When Nigel Pearson and Leicester City parted ways in June 2010 there was a sense from people around the club, those in the game and the Foxes supporters that the best man for the job was departing with so much left to achieve.

In the space of two seasons Pearson guided the Foxes back from League One oblivion to challenging at the top of the Championship, narrowly missing out on Premier League promotion.

In football the term unfinished business is used all too readily but where Nigel Pearson and Leicester City is concerned, it is an extremely accurate assessment, even if the man himself is unlikely to provide the media with such an obvious sound bite.

When the 48-year-old former Shrewsbury Town, Sheffield Wednesday and Middlesbrough centre back was unveiled by the Foxes for the second time, he talked openly and frankly about the reasons behind his return and his determination to bring even more success to the club.

“I am delighted to be back here. I like positive pressure. I don’t feel the fact that the expectations are high is going to interfere with how I work. I get a very positive feel for the place. I’ve been here before but that doesn’t mean that things will be exactly the same as they were. The club is in a different position in terms of ownership. It’s a big challenge and one that I’m really looking forward to.

“I didn’t expect it, I didn’t see it coming, but I’m very pleased to be here. It’s a club which I have an affinity with. I had a very good time here before and I think there is an awful lot of potential for us to achieve the aspirations that the owners have. It’s a very difficult league and the hardest thing in the Championship is to be consistently successful. I believe we’ve got a very strong squad and it’s a unique opportunity for me and my staff.”

Faced with a very different Leicester City to the one he left 18 months ago, in terms of finances, the board, expectations and playing staff, Pearson remains focused on his abilities and how, alongside his backroom staff, he intends to take the club forward.

“I’m always confident in my own ability and the support staff. I know I’ll have the backing of the board and how keen they are for the club to be successful. It’s a big club with huge potential and the missing ingredient at the moment is Premier League status.

“The ambition of the owners has been reflected in the expenditure, but I am of the opinion that it isn’t just about going out and spending money. Firstly, I have to get the best out of the players here and they have an opportunity to perform and show what they can do. I am sure, if we are in a competitive position in January, the support will be there. With the recruitment policy we have adopted, we always do our homework. However much you spend the same criteria applies in terms of making sure they are the right type of player and people. We will still be that thorough, regardless of the money.”

Members of the local media were certainly kept on their toes by Pearson’s return and the same is likely to apply to the players, but Nigel won’t be making any snap judgements.

“We have a good blend of players here and now it’s about giving them a bit of leadership. It’s about looking forward and trying to create a spirit within the club in which there is optimism for the future. My timescale might be shorter than the board’s because we want to achieve success.

“It’s very difficult to keep a squad of players happy but they will be treated fairly and if they perform well enough they will retain their place. I go into this with an open mind and people have a clean slate in as much as the onus is very much on the players. This game is about players and my job is to facilitate success out on the pitch and that is the bottom line. It is about playing winning football. When you have good players and they are confident, you will play good football.”

Not one to dwell on positives or negatives from the past, Nigel was keen to emphasise that his only focus is the future.

“The decision that I made 18 months ago was based upon what I felt was right at that time. It hasn’t clouded my judgement in terms of what I feel is the right move for me. I don’t feel it’s in anybody’s interest to talk about negatives. There’s quite a big job to be done here in terms of getting the season up and running, so I don’t want to dwell on the past.

“What’s gone has gone and what’s important now is to move on. The club has moved on considerably and this is another excellent opportunity. There’s going to be a lot of hard work to do again.

I’m not naïve enough to think that things will change overnight.”

When pushed further on the expectations in front of him and the pressures faced by modern day managers, Pearson was more philosophical.

“We’ve got an awful long way to go to earn the right of playing in the Premier League. It is very tough to get there, certainly automatically and the play-offs, as I’ve experienced, can be very difficult. It does appear that these days, if you’re an English manager, you’ve probably got to take a club up to manage in the Premier League.

“I think the average tenure of a Championship manager is less than ten months and those are the sort of conditions we work in. I know what the expectation is here, not just from the owners but from the fans as well. We expect to be successful ourselves.”

Pearson’s expectations are clearly matched by the club’s Thai owners, as well as the Foxes faithful. Unfinished business? A homecoming? Whatever labels are put on his return, Nigel Pearson is unlikely to pay much attention to them. His sole focus is recreating a positive team spirit that ensures a winning identity and future success for Leicester City.

SOAR ARCHIVE

Back in December 2008, six months into his first reign at Leicester City, Soar Magazine spoke to Nigel Pearson to assess his early impressions of the club and how he planned to take the Foxes forward.

“I knew it was a big club, with a great tradition, but understood that we were probably in the worst position in the club’s history. However, I took it as a great opportunity to come in and have an influence. As a player, I played against Leicester on numerous occasions and I’m fully aware of what the supporters expect.

“First and foremost, this is a results business and throughout the club we have to strive to improve upon what we have started. It’s important that we aim beyond the short-term as well as focusing on the results. We’ll reassess how far we can go as we go along, but of course, we have the infrastructure to support a Premier League side.

“It is essential that our preparation is spot on. We focus on all aspects such as recovery, nutrition and the opposition. Our staff are exceptional, but all that matters to most people is what happens during the ninety minutes on the pitch. Crucially, we have attempted to create a culture where everyone feels a part of the success and strives to achieve our collective goals.”