Dream come true for us to reach an FA Cup final, proclaims Kasper Schmeichel
Leicester City play Chelsea in the FA Cup final
|Leicester City’s Kasper Schmeichel has admitted that reaching the FA Cup final is a dream come true for the club with everyone playing their part to make their dream a reality. The Foxes play Chelsea at Wembley in only their third FA Cup final with their last final taking place in the 1969 season.
Few expected Leicester City to reach an FA Cup final despite the talent and the squad that the Foxes have carefully assembled over the years. However, under Brendan Rodgers’ tenure things have changed for the King Power Stadium side with them producing more than their fair share of results. But with the club struggling to perform in a knockout tournament over the years with them underachieving in the Europa League, Carabao Cup and FA Cup, few expected them to reach the final.
But that changed after Rodgers’ side beat both Manchester United and Southampton to reach their first FA Cup final since the 1968/69 season with them set to face Chelsea at Wembley. It saw Kasper Schmeichel admit that reaching the final is a dream come true for the club but he added that everyone has a part to play for the club. The Dane further added that it’s important to recognise everybody’s part in the process and the Foxes do that.
"For us to get to an FA Cup final is a dream come true, but everyone has contributed, whether it is the kit man or the groundsman. Everyone has had a part to play and it is really important to recognise those things, and this club does,” Schmeichel told the BBC.
The Foxes, despite their recent drop in form, are amongst the favourites to finish a Champions League place which is what the club have wanted especially after their issues last season. But, Schmeichel admitted that this was a dream that Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, the club’s owner who passed away in 2018, started years ago. The Dane also added that Srivaddhanaprabha’s vision for the club was clear and it shows a way forward for other owners across the league.
"There is one person who did see where the club could go and that was Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha. That's what he said to me the day I signed: 'We'll be in the Champions League within five years.' We were in the Championship at the time! He saw it, he had the ambition and he backed it up, and the family are still backing it up."
"This time more than ever, it is probably time to recognise their ownership because of what's happened in these last few weeks. You see how unhappy fans are with owners of clubs. It is also a time to praise the owners of clubs as well, because look at what can happen when you run a club properly, when you come in and you don't just treat it as a business."
"The business side has to run, but you also treat is as a passion project - it is something you enjoy, you come to games, you interact with fans. That level of respect Vichai put on everything and everyone at the club, really recognising everyone has a role - it doesn't matter what job you have, you are important to what we are doing,” he added.
