What Khun Vichai said to James Maddison when he signed for Leicester City
James Maddison has revealed what late Leicester City owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha said to him after he signed for the club.
The 21-year old has been sensational since his move to the King Power Stadium this summer. He has three goals and two assists in 11 appearances so far, and has also earned an England call-up.
In what has been a season full of glee for Maddison, he is now in the middle of the toughest phase that he is ever likely to have in his career. Despite being at Leicester for just five months or so, he does find himself attached to the late Khun Vichai.
Speaking exclusively to SunSport, the midfielder reveals why:
"“I hadn’t been here long, we were doing a photo shoot when the chairman arrived, gave me a big hug and said, ‘My new No 10… go and score goals for me James!’.“I thought right away, ‘I like this guy!’ Whether you had known him for four or five months or ten years, once you’d met Vichai you knew the person he was. He was such a brilliant man.”"
It is just one of the many instances that shows how rare a commodity Khun Vichai was. You don’t hear of an owner even engaging with a club legend, let alone hugging a new signing and addressing him as “my new no.10”.
It might not be a big deal for some people, but it is for everyone at Leicester. These small gestures – and the regularity of these gestures – is what endeared Khun Vichai to all the supporters and the players.
And this is the reason why he’d deservedly be getting his own statue outside the King Power Stadium, as his son, Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, has announced in the souvenir programme for the Premier League encounter against Burnley later today.
Next. Leicester City to honour Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha with a memorial statue. dark
He has left us all, but that memorial statue will ensure that his presence is always felt at the home of the Foxes.