Rick Passmoor has praised the ‘magnificent’ support his team have had this season following their relegation to the Barclays Women’s Super League 2.
Leicester City were relegated on Saturday after defeat on penalties to Charlton Athletic in the first ever WSL promotion/relegation play off. Charlton’s goalkeeper Sophie Whitehouse stole the headlines, saving four of Leicester’s five penalties.
Passmoor spoke to the media following the defeat and The Halfway Line was present to hear from him.
Rick Passmoor laments ‘lack of final product’
Leicester had opportunities to win the tie in normal time and in extra time against Charlton, racking up over a goals worth of xG more than their opponents but they were not able to find the net. Rick Passmoor was asked where things went wrong for Leicester City yesterday,
“I think when you looked at it” Passmoor replied. “There was large phases of play that we dominated in possession that we linked up, however, there was no final product at times.
“So we linked up through the phases, got in and around the box/final third, then it’s the composure, or it’s that slight pass, or that dribble and drive that was missing for us, so when we get around the box, did we work the goalkeeper enough? Probably not.
“When we get into wide overloads, ensure that when we’re hitting the crossing, we hit the right areas, because there was a few crosses today that went over.
“So we’ve got to make sure that when you’re in those moments that you cross into the target area that we’ve been working on during the week, so I think it’s just those, those moments, those differences, whether it’s confidence.
“You know, not distracting from anything, you know, you look at any of the top four, if they get in their position half turned, once you pass it through, it’s a different game. So I think those little bits were the difference at times, and obviously the longer it goes on, it helps the opposition fans.”
Passmoor hails ‘Magnificent’ Foxes fans
In the South East London sun on Saturday, despite a woefully disappointing season the away fans travelled in numbers to support their side. Passmoor was evidently grateful to all those Foxes faithful,
“Support has been magnificent since day one” Passmoor said. “There’s been quite a bit of change in the summer from the players and from the staff, and then coming in as interim.
“The players did really well till Christmas, but I think the workload and the relentlessness with WSL one from going to playing 300 to 400 minutes within a season to actually do 1600, it’s a massive jump.
“There’s not a day that you can have an off day, you can have a six out of 10 but you can’t have 4s out of 10s, or then just simple basic mistakes during the game, because you get punished, you get punished at this level.
“So we then should have picked up a few more points, particularly I’d say between January, March performances deserve more, and then obviously it’s about confidence and momentum.
“It’s a difficult spiral to get out of during that time, but in the last couple of weeks the mentality and just the simple desire to play for the club and play for the shirt has been there and focused on a daily basis within the support team as well as the players.
“It’s getting across the line, isn’t it? So, therefore, you know you see both teams with a system of play, you see them well coached, then just in those moments, particularly like I’m saying, when you want to break that last line, it’s a little bit of quality, it’s a little bit more composure, and obviously that’s that’s the difference between the top and the bottom.”
Passmoor says Leicester ‘have to review’ before next season
The first half of Leicester’s season was largely positive, they sat ninth at the winter break having beaten both Liverpool and London City Lionesses. That form did not last however, and the Foxes remain winless since, even without a point following the turn of the year. Rick Passmoor was asked what the next steps will be for Leicester,
“So we’ve got to review what we, what we want to do, what’s our identity and values. But I must say, since walking into the football club, what a football club, what a really, really good football club. Behind the scenes, so many people work tirelessly, just like journalists, [the work is] never ending.”
The Leicester head coach went onto explain in more detail after being asked for his first thoughts since being relegated,
“You’re just hugely disappointed [to be relegated] because, like anybody within football, that’s not a nine to five job” Passmoor explained. “You work relentlessly, you put the players, the club, everything first and foremost.
“You work in 14-16 hours a day, six days a week. It’s the nature, so therefore everybody’s put in their heart and soul into the club behind the scenes, the support staff, the staff behind the staff.
“So I’m talking right, nobody will know him. Paul, the maintenance guy, we’re looking at Ben, we’re looking at Lindsay, the canteen staff. These are the people that make the club tick over, and we’ve got to, you know, that’s why it’s hurting for them people as well, because they care for Leicester City.
“So we’ve got to review, we’ve got to assess and see what direction, what strategy we go from for next season.”
