Long-serving defender Christian Fuchs has opened up about his love of Leicester City. The 2015/16 title-winner discussed his role in the team, having been back-up to Ben Chilwell last season, playing under Claudio Ranieri and Brendan Rodgers, the quality of Jamie Vardy and criticism of the Foxes’ style of play.
Christian Fuchs said “It’s about communication. As soon as he [Rodgers] came in, he made me understand what my role was. I know that I’m not the oldest yet but I’m not the youngest and it was the time for Ben Chilwell. He told me ‘you will be my back-up if needed and I know I can rely on you’. I love Leicester City. I went through the highest highs and the lowest lows and have really connected with the club. I’m always here whenever I’m needed and whatever I’m needed for. He knows that and appreciates that. It’s hard to compare. What both did or are doing well is the man-management part. These days it’s one of the most important parts to understand your players and their private issues sometimes. If you understand that and you then get on top of that and get your players to buy in, then you are on the winning streak. Brendan Rodgers has done that. Pace kills the defence. You cannot deal with pace for 90 minutes. You can adjust your game to a versatile player or a player who is good at dribbling but pace you cannot control 100 per cent. That’s what Jamie Vardy has shown for years now, that he’s a threat when it comes to counter-attacks. When he breaks the lines, he’s undefendable. With the system we play, I think we are frustrating those teams where they say we don’t want to participate in the game, but we are controlling it from the defence. You can control the game with the ball and without the ball. If you force the opponent to open up then you have the players to expose them, and it’s shown twice now, it’s all about the pace that we have up front, which is very hard to defend.”
