Former Everton CEO Keith Wyness has suggested it is “too early” for Leicester City’s players to be fully united against manager Steve Cooper, despite recent reports of dressing room unrest.
Speaking on Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness, who now runs a football consultancy, said that any significant breakdown behind the scenes at the King Power Stadium would be evident to the club’s board.
Football Insider recently reported (24 September) that Leicester players are not convinced by Cooper’s methods, sparking concerns of a possible mutiny.
With the Foxes having lost 4-2 to Arsenal on 28 September and remaining winless in their first six Premier League games, pressure is mounting on Cooper.
However, Wyness believes it’s still too early to make a definitive decision on the manager’s future. He suggested that Cooper would only face a real problem if “two or three key players” begin to turn against him.
“The board level will always be looking to the players to see what their reaction is,” Wyness explained on the podcast.
“Very rarely will they actually go to the players, but you know it from the staff you speak to – it becomes pretty clear.”
Wyness stressed the importance of backing the manager, stating:
“You’ve got to let the manager get on, you can’t just give in whenever the players are upset. You have to back the manager.”
Nevertheless, he acknowledged that if key players begin to oppose Cooper, it could lead to a serious issue.
“It does become apparent when there is a breakdown, particularly if there are two or three key players you rely on. If they are united against the manager, it becomes a problem – but I think we’re too early in the season to see how that could be shaping up.”
Wyness concluded by expressing his hope that Cooper can avoid such a scenario, saying:
“I hope it isn’t, for the manager’s sake.”