Leicester City crisis: Russell Martin under pressure at Foxes

Former Leicester City defender Conor Coady believes the problems at his old club "have got to run deeper" than the manager and players after their difficult start to life in League One.

The former England international revealed he could feel the decline during his two-season spell in the East Midlands.

Leicester are 18th with five points from their opening five matches and were beaten 4-0 at home by Oxford United on Saturday.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club, Coady said the club had been "in transition too long" following three relegations in the past four seasons.

"There's got to be something deep down that's wrong here because it's been going on for too many years," he added.

"Everyone will sit there and go 'the players aren't good enough'. They haven't been good enough. I was there, I felt it, I wasn't good enough when I was there.

"But there's got to be a deeper issue."

Coady joined the Foxes for a reported £8.5m in 2023 following eight years with Wolves but left for Wrexham after two seasons.

He believes Leicester have lost the identity that once made them one of the most difficult sides to face at King Power Stadium and led to the famous Premier League title in 2016 and the FA Cup win in 2021.

Recalling teams containing the likes of Jamie Vardy, James Maddison, Youri Tielemans, Wilfred Ndidi, Wes Morgan and Robert Huth, he added: "It was one of the hardest games you were going to have in a season.

"I just feel like that identity has been lost over the years. I was part of that team when we lost that identity."

Last season, Leicester City owner Khun Aiyawatt 'Top' Srivaddhanaprabha told BBC Sport he shouldered the blame for the club's decline - and he has since put the club on the market with an asking price of more than £200m.

Observer football journalist Rory Smith questioned Leicester's recent managerial appointments and whether there is a clear long-term strategy at the club.

He pointed to the differing styles of Leicester's recent managers and said it "doesn't suggest there's any real strategy" or an "overarching belief" from the ownership about what the club should be.

Smith also believes expectations will make patience difficult, with Leicester regarded as one of the biggest clubs in League One.

"They should have the quality to be relatively competitive within League One regardless," he said.

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