Cottee: A Club That’s Going Places
Cottee’s three years at the Football Club were recently celebrated during a ‘90s Retro Throwback evening at King Power Stadium, which coincided with the launch of a new range of retro shirts that evoke fond memories for much of the Blue Army.
The former striker lifted his first ever major trophy while signed to the Foxes after his 89 minutes of action at Wembley Stadium against Tranmere Rovers saw him taste glory in 2000 having previously suffered heartbreak in the final a year earlier.
Nearly two decades on and Cottee is still a follower of the Foxes, and with four wins from eight outings in all competitions, combined with just one defeat, the 54-year-old believes City’s stars have the right ingredients to take the Football Club to the next level.
“I think it’s certainly a club that’s going places,” Cottee told LCFC TV. “We all know what happened three years ago and the wonderful season that Leicester had. I’m looking to the present and the future and I think it’s a really, really good squad of players and an excellent manager who’s forward-thinking and wants to take the Club onto the next level.
“I had the pleasure of going to the training ground recently and seeing how they’ve improved the training ground with a new training ground to come next year. There’s not been too many pennies held back with that, there’s a lot of money gone into the infrastructure of the Football Club and big plans for the stadium.
“Looking at the pitch here, I’m a little bit jealous, I’ve got to be honest! I’d love to be at the Club now and playing in what are great times for the Club. I had the privilege of playing 20 years ago with a great squad of players.
“You look at the squad that’s here now and how the Club is for the present. The past is all well and good, but you have to make sure the present and the future is in good hands and I think it is.”
A scorer of 294 goals in 714 league and cup appearances throughout his senior career, Cottee has a deep interest in the exploits of City’s attackers.
Jamie Vardy, who has scored 83 Premier League goals to become the Foxes’ outright leading goalscorer in the division, has excelled, according to Cottee.
“I was an attacking player, so when I think you’re an attacking player you tend to keep an eye on players that play in the positions that you played,” he continued. “I’m a huge Jamie Vardy fan and I admire Jamie for what he’s done effectively since he was rejected as a kid at Sheffield Wednesday.
“To be given the boot and then you go down and play Sunday football, and Non-League football, and to still have the belief to bounce back and develop through Fleetwood and come to Leicester – all the time, people are asking questions.
“Every challenge he’s had put in front of him, he’s taken on and arisen to that challenge. Some of his finishes this year have been excellent – real top-class finishing. I think he’s a fantastic goalscorer, I really do.
“In Jamie, Leicester have got a player that’s hopefully going to lead the line for another two, three or four seasons and I probably would give a mention to James Maddison as well.”
Maddison’s debut season in the Premier League saw him return seven goals and seven assists, while his brilliant winner versus Tottenham Hotspur received plenty of plaudits as City recovered a memorable triumph on Filbert Way.
Having seen the Leicester No.10 perform well while at Norwich City, Cottee has watched him develop into one of the Premier League’s most talented attackers.
“He’s another player that I follow closely, and I’ve covered a lot of Norwich in my TV role,” he continued. “You could see that there was a really good player there, and again, the challenge for James was that it’s alright playing for Norwich in the Championship, can you come and do it in the Premier League?
“He’s done that as well and he’s in that England squad now with a good chance of getting into the England team over the next couple of seasons. I think they would be the two players that I keep an eye on. In general, I’m just looking at the Leicester results and willing the team to do well.”
Cottee has been impressed with Northern Irishman Brendan Rodgers, who this term has seen his side lose just once, while they also sit in third position in the Premier League standings.
Discussing Rodgers’ appointment, he said: “I was really pleased. I had the pleasure of meeting Brendan a couple of years ago in Dubai. When he was appointed here, I thought he was the right appointment for the Club – to try and take the Club onto the next level.
“He’s one of those new breeds of coaches who’s got good ideas, and he’s trying to take the Club on, really. I think he’s the right man for the job and I look forward to saying hello to him again when I get the chance.”
Cottee recently came to Leicester to model the new Retro Range, which is available now from shop.lcfc.com.