Former Leicester City defender Conor Coady has stated that the problems at his old club "have got to run deeper" than the manager and players, following their challenging start to life in League One. Coady, who spent two seasons with the Foxes, revealed he could feel the club's decline during his time there.
Leicester City currently occupy 18th position in the league, having accumulated five points from their first five matches. This includes a significant 4-0 home loss to Oxford United on Saturday. Coady, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club, suggested the club has been "in transition too long" after experiencing three relegations in the past four seasons.
The ex-England international believes Leicester has lost the identity that once made them a formidable side, leading to their Premier League and FA Cup triumphs. Last season, owner Khun Aiyawatt 'Top' Srivaddhanaprabha took responsibility for the club's decline and has since put the club up for sale with an asking price exceeding £200m.
Observer football journalist Rory Smith questioned the club's recent managerial appointments and the apparent lack of a clear long-term strategy. He noted the differing styles of recent managers, suggesting it "doesn't suggest there's any real strategy" from the ownership. Coady, however, believes the club made progress over the summer by refreshing the squad and promoting younger players, but stressed that the appointment of Russell Martin requires patience to implement his style of football.
Former Blackburn Rovers striker Chris Sutton believes Martin's reputation for possession-based football could become a challenge if results do not improve quickly. Sutton added that Leicester fans expect the team to achieve immediate promotion, which he sees as Martin's biggest hurdle.