Richard Keys Says Leicester Have ‘Serious Questions to Answer’
The broadcaster says he ‘doesn’t like’ Leicester City’s bid for Premier League promotion given their off-field issues.
For Leicester City and their fans, this season got off to the best possible start. New manager Enzo Maresca arrived from Manchester City, and rekindled the fire that had been put out under Brendan Rodgers. An exciting brand of football, a turnaround in mentality and an incredible first half of the season on the pitch.
Some dips in form have now narrowed the Championship title race right down, but it’s issues off the field that have brought the energy crashing down at Leicester. They are in trouble with both the Premier League and EFL over alleged breaches of spending rules, and are under an embargo from the latter. But the club have vowed to take legal action against both organisations. It’s certainly been, and will be, a dramatic few weeks for Leicester and their rivals.
Leicester City Have Serious Questions to Answer
That’s according to Richard Keys, who says it’s like ‘2003 all over again’
Richard Keys is unhappy about Leicester’s current financial situation, comparing the situation to 2003. That year, Leicester went into administration, and it was that process which saw points deductions come into play for financial mismanagement in English football.
“Leeds and Leicester are the other two jockeying for an automatic place,” Keys wrote in his latest blog. “I’ve got to admit there’s something about Leicester’s bid that I don’t like. It feels like 2003 all over again to me. Their promotion that year – after falling into administration – led to the current regulations about financial mis-management being brought in. Once again they’ve got some serious questions to answer about their finances.”
Keys also spoke about the on-field Championship promotion race, writing: “The battle to get out of the C’ship is fascinating now. It’s impossible to call it – the race for automatic promotion – or a play-off place. How well have Ipswich done? The defeat at Norwich was untimely, but Kieran McKenna deserves a whole lot of praise for another terrific – whatever happens now.”
Leicester Cannot Let This Distract Them
Any punishment coming Leicester’s way is highly likely to be dished out until next season when, they will be hoping, they are back in the Premier League. Manager Enzo Maresca has told himself and his players that they must shut out the noise, and focus on winning games and getting promoted back to the top flight. That will be easier said than done, but they must be mentally strong.
Rivals Leeds and Ipswich also cannot let it get in their heads. They will feel aggrieved and want answers, that’s for sure, but they shouldn’t let it affect them on the pitch either. The football must take centre stage between now and the end of the season, because what an exciting race it will be.
Foxes manager Maresca said in a press conference last week: “After the Premier League charge, the EFL, now the accounts, hopefully it’s finished! Hopefully there are no more! I said already many times, it’s something we cannot control. The lawyers of the club are in charge of that. The only thing we can do is try to focus on our games.
“I try to convince myself and convince the players that the only thing we can worry about is the games. The rest is something we don’t control. Even if it’s something that is there, we cannot manage the situation. Until today, they (the players) showed in the games that they are just focused on the games. And also I have the same feeling day by day in the training sessions that they are just focused on the football.”
