spot on. Better than Sky pundits constant shouts of "big monez lesta Nugent Nugent strength in depth" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ealingfox Posted 26 June 2013 Share Posted 26 June 2013 Spot on. Better than Sky pundits constant shouts of "big monez lesta Nugent Nugent strength in depth" That has always intrigued me. Why do they love Nugent so much? To be fair he does always seem to score when we are on Sky. Maybe we should embrace Sky showing more of our games as it means more Nugent goals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SystonFox Posted 26 June 2013 Share Posted 26 June 2013 He does but it's justified a lot of the time and like someone else said, he was absolutely spot on with us when it came to Sven despite a lot of idiots slagging him off for daring to have a different opinion to them. I agree he is spot on but at the time he says it during ht or after the game leicester fans on here and twitter go into meltdown. Mainly cos they are melts themselves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fox92 Posted 26 June 2013 Share Posted 26 June 2013 Agree with him again. Like above, he said it wouldn't work out under Sven and he was right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seenitall Posted 26 June 2013 Share Posted 26 June 2013 It is not easy to play when you are expected to win things. Holy crap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan LCFC Posted 26 June 2013 Share Posted 26 June 2013 Claridge is actually decent. I used to think he was a pretty crap pundit but he's really grown on me, talks a lot of sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Horse's Mouth Posted 26 June 2013 Share Posted 26 June 2013 As people said, he's hit the nail on the head. I do enjoy seeing him on the FL Show I must admit. He sometimes states the obvious but still he's not a bad pundit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grewks Posted 26 June 2013 Share Posted 26 June 2013 Wouldn't disagree with anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finnegan Posted 26 June 2013 Share Posted 26 June 2013 Eh, in the words of Jermaine Beckford... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trav Le Bleu Posted 26 June 2013 Share Posted 26 June 2013 I wish I knew seenitall's boss, so I could tell him how much he thinks people thrive under intense pressure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickyboy Posted 26 June 2013 Share Posted 26 June 2013 Completely agree with good old stevie,, has it spot on However is very hard to control fans optimism as soon as you hit towards the top Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flowwolf Posted 26 June 2013 Share Posted 26 June 2013 What he is actually alluding to is we need a new manager. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GorlestonFox Posted 26 June 2013 Share Posted 26 June 2013 What he is actually alluding to is we need a new manager. I thought he was hinting towards Kas leaving for Sunderland Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indierich06 Posted 26 June 2013 Share Posted 26 June 2013 What he is actually alluding to is we need a new manager. Oh yeah, course he is. Do you not get sick and tired of banging this same old drum in every post, on every single thread? You're like a broken record. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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