Leicester City first-team coach Ben Dawson has been speaking to the media before Saturday’s Premier League game at Brentford (kick-off 15:00 GMT).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
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On Steve Cooper’s departure: “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.”
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He continued: “The focus has very quickly shifted to getting back in with the players, preparing training and looking forward to the game on Saturday.”
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Dawson said he has not been told how long he will be in charge of the side, and on reports that Ruud van Nistelrooy is set to become the next Foxes manager, he added: “We probably know as much as you [reporters] do at the moment. We’re just focusing on the game.”
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Asked what priorities a new manager will have – other than winning games – Dawson said: “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.”
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On the fallout from the players’ trip to Copenhagen last weekend: “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.”
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Asked if the current group of players is good enough to stay in the Premier League, Dawson replied: “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.”
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Harry Winks is “recovering well” from his injury but unlikely to feature against Brentford.
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On the Bees: “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.”
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