Leshabela Making The Most Of More Family Time

- Khanya Leshabela speaks to LCFC TV while adhering to the stay-at-home guidelines
- The Development Squad midfielder is spending time with his nearest family
- Leshabela says group sessions on Zoom is helping keep the Under-23s players connected

As everyone, footballers or otherwise, adapt to the Government's stay-at-home guidelines, in response to COVID-19, one advantage many people can take is being able to see more of their loved ones.

That's certainly been the case for Leshabela, a star of the Club's Under-23s squad, who is continuing to follow the guidelines by enjoying quality time with his family.

While naturally missing his Foxes team-mates, meanwhile, the 20-year-old midfielder says regular fitness sessions on the video call platform Zoom is helping keep the squad connected.

"Obviously, we don’t usually get time to see our families, so this time I’ve used well to bond with my little brother and spend time with my mum, so it’s been good," he told LCFC TV.

"Spending that much time away from home, it’s like you don’t really know them anymore, so it’s been good to have some family bonding.

"I'm missing the banter around the training ground. When it’s football times, you’re literally with them every day and it’s all good, but hopefully we’ll get back soon. 

"We’re always communicating with each other, whether it’s Snapchat or on video calls, or PS4, we always keep in touch. The boys are all close anyway, so we all keep in touch."

The group calls are just one way in which Leicester's backroom team are looking out for the Club's players with the staff also sending regular fitness packs designed to maintain base fitness.

"We’ve got our programmes," Leshabela added. "They gave us programmes before we went away and there’s always some live sessions that we take part in as a group on Zoom, stuff like that.

"Obviously, for myself, I’ve got to drag myself outside and motivate myself to do the runs! I’ve done so many 5k runs it’s unbelievable, but you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do."

However, due to his duties to stick to social distancing, Leshabela and his colleagues struggled to replicate the competitive edge of a football match, but he is nonetheless finding new ways to train. 

"In my game, I like to take players on, or take risks in a game, so it’s quite difficult to recreate that," he continued. "It’s difficult to recreate it.

"You watch old clips of yourself and you try and imagine in your head what you were good at and what you need to do to keep at this level.

"When I’m doing my ball work, I’m always trying to do short, sharp footwork, making sure my feet are still sharp and loads of touch work, I’m always doing stuff like that."

After joining the Club in 2013, Leshabela has quickly progressed through the Academy's ranks and signed a new three-and-a-half-year contract last January.

Since then, he has continued to be an important figure for the Under-23s, while also starring for his country at youth level - both of which he hopes to build upon over future seasons.  

"It’s gone so quick," he said. "I can’t believe it’s been about seven years now, it literally goes so fast. I still remember it being my first day as a scholar and it literally feels like yesterday.

"But it’s been a good journey and hopefully [there are] many more years to come."