What is it with Nigel Pearson and his ‘I am the hardest man in the world’ routine? Normally I would just cast a glance and have a wry smile about his antics, but the Leicester City boss’s latest outburst and pantomime actions actually involved the Latics to some degree.
We are all aware that during the summer James McArthur was subject to bid from Leicester that didn’t meet the Latics valuation of the player, we also knew at the time that the Foxes had other options and actually signed one of those, Esteban Cambiasso, then dropped interest in McArthur only for Crystal Palace to step in, meet our valuation and get themselves an excellent player, all done and dusted, water under the bridge, well you’d have thought so.
During the Premier League clash at the King Power Stadium yesterday, James McArthur challenged for the ball with Leicester player Marc Albrighton near to the managers technical area, McArthur ended up sliding off the pitch and upending Pearson, to which the Foxes boss appeared to take exception, grabbing McArthur by the throat and then holding onto his arm preventing the midfielder from getting back onto the pitch.
Now I understand heat of the moment clashes, Pearson must be under pressure with his side clamouring for points to avoid the drop back to the Championship at the first time of asking, but it was his explanation of the incident following the game that bamboozled me. When asked about the incident Pearson said – ‘I don’t have to reveal anything do I? I’m more than capable of looking after myself.’ So the hard man image is there again!
Pearson went on to say – ‘Listen, I’ve a lot of respect for the lad, he’s a good player. You know what happened in the summer in terms of him coming here. I’m as disappointed as he was with how things panned out, but it was nothing to do with either myself or the player.
‘That’s the other football club that were involved who take absolute responsibility for anything that wasn’t quite right. That would be the Latics then, he carried on – ‘There was a certain manager [Rösler] who opened his trap when he should have kept his mouth shut.
‘But there’s no problem with the player. He’s a good player and a likeable lad.’
He doesn’t appear to be one to hold grudges either! Quite relieved that we won’t face him next season when they are in the Championship, we’ll be a League 1 club by then, perhaps for the better or the ‘cock’ of Leicester would be strutting the touchline at the DW Stadium looking for anyone who fancied it.
Who’s a naughty boy then – Pearson gets to grips with McArthur
Pearson stops McArthur from returning to the game
Check out the latest PWU Podcast
Contents: Transfer w-intros (0:00); Ipswich real time slo-mo replay including Statman (0:30) and report with Adam (1:30); breaking transfer deadline day deals, mates! (8:30) including Latics Old Boys report (16:50), Dressing Room Revue (20:00), a bid for T’Freddie? (27:50), more deals to come (29:00) and clearing up Captain Caldwell’s contract (31:40); time for some Cherry cheer: Bournemouth preview (33:20) including some words of encouragement from Peter Bell of Cherry Chimes (37:45), men to watch and predictions (44:00); Forest mini-preview (47:00); I’ll be a non-drunk Chunk’s uncle (48:20)
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