Leicester City's bid to halt slump is hit hard by World Cup
Leicester City's internationals could have just one training session to prepare for their vital clash with Millwall a week on Friday.
Goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, defender Sean St Ledger, midfielder Andy King and striker Chris Wood have jetted out for international duty with their respective countries, and are not due to return until the middle of next week as City prepare to face the Lions and halt their alarming recent slump in form.
Schmeichel and Denmark have World Cup qualifiers against the Czech Republic, in Olomouc on Friday, and against Bulgaria, in Copenhagen on Tuesday.
St Ledger is in the Republic of Ireland squad for their qualifiers against Sweden, in Stockholm on Friday, and Austria, in Dublin on Tuesday.
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King and Wales face Scotland at Hampden Park on Friday, and Croatia at the Millennium Stadium on Tuesday.
But City's greatest concern will be over the condition of Wood, who has flown 11,400 miles to New Zealand ahead of their home game against New Caledonia on Friday, and then travels with the All Whites to face the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific on Tuesday.
The Solomon Islands are 11 hours ahead of UK time, which means he will set off on his return journey at the earliest on Tuesday afternoon, and could be back in Leicester by next Wednesday evening after his 24-hour trip.
That would give him just the day before the game to recover and train with his City team-mates, but boss Nigel Pearson said the club will just have to deal with the situation.
"There is not a lot you can do with players who go on international duty," he said.
"The players who go, like Chris Wood, will only possibly get back the day before we play, so it is not ideal."
The rest of the City squad have flown to Portugal for warm-weather training as they work through a run of form which has seen them win just once in nine league games.
Pearson added: "The players have to work hard and must make sure they re-energise, both physically and mentally, so next time we play we are in better condition than now."
15 Comments
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by TrueblueJoo
Thursday, March 21 2013, 12:31PM
“One, twenty they will still loose regardless with Mr Personality in charge !”
by squirril33
Wednesday, March 20 2013, 11:37PM
“like I said on other post I am for LCFC and that does not mean egotistical Nigel Pearson. These players Now see him as he is and very few of them like what they see. They no longer try for him. A new manager still would have time to let them express their talents and not be tied down to his regulations and have to play out of position and to tactics that done work. He is defunct. he is yesterday's man.”
by ghostof66pah
Wednesday, March 20 2013, 11:05PM
“Could be RED Squirrel as they are doing ok at the minute so that fits.
Could be Grey Squirrel because Grey is usually a sign of dull and boring?
Certainly not a Blue Squirrel!”
by squirril33
Wednesday, March 20 2013, 6:56PM
“Coaching session???? we are talking Pearson here. Come on he's a joke. The players will be celebrating when he's gone. Most of them anyway.”
by ghostof66pah
Wednesday, March 20 2013, 5:56PM
“We have been poor to say the least having had plenty of prep time before games. This could be the best thing for us...
COYB”
by Yorkshire_Fox
Wednesday, March 20 2013, 5:53PM
“Great to see some true fans making sensible comments today...”
by LeicesterFox
Wednesday, March 20 2013, 4:53PM
“Alanprichard...a few of the achievements that NP has made in is second tenure...
- dramatically reduced wage bill
- moved on players with poor attitude/negative impact (Beckford, Mills, Danns)
- recruited lower cost players in their place (Knockaert, De Laet, Wood - all of which I would take over the 3 previously mentioned)
- Manager of Month in January
- Played some attacking football which has at times been good to watch (neither Sven nor Paolo could do this whilst playing with any sort of consistency in terms of results)
- Not spent any money
- Improved league position
It speaks volumes that we are now in the playoff positions and so-called fans are calling for NP to get the sack! People have forgotton the 5 and 6 game winning streaks that we have been on earlier in the season. Previous managers have not got anywhere near that kind of form! Yes we have lost track recently and do lack consistency but still have a very good chance of promotion and I for one will be supporting NP and City as they try to take that chance.
Get off NP's back and show some support for your club.”
by Beliall
Wednesday, March 20 2013, 3:53PM
“this has been a good season, had its ups and downs, been exciting, worrying, and exciting again, a few weeks ago i actually thought we might catch cardiff! if we dont go up i hope pearson stays, a new manager will buy more players and disrupt the squad, if we avoid promotion, we'll be stronger next year for it, and stand a better chance of staying up in the prem.”
by Pickleman
Wednesday, March 20 2013, 2:45PM
“As fans we are always going to have our favourites who in our opinion must start ahead of others in the squad. I support Leicester Cty therefore I support whichever 11 is picked to start as well as the subs bench. Go on admit it how many have groaned when the team selection has recently been barked out over the tannoy? All I ask for in return is for those fortunate ones to be given the shirt to put in a shift, give 100% and earn their heafty salaries for 90 minutes of graft to showcase their profession. What I don't want to support is a team (with the exception of a few) strolling around as if they couldn't give a $hit too frightened to tackle, too frigtened to get stuck in and too frightened to shoot in case they miss knowing that at the end of the day they can slip away in their blinged up motors only to spout in the LM a few days later how they are going to rule the world.
On paper we have arguably one of the best teams in the Championship but sadly over recent weeks we have looked more like relegation fodder.
Teams have sussed us out, pack the midfield to bully our lightweigh fancy-dans, stop the supply to the strikers and force the defence into silly mistakes that lead to goals. What I want to see against Millwall is passion, commitment, desire and sheer bloody willingness to win. Is it too much to ask???”
by BrizzleFox
Wednesday, March 20 2013, 12:46PM
“Hear Hear The Geofflane !!!
It's only 2 months since NP was a god..... Now they wouldn't scrape him from their shoes. This is the time for real support. We need to stay strong and give Pearson our full support at least until the Season is over. How ridiculous to think of changing while still in the play offs and so few games to go
It's like leaving the ground at 1-0 up with 10 mins to play”