adminKiernan Dewsbury-Hall has reflected on Leicester City’s relegation in the 2022–23 season, and comparisons are now being made with the club’s recent fall into League One.
The Everton midfielder said that period was the hardest of his career. Leicester had started the season aiming for European football after finishing eighth the previous year, but instead they found themselves battling relegation and eventually went down.
He said it was confusing and painful given the quality in the squad.
“For me, it was even harder because I was an academy graduate and I was playing for my boyhood club. It meant a little bit more to me. It was so hard to deal with,” Dewsbury-Hall said.
“That’s why when we did get relegated I wanted to stay at the club and help them try to get back to where they were. I didn’t want to leave on a bad note. It just gave me that motivation to try to help me again.”
He went on to play a key role in Leicester’s immediate promotion back to the Premier League, becoming one of their best performers in the Championship.
Now, with Leicester suffering another relegation, there are questions about whether anyone in the current squad can replicate his influence and leadership.
There are several homegrown or long-serving players in the squad, including Luke Thomas, Jakub Stolarczyk, Ben Nelson, and Hamza Choudhury. However, most of them are defensive players and may not be able to influence games in the same attacking way Dewsbury-Hall did.
His impact in midfield was not just about energy, but also creativity and goals around the box, which made him central to the team’s success in the Championship.
The club also faces a major rebuild. In previous years, selling key players like James Maddison, Harvey Barnes, and Timothy Castagne helped balance finances. But this time, more departures are expected.
Young defender Ben Nelson is seen as one of the most valuable assets, while others like Choudhury and Stolarczyk could attract interest from other clubs. This raises the possibility of the squad being significantly weakened.
Leicester may look to new signings to fill the gap, including young talents such as Louis Page, but expecting them to immediately carry the team would be unrealistic.
The main concern is finding a player with Dewsbury-Hall’s combination of energy, quality, and emotional connection to the club. Such players are rare, and building that bond with a club usually takes time.
Because of this, Leicester may struggle to find someone who can truly replace his influence on and off the pitch.
admin
