Jannik Vestergaard: Leicester City defender thankful for fresh start under Enzo Maresca
- Published
Jannik Vestergaard has quickly become a key player Enzo Maresca's Leicester City side
Leicester defender Jannik Vestergaard says he is determined to repay Enzo Maresca for resurrecting his career.
The 31-year-old failed to make a Premier League appearance as the Foxes were relegated last term, and was banished by ex-boss Brendan Rodgers, external after criticising him in an interview.
Vestergaard has played in 16 of their 17 league games this season, helping them to the top of the Championship.
"He [Maresca] has given everyone a fresh start," Vestergaard said.
"He has shown me a lot of trust, I've gained a lot of confidence and I'm trying to pay it back.
"Right now I'm in a very good place and the club is in a very good place.
"I'm happy to be where I am and I'd be lying if I said there is not a small sense of pride in overcoming a challenging period and being where I am and being able to show a bit more of myself."
'Twin brother' confusion
Jannik Vestergaard's only appearances for Leicester in the 2022-23 seaason came in cup competitions
Verstergaard has started more matches this season than he did during his first two campaigns with Leicester after arriving from Southampton for £15m in the summer of 2021.
When the defender previously told reporters in Denmark that he "was out in the cold with no explanation" last season, his then Foxes boss Rodgers questioned whether he had been talking to the player's "twin brother", external when communicating his position.
While attempting to avoid delving into his past at Leicester in any great detail, Vestergaard admits he "did hear" those comments.
"I didn't and don't know what it means," Vestergaard told BBC Radio Leicester.
"I don't have anything to say about anything that happened in the past with people who are no longer at the club.
"I will agree that my time here has been up and down, but I'm not really interested in talking about what has happened in the past."
Denmark return
Being frozen out at the Foxes, and making just three cup appearances last season, also cost Vestergaard his spot in the Denmark squad.
He was recalled for their most recent European Championship qualifiers, and started in the home win against Slovenia that sealed their place in the 2024 tournament.
"The biggest experiences I have had in my career have been with the national team and representing my country - those experiences become part of me," he said.
"Being out of the Denmark national team hurt me a lot.
"I was in a place where I didn't play at all, so I had to start over and had to show that I still had it.
"He [Denmark boss Kasper Hjulmand] hadn't seen me play for over a year as well. So it is something I take pride in, that I have returned to Denmark given where I was at."
'Encouraged to have fun'
Vestergaard credits the possession-based, methodical passing game introduced at Leicester by Italian Maresca for his revival, and rediscovery of a part of his game that became neglected.
"Yes, of course he [Maresca] has made it easier," Vestergaard said.
"I've been very impressed with the manager and his coaching staff and the way they have implemented their idea of football.
"It suits me, personally, very well. I feel very comfortable in the role of having a lot of the ball and setting up attacks."
It has the 6ft 6in defender reminiscing about growing up as a versatile attacking player, who would watch "bad quality YouTube videos" and try and replicate intricate skills while playing in football cages when growing up in Copenhagen.
"I just really like the fun, what you could do with a football. The technical side of things," Vestergaard said.
"Then football became more and more serious and more and more result orientated and I got pushed further and further back, probably because of my size, so it's something that has always been there.
"Right now I've got a manger that really encourages that from me. And it's something I'm enjoying a lot."