After derogatory chanting from the away end during the Carabao Cup match against Walsall, the manager of Leicester City says he is aware that he needs to gain the respect of the fans.
After Leicester City supporters turned against him and the team as they just made it to the Carabao Cup fourth round, Steve Cooper is “desperate” to “build credit” with the club.
Cooper witnessed his drastically altered team play out a goalless draw with Walsall of League Two before Danny Ward turned away three penalty kicks in the shootout to send the team into the next round. Although the fan base’s morale may still be low, improvement is a relief.
Over 2,000 supporters of City travelled across the Midlands to watch their club play poorly in the second half. They chanted, “Cooper, sort it out!” during that time. Throughout the last ten minutes, someone yelled, “This is embarrassing!”
A City end supporter appeared to be heading straight for Cooper and his bench in the middle of the second half, yelling and gesturing. Cooper, though, didn’t hold back when talking about the crowd chants and declared his intention to win them over.
Cooper admitted, “I didn’t really see (the fan who ran onto the pitch), but I will own that I heard the chanting in the crowd.” “You’ll never hear me having any disrespect against fan opinions. A supporter must do just that—they must lend their club any kind of assistance they think fit. That will be mine to own.
“I have to gain the trust of my fans and prove that I am qualified for this position. Still, I was aware of that. Things like that will bolster my commitment and will to succeed. I’m itching to accomplish that.
“I don’t see any issues with it. I’ll do my best to make the most of this experience for myself. What a chance to showcase our excellence and my own abilities. That’s how I’m going to tackle it.
“I’ll never hold a negative opinion of any viewpoint. I hold supporters in high regard. I am aware that I need to gain the respect of my supporters. These are the kinds of evenings that you can reflect on and truly forge lasting bonds with. That’s what I want to achieve.
“I genuinely want to do well for this football team. I genuinely believe in the values it upholds and the individuals who work here. Everyone is very kind and nice, and they all want the club to succeed, and I take my duty for that very seriously. And it goes double for the backers. We should have a conversation about it. It strikes me as a fantastic opportunity.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE
