Remaining Positive – Sadler’s Pre-Bournemouth Message
Starting with this weekend’s fixture against AFC Bournemouth, the Foxes have nine games remaining to ensure top-flight status is secured. The Cherries visit King Power Stadium in a 3pm kick-off on Saturday afternoon.
Sadler, continuing to prepare the team alongside fellow First Team Coach Mike Stowell, briefed the media in Thursday’s pre-match press conference on the next challenge that lies ahead for the team.
Points the priority
Concentrating on responding to the current situation is the only priority for Sadler, who is not looking any further ahead than planning and focusing on the task of collecting a positive result from the meeting with Bournemouth.
“The situation remains exactly as it was,” the 43-year-old stated, speaking inside the King Power Centre in Seagrave. “Mike and I are going to be in charge for the game at the weekend. We’ll prepare the team to be ready for the game on Saturday.
“We’ll prepare for every game with our usual processes. It’s going to be a massive game, of course we understand that, but there’ll be no difference in the way we go around preparing for this game from Tuesday night.
“Mike and I have been at the Football Club for a long time, so we know these players very well and the players know us very well. For us, it’s just about remaining really positive with these players. It’s a very talented group of players and our job is to really give them our full support, which is what we’ve been doing.
“All we can do is look at the next fixture and prepare the team as best we possibly can. We have to be really focused on getting the group into the right place to go and win the game.”
Analysing the Cherries
Bournemouth will enter the fixture with their own relegation worries to contend with. Placed two points and one place above Leicester, Gary O’Neil’s side remain in the bottom three.
A comeback victory over Fulham last weekend no doubt provided a morale boost at the south coast club, though it was followed up with defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion in midweek. Sadler believes City must be wary of their opposition’s threats.
He explained: “Bournemouth is a club is a similar situation to ourselves, in the relegation zone. They’re a couple of points ahead of us. Gary has done a really good job with that team. You can see a really good identity in how they play.
“They very much play on the front foot. We have to be ready. We know it’s a big challenge ahead but we’ve a day to prepare tomorrow (on Friday) to get the players into the best possible place to be ready for that game. I think it’s potentially a fantastic fixture for us.”
Looking for a reaction
As it was for the meeting with Aston Villa earlier this week, the aim is clear for Sadler, who is not wanting to overcomplicate the message given to the players in what is a crucial point in the season, with the Blue Army able to play their part once more.
He added: “We’ve had such a busy week with the game on Tuesday night, so it’s been a simple case of getting everybody's minds on that game. I have to say, I thought the spirit in the team in the game on Tuesday night, although the result didn’t go our way, was really clear to see.
“I think that was backed up by the Leicester City fans on the night. I thought King Power Stadium was really loud and fantastic and really behind the team and we’ll be looking for the same come Saturday.
“We just want those players that we have here to get the full backing of the fans. You’ve got to get right behind the team if you’re a Leicester City fan there on Saturday. We’d love that, we appreciate that and if it’s anything like it was on Tuesday night then it’ll be fantastic.”
“I think we’ve just got to stay in the moment. It’s about being very current and concerned only with the here and now. We’ll prepare the team with Bournemouth in mind and then it’s the game on Saturday. We’re not looking any further than that. That’s our full focus.”