Ruud van Nistelrooy was appointed Leicester City manager in November of last year, and it’s safe to say that the Dutch coach has had a rough tenure.
The Foxes have lost 12 of their last 13 Premier League games with Van Nistelrooy failing to transform Leicester’s fortunes in the top-flight, with the King Power Stadium six points off Wolves in 17th place in the standings.
Although Wayne Rooney recently praised Van Nistelrooy for his tactical shift in Leicester’s 1-0 loss against Chelsea on Sunday, Premier League survival feels like a near-impossible task for the former PSV Eindhoven manager, considering the upcoming fixture list.
And Mads Hermansen has now lifted the lid on how his first few weeks with Van Nistelrooy were frosty due to the Danish goalkeeper’s injury.
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Photo by Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty Images
Photo by Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty Images
Mads Hermansen ‘frustrated’ with timing of injury and Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Leicester arrival
Speaking to Leicester City’s official website, the 24-year-old goalkeeper shared how his injury came at the worst time, with Hermansen missing the first few weeks of Van Nistelrooy’s reign to make a good first impression.
Hermansen said: “Of course, injuries come at a bad time, but with the new coaching staff and manager, we started off in a bit of a different direction and obviously it was extremely frustrating not to be a part of that and to contribute with my abilities.
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“That’s life, sometimes. As a footballer, you need to deal with these situations where you feel like you are unfairly treated. You always learn about your own body as well. Hopefully, we can go stronger in the future, but it takes time to get back into that full sharpness.
“I want to help the team in the best way possible. It’s a long time to be out for, seven weeks, especially with the speed of the game in the Premier League. You need to be sharp and to play at 100% and be at your best. I feel like I’m getting closer to that every single game.”
Mads Hermansen has more than made up for lost time with Leicester
Leicester managed just one Premier League win in the seven games Hermansen missed through injury, with the Foxes slipping from 16th to 19th as the Danish goalkeeper recovered from a groin issue picked up against Newcastle United.
Yet since returning to the starting XI, the Scandinavian has more than made up for lost time with a string of impressive performances for Leicester, with Hermansen saving a Cole Palmer penalty on Sunday to become the first shot-stopper to achieve such a feat against the Chelsea superstar.
Indeed, Leicester received a real boost between the sticks with Hermansen’s return, and if Van Nistelrooy can solve problems at the other end of the pitch, the Foxes have a small but realistic chance of achieving Premier League safety.