Ruud van Nistelrooy emphasises Danny Ward role at Leicester City since Wolves boos
Danny Ward may not be in goal for Leicester City but he is having a positive impact on the team, manager Ruud van Nistelrooy has stressed.
Ward was booed by City’s own supporters during the 3-0 defeat to Wolves last month and has since been replaced by Jakub Stolarczyk. The Pole is set to keep the gloves until Mads Hermansen recovers from his groin injury.
Van Nistelrooy said he could “never understand” the reaction of the crowd to boo a single player and said it put Ward in a “very difficult situation”. The Welshman has not even been on the bench since, but while he was not seen during the last home game, a 2-0 loss to Manchester City, he was the third-choice keeper on duty at Aston Villa, supporting Stolarczyk and Daniel Iversen.
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That supporting role is an important one. Van Nistelrooy is keen to emphasise how professional and how much of a team player Ward has been since the Wolves game, helping Stolarczyk to perform in what have been the first three Premier League appearances of his career.
Van Nistelrooy said: “The conversation with Wardy was impressive, I have to share with you. The way he was thinking of the team and the club and the performance of his team-mates, I was impressed with that. I insisted on the conversation. It’s a private conversation but what I want to share is the person and professional that he is.
“It was really tough on him, what happened to him. We’re professionals but we’re human beings as well. When frustration is being directed to one person in particular, that’s tough on someone. That’s what we spoke about.
“The way he’s been helping Jakub and the team, I have to emphasise the team player he is. That’s a big compliment to him. It helps Jakub to perform. The goalkeeper group is a tight bunch. They work well together. Danny was in a very difficult situation but he’s handling it in a great way, sharing his experience with Jakub and it shows in his performances.
“That reaction I was very happy with. It could have gone in another way but I think the conversation me and Jelle (ten Rouwelaar, goalkeeping coach) had with him was very important.
“Onwards from that, he’s been acting like a fantastic colleague for the goalkeepers. (The supporters) need to know that. It’s good that everyone knows he’s here to help the club to be better.”
Hermansen has now missed four matches with the groin injury he picked up at Newcastle. Speaking last week, van Nistelrooy said the Dane was at least out for another fortnight, which covers both this weekend’s FA Cup tie against QPR, and next week’s crucial Premier League fixture at home to Crystal Palace.
