Leicester City’s troubled start to life in League One continued on Saturday as they were beaten 3-1 at home by Peterborough United, a result that leaves the Foxes 17th in the table after eight games and brought fresh chants from supporters calling for head coach Russell Martin to go.
It was a chastening afternoon against a side managed by Robbie Savage, the former Leicester captain, who had been in charge at Peterborough for just over a week and had taken over a team winless in their previous six league games. What followed was a capitulation: Owura Edwards put the visitors ahead after just 12 minutes, Harry Leonard doubled the advantage, and a Warren O’Hora own goal sent Savage’s side in at half-time 3-0 up. It was Leicester’s third home defeat of the season.
Before kick-off, the day had already been unusual. Jon Rudkin, the club’s long under-fire chief football officer, gave a rare interview to BBC Radio Leicester around an hour before the 15:00 BST start — his first such sit-down after years of declining formal requests to discuss the club’s fortunes, from Premier League title triumphs to three relegations in four years. Speaking to commentator Owynn Palmer-Atkin for less than 10 minutes, Rudkin addressed the heavy criticism aimed at himself and owner Khun ‘Top’ Srivaddhanaprabha, which has culminated in calls for him to leave and for the club to be sold. Asked about a sale brochure circulated with the club on the market for more than £200m, he said he “cannot comment on speculation”.
Sporting director James McCarron also spoke to BBC Radio Leicester, more than seven months after taking the job, in an interview recorded before kick-off. He said he was “totally convinced” Martin is the right man for the role, explaining the appointment was driven by a belief that the head coach “can deliver a control-the-ball, dominate-territory style game with courage and intensity”. McCarron acknowledged that approach takes time after “30 transfers over the summer”, adding: “You need to see things settle down before you start to see the consistency.” He described the side he expected to face Peterborough as one that “should really start to take off”.
There was no take-off. Leicester needed 20 attempts on goal before Emil Riis finally pulled a goal back in the 68th minute, by which point many home supporters had already left — something Martin was aware of from his position in the technical area.
Afterwards, the 40-year-old accepted the jeers and shouts for his dismissal as an occupational hazard, having previously described criticism of him as having “become really personal”. “The chants are what they are. It is what it is and we have to keep our head down and work really hard,” he said. “I have to accept the personal stuff because I’m in charge of the team ultimately, so it’s my responsibility.” He defended himself by adding: “I’m as frustrated as any of them, but if you think changing a manager is a quick fix then I’m not sure that’s ever the way.” Martin also turned attention on to his players, saying he wanted a more aggressive performance: “You have to weather the storm at some point and you have to suffer in a game of football. Maybe for five or 10 minutes, just be ugly, just be horrible, and fight. Right now, when we have to suffer, we don’t look like a team.”
That assessment drew a pointed response from Matt Piper, the former Leicester winger now working as a BBC Radio Leicester pundit. Piper said the performance and the lack of reaction from the players reflected poorly on Martin. “He is saying ‘turn the game ugly for 10 minutes’ and they have clearly not got that message on the training ground,” Piper said, before questioning how the head coach delivers his messages and why the group are not listening. He contrasted Martin unfavourably with Savage, a player he featured alongside for the Foxes in the Premier League, describing how the Welshman drove his team from the sideline while Martin was left shrugging at his backroom staff. “If that is what you want from your group and they are not listening to you, then they have no respect for you mate,” Piper said.
Midfielder John Lundstram offered an insight into the mood inside the squad. Only two players who featured in the draw with Hull City that condemned Leicester to relegation last season — Luke Thomas and Bobby De Cordova-Reid — started against Peterborough, with Martin turning to youth in the shape of academy graduates Will Alves, Louis Page and Olabade Aluko. Around them was considerable experience, including former England international Alex McCarthy in goal, ex-Italy Under-21 international Caleb Okoli in defence and Lundstram in midfield, but it did little to dispel the old anxieties. “With the pressure the club’s been under the last couple of years, the players just feel a little bit anxious at times,” Lundstram said. “I think a lot of us just go in our shell a little bit… We’re all better players than what we’re showing. We really are. When you step over the white line you need to have that bit of presence and bit of pride to show you are a top player, and I think at the minute there is a bit of nervousness.” Martin has now won four of his 12 games in charge across all competitions.