Leicester City have lost six-in-a-row and an air of resignation has set in amongst fans at the King Power Stadium that last season’s Championship winners may be returning to the second tier – but Ruud van Nistelrooy sees it differently
Ruud van Nistelrooy is going to channel his inner Sir Bobby Robson to get Leicester City back on track.
The Foxes’ chief says he’s heeding a lesson from the playbook of the late, great former England boss as he attempts to arrest a six-game losing streak. Leicester slumped to a 2-0 home defeat against Crystal Palace on Wednesday – and an air of quiet resignation has swept around the King Power Stadium by the final whistle.
And although van Nistelrooy admitted it was ‘a big blow’ he dug deep into his memory bank to drag up some words of wisdom from his former boss at PSV Eindhoven.
Robson was in charge for three seasons – the first of which the striker spent playing under him before his manager moved to take charge of his boyhood club Newcastle United. Van Nistelrooy said: “We want to show what we are all about against Fulham. I want to show what I’m all about.
“Sir Bobby Robson used to say: ‘When the going gets tough, the tough gets going’ – so that’s what I’ve been saying this morning. We want to show some belief.”
The Foxes’ chief was understandably low after Wednesday’s home defeat. Unable to hide his true emotions at the final whistle, he delivered a downbeat assessment. The King Power Stadium fully supported the XI fielded by the Dutchman, but the atmosphere was quickly punctured.
Leicester desperately needed to send a signal that they can drag themselves out of danger, and the former Manchester United ace added, “It’s our responsibility – collectively – to give hope back to the fans. That’s our responsibility.
“We talk about performances and yes, there were some good spells against Palace, I felt the support was there. It’s up to us to turn this negative cycle around and bring hope back into the fans’ hearts and minds.
“It’s my mission to accomplish that. There is hope. There is spirit. Palace was a big blow. We didn’t deserve a lot from the second half. We started with expectations, hope and spirit. We came up short.
“It was the lowest we have felt so far because we had high hopes of proving ourselves with points and a performance.
“There is hope. There is spirit in the dressing room. That’s why it was so disappointing. And it’s hard. But we kept up spirits after five losses – and we’ll do it after six.”
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