Leicester City

Leeds may have predicted a riot, but many Leicester fans predicted a return straight back up to the Premier League.

It has been a crazy season, but in a strange way one that was probably needed. Back in the 2007-08 season we finally lost our battle to avoid relegation and found ourselves in the third tier for the first time in our history. Three, yes three mangers did not help our cause and I am not including the two caretaker manager stints.

But relegation saw us have a major squad clear out, a new manager (Nigel Pearson), and a new philosophy around the club. The rest as they say is history. Does that sound familiar?

Our fall was quicker last season but fall we did. We had a clear-out of playing staff, brought in a new manager with a new philosophy and history has repeated itself – one step back to take two forward so to speak.

But promotion was only the first part of the plan. We may be starting from the pit lane next season but at least we are at the race. We need to establish ourselves back in the top flight before anything else.

Offer me 17th place right now and I would take it.

Oh by the way Leeds, how did that riot go?

Chris Forryan can be found at Leicester Till I Die, external

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In February, Leicester City lost 3-1 away to Leeds - reducing what had been a 17-point lead at the top of the Championship to just six.

Manager Enzo Maresca came into the changing room and said just one thing: "We will finish ahead of Leeds."

A deliberately timed, measured message with the purpose of spreading confidence.

Three months later, after just one season in the Championship wilderness and in his first full campaign as a number one in senior football, Maresca and Leicester are back in the big time as champions.

But there are clouds on the horizon. Leicester's fate could be set as much by decisions made off the field as those on it.

The euphoria created by promotion can not disguise the fact that not everything is well.

The news that Leicester face potential financial fair play issues is something Maresca only became aware of after the start of the season.

It is disingenuous to imagine that the club knew nothing about the potential problems they could be facing and not informing their Italian manager earlier is not a good look.

This is evidenced by the highly unsatisfactory January transfer window involving two deals in particular. Cesare Casadei was very much part of Maresca's plans after signing him on loan from Chelsea at the start of the season. Then Chelsea recalled him in the winter window.

Stefano Sensi, from Inter Milan, had come to the UK to help complete the deal once the two clubs had negotiated a fee for the player. Suddenly everything fell apart over concerns surrounding the club's FFP standing.

To say Maresca was unimpressed on both occasions would be an understatement.

Surviving in the top flight will be hard enough even without the handicap of having to start next season with a points deduction.

While Leicester's fortunes are not yet fully known, the one thing that is certain is that Maresca has no intention of changing his way of playing for the Premier League.

He also won't want to make some of the mistakes Vincent Kompany made at Burnley, believing most of his promoted squad could keep them up. Changes to Leicester's squad are required.

Maresca and his family are comfortable in Leicester. His children have stayed in England for most of their lives and any change of location always brings with it a degree of personal drama. But the Italian coach doesn’t see himself having a long career in management, so every step along the way has to be calculated with care.

It is logical that Maresca, with offers from European Cup winners and Spanish and Italian teams, and interest from English clubs, would consider all of his options after listening to the chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha during the squad break in Monaco on the Thai businessman's yacht.

Sevilla are among a number of clubs monitoring Leicester City manager Enzo Maresca after the 44-year-old led the team back to the Premier League. (Mail), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

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Dennis Praet has confirmed his departure from newly-promoted Leicester City after a five-year stint at King Power Stadium.

The Foxes signed the Belgium international from Sampdoria in August 2019 for £18.4m, but he has since struggled to become a mainstay under former managers Brendan Rodgers and Dean Smith, and current boss Enzo Maresca.

Speaking to Flemish newspaper Het Nieuwsblad, external in an exclusive interview, the midfielder said he is looking for "something new" this summer, as he becomes a free agent with his current contract set to expire.

The 29-year-old added: "I am now physically at the peak of my career. I definitely want to become important somewhere again, so that I can find the fun in the game again.

"There are already a number of things going on, so I'm quite relaxed. I just have to be a little more patient. It's logical that some clubs do not yet know their budgets.

“I don't regret it [joining Leicester City]. I really wanted to go to the Premier League, that choice was quickly made. I have also experienced many beautiful moments.

"I just wanted to play a lot more. That is the painful part."

Praet will likely depart Leicester City as an FA Cup and Championship title winner.

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Thousands of Leicester City supporters flooded the city centre on Sunday to celebrate the Foxes' promotion to the Premier League, after setting a joint club-record of 31 league wins this season to secure their eighth second-tier title.

Former Leicester City winger Matt Piper has been looking back on their past nine months in the Championship on the When You're Smiling podcast: "It has been an incredible season.

"I think he [Enzo Maresca] is a good manager that trusts his players. He puts in that belief. All of the players talk so highly of him.

"The other thing that shocked me was that after winning the Championship, they all piled round the gaffer's house! In my career, I played for 13 managers and never ever did I think I was going round the gaffer's house for a party!

"That shows you how close he is with this group."

• Listen to the full Leicester City parade podcast on BBC Sounds

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After lifting the Championship trophy, vice-captain Marc Albrighton spoke to BBC Radio Leicester's Owynn Palmer-Atkin about winning yet another accolade with the club and his future at the club: "The feeling is like no other. There is nothing that can describe it.

"We've obviously had days like this before, but you forget the feeling and the joy that it brings when you are on that pitch with your family and team-mates lifting that trophy.

"I am forever grateful of moments like this.

"I was a bit reluctant to lift the trophy, having not played so much this season, but he [Jamie Vardy] is very persistent so I had no choice!

"It's an incredible feeling to go back up at the first time of asking, not many clubs do that. We are looking forward now to seeing what next season brings. I'm looking forward to seeing us, probably from the other side.

"I'm 99.9% sure it is [the last time I will be playing in a Leicester City shirt]. There is no official confirmation, but I think that's it. Do you know what - to go out in this kind of manner is just fitting and it just tops off an incredible 10 years [at the club]."

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Academy graduate Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall also talked about his desire to get his boyhood club back to top-flight football this season, adding: "I will look back on this season with wonderful memories. I've loved every minute of it, even the highs and the lows. It has been a fantastic year. I'm so happy that we managed to finish it off with a bit of silverware.

"If you had told me that this would happen a year ago, I would've snapped your hand off for it. I can't complain - I'm buzzing.

"It's amazing. These are the things that you dream of as a kid. It is hard to put into words to be honest, it's a bit surreal after the lows of last year.

"I'm so happy because it's been such a tough year and I have come back now and helped the team secure promotion. That is all I ever wanted, so I'm a happy man."

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Former Leicester winger Matt Piper says the Foxes' final day defeat to Blackburn took "little bit of shine" away from the day they lifted the Championship trophy but it takes nothing away from a "wonderful" season.

Leicester lost 2-0 at home in a game that saw Rovers secure survival on the final day.

"They lacked quality today against Blackburn but it's been a long, tough season," Piper told the When You're Smiling podcast.

"Enzo Maresca went with his go to XI, the only one missing was Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, and the performance looked tired, it did lack quality.

"But, it doesn't matter, the job was already done previous to kick-off. Blackburn came, had a really good gameplan, sat deep, and then had a really outstanding player on the counter-attack in Sammie Szmodics.

"It has taken a little bit of shine off the day but I'm sure it will all be forgotten when the trophy comes out.

"We are champions, we finish on 97 points and it has been a wonderful, wonderful season."

Blackburn needed the points to secure their survival and Piper believes facing a team with so much to play for on the final day made securing the title against Preston all the more important.

"That was the game wasn't it?," he added. "That was the game to go and win and stamp your authority on the league and make sure that you're champions of the Championship and we did that. It would have just been nice in front of the home crowd today to go out in style.

"It wasn't to be but once that trophy comes out it doesn't matter that we've lost this last game. We've still got the most points in the league and go back to the Premier League as champions."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Enzo Maresca has led Leicester City back to the Premier League as Championship winners in his first season at the King Power Stadium, but will he still be in charge when the new campaign kicks off in August?

Spanish football journalist Guillem Balague tells The Football News Show why the Italian may leave if he's not given sufficient backing during the summer.

Watch The Football News Show on BBC iPlayer

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Leicester City manager Enzo Maresca has told BBC Radio Leicester he is looking forward to lifting the Championship trophy in front of the club's home supporters on Saturday.

The Foxes, who were crowned champions after beating Preston on Monday, end the season at home to Blackburn Rovers on Saturday and a win will see them finish the campaign with 100 points.

Maresca said he will enjoy the title celebrations, adding: "Especially because it's at home in front of our people and in our stadium, we've seen already the environment in the stadium when we needed it.

"It will be a good moment for everyone, it will be a nice day."

Jamie Vardy's 18 goals have helped propel Leicester City back to the Premier League after one season in the Championship.

However, after a barren campaign in the top flight in 2022-23 and, at the age of 37, can Vardy still perform among the elite?

Former team-mate and Premier League winner Danny Simpson tells The Football News Show how the schedule next season could play into Vardy's hands, and how he will be motivated to prove doubters wrong.

Watch The Football News Show on BBC iPlayer

Leicester City are interested in signing Coventry City's English midfielder Callum O'Hare, 26. (Football Insider), external

Aston Villa want to sign Leicester and Nigeria forward Kelechi Iheanacho, 27, as a back-up striker for England international Ollie Watkins, 28. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

Winning the Championship is huge Leicester City because it has been a concerning time for the club.

There are still issues around points deductions but there would have been a huge financial problem if they did not bounce back up this season.

Jamie Vardy has contributed right to the end but it might be time for him to go to a new club. He might want to go and try something else, but he is also such a longstanding figure in the club so would he want too?

How they do in the Premier League next season will be down to how they can recruit and what money they have to spend.

Getting a good start will be key for building their confidence.

Michael Brown was speaking to BBC Sport's Nicola Pearson

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Conor Coady says the Leicester players have achieved their target for the season by winning the Championship

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily 72+ podcast, the 31-year-old said it has been "a fantastic couple of days and fantastic couple of nights" as the Foxes celebrated clinching the title with a 3-0 win at Preston North End on Monday.

"We've had quite a few good nights - since Friday really. Seeing the Leeds score [losing 4-0 to QPR] when QPR were fantastic on the night," he said.

"The goal was to win the league and we managed to do that on Monday with a fantastic performance. I think the celebrations take away from the performance - I thought the performance was brilliant from the boys. To go out and put in a real good performance to win the league was fantastic.

"I don't actually drink myself but the lads had a few drinks on Monday night after the game which was quite a late night."

Coady said he had a chat with Leicester boss Enzo Maresca before the game and he mentioned how the manager's overriding emotion was "relief."

"I think that's the biggest part of where we are and what we do," Coady said. "At the start of the season, it's common knowledge we had to get the club over the line - and we've done that.

"The manager has been fantastic - he's been brilliant with every player. He's brought a philosophy of football to the club that none of us have really played before.

"He's obviously come from Manchester City and had a certain way. He was speaking on behalf of us all in terms of the relief of getting over the line.

"For the couple of months before, no one wanted to take grasp of the Championship. We were dropping points, then Leeds would drop points and Ipswich would drop points."

He added the players all came together and "made sure we looked at ourselves in the mirror and managed to get over the line in the last week."

Listen to the whole episode here

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BBC Radio Leicester's Jack Rafferty and former Foxes winger Matt Piper have been discussing the "togetherness" between Enzo Maresca, his backroom staff and his players on the When You're Smiling podcast.

Rafferty said: "Pre-match, we were hearing Enzo Maresca talking about those pictures of members of the squad round his house, watching the Leeds game and celebrating when promotion was confirmed.

"We were taking the mick saying, 'Oh yeah Enzo, you told us in your pre-match press conference that you were going to have a quiet night-in with the family and you were going to have some pizza.

"But he said that the players just turned up. He didn't invite them - they didn't pre-arrange it - the players just rocked up on his doorstep!

"I think that is just another sign of that togetherness, not just amongst the players but with the staff and hierarchy as well."

Piper added: "There has been adversity this season and that has probably brought the group even closer together. The things that have happened off the pitch, financially, will have brought the group together.

"We went on a real poor run, only winning one in six [games], but all of a sudden great teams, great squads, great managers come together. They fight through that adversity.

"Leeds can say that they are the best team in the league all they want, but when it got tough for them the wheels actually did fall off. We pulled together and fought through that adversity.

"I think we have to listen to what some of the players are saying and what the manager is saying because it is unheard of.

"I have never heard of players inviting themselves round to their manager's house to have a party because they have been promoted.

"When we won the Premier League, it was Jamie Vardy's house. Was Claudio Ranieri there? I don't think he was.

"Special groups do special things together - and this is definitely a special group."

Listen to the full podcast on BBC Sounds