'Problems run deeper' - Coady on Leicester crisis
September 8, 2026 08:42
Former Leicester City defender Conor Coady has warned that the struggles at his former club point to deeper structural issues rather than just poor form from the current squad or manager. His comments came after Leicester, now in League One, lost 4-0 at home to Oxford United and sit 18th with five points from five matches.
Coady, who spent two seasons at Leicester after joining from Wolves and made 43 appearances for the club, said he could feel the decline during his time there. He also argued the team has lost the combative identity that once made the King Power a difficult place to visit.
KEY CONTEXT
- Leicester have suffered three relegations in four seasons and are competing in League One for the current campaign.
- Owner Khun Aiyawatt 'Top' Srivaddhanaprabha has acknowledged responsibility for the club’s decline and has placed the club on the market with an asking price of more than £200m.
- Conor Coady arrived in 2023 for a reported £8.5m, appeared 43 times and scored twice for Leicester before moving on to Wrexham after two seasons.
- Observers including The Observer’s Rory Smith have questioned the pattern of recent managerial appointments and whether there is a coherent long-term strategy at the club, citing differing managerial styles as evidence.
- Russell Martin has been in charge for under three months and has won two of his first seven competitive matches; some commentators, including former striker Chris Sutton, have expressed concern about Martin’s perceived possession-focused approach.
WHY IT MATTERS
Leicester are a club with recent top-level honours and high expectations; losing the identity that helped secure the 2016 Premier League title and the 2021 FA Cup was highlighted by Coady as a core issue. The combination of repeated relegations, an ownership sale process and debate over managerial direction raises questions about how quickly any turnaround can be delivered. Observers say those expectations will make patience scarce, yet others — including Coady — argue that implementing a new manager’s style takes time.
WHAT TO WATCH NEXT
- Whether Leicester’s board and owner give Russell Martin sufficient time to implement his methods, given the early results.
- If the summer squad refresh and opportunities given to younger players lead to measurable improvement on the pitch.
- How the club sale process — with an advertised asking price above £200m — progresses and whether new ownership would alter strategic direction or managerial plans.
KEY FACTS
- Leicester sit 18th in League One with five points from their opening five matches.
- Leicester lost 4-0 at home to Oxford United in their most recent fixture.
- Conor Coady made 43 appearances for Leicester, scoring two goals.
- Coady joined Leicester for a reported £8.5m in 2023 and left after two seasons for Wrexham.
- Owner Khun Aiyawatt 'Top' Srivaddhanaprabha has put the club up for sale with an asking price in excess of £200m.
- Russell Martin has been in charge for less than three months, winning two of his first seven competitive matches.