Foxes say goodbye to the Kingdom with a victory
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English Premier League newcomers Leicester City bade farewell to the Kingdom yesterday after what manager Nigel Pearson described as a "worthwhile exercise" following their morale-boosting 1-0 victory over league rivals Everton in a friendly at the Supach
Thai-owned Leicester, who secured a return to the English top level after a 10-year absence, came good in the match on Sunday to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of King Power International, the parent company of the Foxes.
Midfielder Gary Taylor-Fletcher ensured that the Foxes struck an early psychological blow to Everton, another EPL club with a close connection to Thailand, with a simple second-half tap-in. The two sides are due to meet again in the opening game of the upcoming season.
Englishman Pearson, who led the club to EPL promotion by winning the second-tier Championship in his second spell in charge, said his players would go home happy – and ready for EPL, which kicks off on August 16.
“I think one of the important things about our visit is that we have become a bit more visible to the Thai people. I’m sure there are fans here that know a bit about us, but haven’t had a chance to see us play.
“It’s a pre-season game, but we played a very good side today and, all in all, we go home with a very worthwhile exercise negotiated. We’ve picked up no injuries and we look forward to the next game.
“It was an interesting game in many ways. They showed a lot of quality in possession during the first half and during the second we changed our shape and had a bit more of the play, so it was a good workout in many different respects.”
Pearson’s counterpart, Roberto Martinez, who guided Everton to Europa League qualification by finishing fifth in the league last term, put the outcome in a philosophical context.
“I think it was a fantastic game in terms of quality and the atmosphere. The game was open and we created chances on both sides, I was happy to field young players to gain big experience during the pre-season.
“Ross Barkley just finished the World Cup. Players are not allowed to play until they recover fully. It’s risky to have him play in the side. But he asked me whether he could join the trip. He wanted to come to Thailand.
“The score is not important to us. We wanted to win. I want to congratulate Leicester City for the win. For me I just want to experience Thailand. We’ve got a lot of fans here. We are glad to see them. We have a few players who are still recovering from the World Cup. So it was difficult for us,” Martinez said.
