Schmeichel: Pressure for title is nothing compared to relegation battle at Bury

10 April 2016 01:23

Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel insists the pressure at the top cannot compare after he almost dropped out of the Football League.

Schmeichel has helped the Foxes to a seven-point lead at the top of the Barclays Premier League.

They go to Sunderland on Sunday knowing four wins from their final six games will claim an improbable title.

But Schmeichel says he is relaxed after experiencing the different life on loan at Darlington, Bury, Falkirk, Coventry and Cardiff.

Schmeichel's second loan spell from first club Manchester City came at Bury in 2006 where he helped them beat relegation to non league following a 2-2 final-day draw with Notts County.

The 29-year-old conceded two goals in the final nine minutes as Bury blew a 2-0 lead as both sides survived - a scenario that is in stark contrast to the Foxes' current position.

He said: "Relegation with Bury was on the line at Notts County. That would have meant Bury going into non league and that would have been catastrophic. There's no pressure now, this is what you play football for. Those games where absolutely everything is on the line, that's proper pressure

"When you go out on loan it's not the glitz and glamour, there's nowhere near the amount of money at the top level. People's livelihoods are on the line, mortgages and families . You are making decisions which can affect people.

"I've never wanted not to play and never wanted to sit on the bench again. I always want to play no matter what.

"It was vital for me to get out, it's given me a great education and a way of adapting to a team I've been playing in. I always wanted them because I was doing nothing at Manchester City than training."

Schmeichel has kept four clean sheets in his last four games as Claudio Ranieri's side edge closer to becoming champions but, despite Leicester's lead over second-placed Tottenham, he has refused any title talk.

"It's everyone else's prerogative to talk and say what they want but we know there is so much work to be done before we can relax," he said.

Source: PA