Youri Tielemans is the right man to lead Leicester City into their critically important final three matches despite the midfielder’s impending free transfer away, manager Dean Smith said in a staunch defence of the Belgian. Smith has no doubts whatsoever over Tielemans’ determination to help City out of their current predicament as they prepare to face Liverpool, who are one of the clubs often mentioned as suitors for the Belgian.
Dean Smith said: “I’m completely comfortable with his commitment. I’ve seen nothing but a committed player in and around the training ground and on the pitch. You have to remember our first game against Man City he was coming back from an injury having been out five or six weeks but was committed to play that game to get himself up to speed as quickly as he could. He’s still playing catch up a little bit but he’s got qualities that we need in the team. I’m very good at reading people and as soon as I met Youri you know that football means a lot to him. I looked him in the eyes and it means a lot to him.”
City have had six different captains this season, with the six members of the squad leadership group all given at least one game with the armband. Marc Albrighton, Jamie Vardy, James Maddison, and Wilfred Ndidi complete the sextet alongside Tielemans and Evans. Smith says Tielemans’ leadership qualities come in his tactical understanding of the game. Former manager Brendan Rodgers often referred to the Belgian as his “brain on the pitch”.
Dean Smith said: “He’s one who is very focused and tactically astute so he knows the game. He’s one that the other players will follow because of his professionalism to the game. There’s all different type of leaders as we know.”
