The latest episode of the When You're Smiling podcast has landed.
BBC Radio Leciester's Owynn Palmer-Atkin is joined by former Foxes defender Michael Morrison to discuss Andy King becoming part of Ruud van Nistelrooy's first-team coaching set-up, and preview Friday's match against Brentford.
Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds
Image source, Getty ImagesI was a fan of Steve Cooper. He struggled in the end at Nottingham Forest but with the transition with all the players they brought in at once, he had to try to manage and cope with that.
He was then given the job at Leicester and I was excited to see what he would do. However, they spent a lot of that time fighting around the relegation places. But, with the three teams that got promoted, I am not sure there was anyone that really gave those teams a chance of maintaining their Premier League place, which makes it a difficult one. What are the expectations of the club?
That is part of the problem. The expectations of the club compared to the expectation of the fans. That is a problem across the Premier League and football right now. Cooper did not get the results and fans turned against him.
But, if we are going to measure his success based on points picked up compared to Ruud van Nistelrooy, it would suggest it was a mistake to sack him. However, with Van Nistelrooy, he has come in and he has tried to make them harder to beat. They have not managed to get the results that maybe match up to the performances he has brought out of the team.
I think Leicester are in the position they were always going to be in, no matter who was in charge. They were always going to be fighting relegation and anything else would be a bonus, so it was always going to be difficult for the manager.
Leicester did not really invest when they came up, they did not have the money to as there were financial difficulties from when they were in the Championship. They came back up with a Championship team that was mostly the side that took them down the year before and were not good enough to stay in the top flight.
What has helped Van Nistelrooy, however, is that his communication is really good. He is quite open with the current situation and has been understanding of the fans wanting to protest against the running of the club as long as they support the team in these difficult moments.
He has been winning the fans over, which Cooper did not do, so from that side of it, it was probably the right thing to bring Van Nistelrooy in.
Fara Williams was speaking to BBC Sport's Nicola Pearson
Arnav Bhatia
Fan writer
Image source, Getty ImagesIt's a grim period for Leicester City.
The former Premier League champions seem destined for their second relegation in three years, and the disconnect between fans and the club has never been greater.
There was much excitement when legendary striker Ruud van Nistelrooy was named Steve Cooper's successor. Van Nistelrooy had fared reasonably well in his managerial career, but the Leicester board were gambling on a largely inexperienced manager to steer them to safety.
Two months into his appointment, the gamble appears to have failed. Leicester sit 19th in the league standings, and have managed just two victories in the 13 league games Van Nistelrooy has managed.
Statistically, Van Nistelrooy is performing worse than Cooper in some key metrics. Leicester have managed fewer goals scored (0.75 per game vs Cooper's 1.25), expected goals (0.87xG vs 1.01) and have conceded more (2.33 vs 1.92).
However, a closer look at other statistics such as xG, shots taken, and final-third touches show Leicester's creativity hasn't dipped much. The attackers were overperforming their xG under Cooper, and that overachievement has simply balanced out under Van Nistelrooy. Still, the number is low. Leicester need to create more chances, and Facundo Buonanotte's lack of minutes is not helping.
Van Nistelrooy has given Leicester an identity, and performances – especially from the midfield – have been good. Defensive issues and individual errors persist, though, and the lack of signings in January, alongside injuries to key players, makes his job even more challenging.
While a more experienced manager may have fared better, it's hard to fault Van Nistelrooy entirely. A manager can only do so much. The players have escaped accountability far too many times, especially under Cooper's tenure, and they now need to step up and find the spark to inspire Leicester to another great escape.
Image source, Getty ImagesLeicester boss Ruud van Nistelrooy believes fans are showing "pure passion" amid recent protests.
A section of supporters held a protest march against the Foxes' hierarchy before the recent home defeat by Arsenal.
Director of football Jon Rudkin has come under increasing pressure from fans with the club sitting second from bottom in the table after winning only four of their 25 Premier League games this season.
Foxes chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha called for fans to unite behind the team in his programme notes before the game against the Gunners, but Van Nistelrooy does not feel the protests impacted the team and believes there is still enough support for his players.
"I do. I think it's pure passion what you see around you," the Dutchman said before Friday's home game against Brentford.
"Passion for the football club to do better and that is a great thing to see and to feel and to represent that.
"I feel in the Arsenal game we were supported really well. I didn't hear any negativity. The fans were all behind the team.
"We all suffered, off and on the pitch with those late goals. The protest, I haven't really seen that because we were already in the stadium preparing for the game.
"So the supporters did that separate from us. So that helped. We were focusing on the game and when we went out there was nothing visible about that and that felt like great support."
Leicester City and Crystal Palace are watching Midtjylland and Guinea-Bissau forward Franculino Dju, 20, who came through Benfica's academy. (Bold - in Danish, external)
Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column
Nicola Pearson
BBC Sport journalist
Leicester City boss Ruud van Nistelrooy has been speaking to the media before Friday's Premier League game against Brentford at King Power Stadium (kick-off 20:00 GMT).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
James Justin is a "question mark" for Friday but the issue is "not really bad" and "looks more a question of weeks than [anything] more".
Ricardo Pereira is "making good progress" in his comeback and training with the team: "Hopefully in the coming weeks that can be more and he can be part of games as well."
On whether new signing Wolo Coulibaly could be in line to make his first start: "James [Justin] is the only right-back in the squad with Ricardo [Pereira] being injured. It's good we have him. He made a good impression against Arsenal when he came on as well. Everybody's in line for a start. Of course, he's the second right-back - he came in when [Justin] came off. We'll see how the rest of the week goes and the team is picked later on."
Van Nistelrooy announced that former midfielder Andy King is now part of his first-team coaching staff: "Andy is one of the people in the club with Leicester City in the DNA that I wanted to speak with and get to know. Over the course of past few weeks, I asked him to be more part of the first-team setting and coaching staff. He really liked it - we all did, the players did - and he is a full part of that set-up now. He is helping us now with all his knowledge and experience of this football club."
On why he has brought the Premier League winner into the coaching set-up: "What has impressed me most is his eye for the team and for the details of the game. He's very bright in his ideas and we're aligned in the idea of how to bring Leicester City forward. When you feel that connection with someone of that stature, he has been the example of winning a championship, a league, but also being relegated. He is someone we can all learn from - a great addition for our coaching team."
Van Nistelrooy believes the Foxes have "missed" points they deserved but says there is "no mercy" in the Premier League and "consistency" is the key for them to avoid relegation.
Asked if there are now just three times fighting to avoid two relegation spots, Van Nistelrooy said: "There are 13 games remaining and we have to do our bit. It is about results and performances, and after 13 games the table will be clear. So, for me, it is not a topic - we have to do it ourselves, we really have to."
He added: "I feel that commitment from the team and their performances on that pitch. I can't ask more than that. I cant ask for more than the maximum of my team."
The Leicester boss praised opposite number Thomas Frank for the "excellent" job he has done at Brentford and said it is "a dream for a manager to be able to think in those long terms" and believes they are an "example" for other clubs.
Image source, Getty ImagesLeicester are unbeaten in their last four home league games against Brentford (W2 D2), having failed to win in any of their first eight home meetings with the Bees between 1937 and 1953 (D4 L4).
However, the Foxes have lost each of their last five Premier League home games – they have never lost six in a row on home soil in their league history.
