Former Leicester Boss Micky Adams Reveals Missed Chances to Manage Top Flight Clubs

Former Leicester boss and Foxes hero Micky Adams has revealed that Leicester's redemption story under his management almost never happened, as a number of

Former Leicester boss and Foxes hero Micky Adams has revealed that Leicester's redemption story under his management almost never happened, as a number of top-flight clubs came calling during his career defining seasons with the Foxes. 

Micky Adams started at Leicester in 2001 as the assistant manager to Dave Bassett. In April of 2002, with Leicester firmly bottom of the Premier League and all but relegated, Adams was promoted to the club's manager when Bassett was assigned as the new Director of Football.

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The next season, Adams guided Leicester back to the Premier League, despite the club falling into administration halfway through the campaign. Speaking to Starsport to promote his new book, My Life in Football, Adams revealed that Aston Villa came closing to prying him away from Leicester.

"If you read the book it’s all about near misses," said Adams. "There was Aston Villa. There was an approach from West Brom when I was at Coventry as well." The move to Villa apparently never materialised when then-owner Doug Jones refuse to pay a compensation fee to take Adams from Leicester.

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Interest in Adams continued from other English clubs after he returned to manage his former club Coventry City in 2005. "I also had interest from West Ham just after I joined Coventry. "But my life is what it is and I’ve got no regrets in terms of my football career."

But Adams insists that he does not feel like he missed out on a big move to a Premier League club. His time a Leicester became a highlight of his managerial career. He added, "I’m happy with my lot. The pinnacle was getting Leicester to the Premier League and becoming a top-flight manager."