Leicester City manager Ruud van Nistelrooy makes surprise announcement to the team ahead of Friday’s Premier League clash against Brentford at the King Power Stadium.
Renowned midfielder Andy King has been elevated to Ruud van Nistelrooy’s first-team coaching staff, with the manager banking on his “Leicester City DNA” to bolster the club’s efforts to stay in the Premier League.
King rejoined the club just two months ago, stepping into his first coaching role as an assistant with the Under-18s. However, he will now join forces with van Nistelrooy and the senior squad as they aim to secure their Premier League status, with 13 games remaining in the season.
This decision comes as a surprise, given that van Nistelrooy had previously stated after Brian Barry-Murphy’s appointment last month that he would not be expanding his coaching team. An exception has been made for King, a move that is likely to resonate well with the fanbase, where he remains a beloved figure.
During his press conference on Wednesday afternoon, van Nistelrooy remarked: “In December, in one of my press conferences, I spoke about Andy as being one of the people in the club with Leicester City DNA and who I wanted to speak to and get to know. I did.
“Over the course of the last weeks I have asked him to be a part of the first-team setting, in the coaching staff. He really liked it, we all did. The players do.
“He’s fully part of the set-up now and we’re very happy that he’s helping us out with all his knowledge of the club and football.
“What impressed me most is his eye for the team and for details of the game. That’s where we really connected. He’s very bright in his ideas in football and we’re aligned in that, in how to bring Leicester forward.
“He’s an example of winning League One, the Championship, the Premier League. It’s an experience we can all learn from. That’s a great addition for our coaching team.
“He’s out there every day on the training pitch, leading drills. It can be smaller groups, full group sessions, or individual work with players.
“He’s also bridging the gap with the talents of the academy, like Jeremy Monga and Jake Evans, guiding these players and making sure they’re not caught in the middle. That’s one of his important tasks.
“He’s also giving his opinions on everything. It’s fantastic to have him.”
King now joins six other staff members working under van Nistelrooy, including first-team coaches Barry-Murphy and Ben Dawson, goalkeeping coaches Jelle ten Rouwelaar and Danny Alcock, and set-piece coach Andrew Hughes.
At 36, King’s promotion means he will be coaching several players he once shared the pitch with during his 15-year tenure at the club, including Jamie Vardy and Wilfred Ndidi.
