Leicester City Coach Ben Dawson Addresses Media on Cooper’s Departure, Manager Search, and Brentford Match

Ben Dawson, Leicester City’s first-team coach, addressed the media in advance of the Premier League fixture against Brentford on Saturday, scheduled for a 15:00 GMT kick-off. The following are the main points from his press briefing: Regarding Steve Cooper’s exit, Dawson stated: “It was a little bit unexpected. Obviously I’ve had a few messages back and forward with Steve – first and foremost just to check that he’s OK. It’s never nice when three good people lose their jobs.” He further added: “The focus has very quickly shifted to getting back in with the players, preparing training and looking forward to the game on Saturday.” Dawson indicated that he has not received information regarding the length of his tenure leading the team. Addressing speculation about Ruud van Nistelrooy potentially becoming the next manager for the Foxes, he commented: “We probably know as much as you [reporters] do at the moment. We’re just focusing on the game.” When questioned about the priorities for a new manager, aside from achieving victories, Dawson responded: “In these situations, it’s more about stability. The one thing everybody at a football club wants at these times is some certainty. As soon as a decision is made, everybody can get behind that person and move forward.” Addressing the repercussions from the players’ trip to Copenhagen the previous weekend, Dawson stated: “The lads had a couple of days off and it’s their decision what they do with their time off. The issues mentioned, the club have dealt with [it] pretty quickly early in the week and everybody’s moved on. The lads have been really professional, worked well and we’re looking forward to the game.” When asked about the current squad’s ability to remain in the Premier League, Dawson responded: “Absolutely. I see them work every day, they’re good footballers. At times you need a bit of luck here and there – that balances out across the season – but from what I see on a daily basis, their endeavour and quality, I think they’ve got more than enough to stay in this league.” Harry Winks is “recovering well” from his injury, though he is improbable to participate in the match against Brentford. Regarding Brentford, Dawson remarked: “They’ve got a really good home record this year. Previous experiences of going there have always been that it’s a tough place to go and the crowd create a really good environment for a Premier League game.”