Nigel Pearson: Leicester boss in bizarre post-match reaction
Last updated on .From the section Football
Leicester manager Nigel Pearson called a journalist an "ostrich", "stupid" and "daft" during a bizarre post-match news conference following Chelsea's 3-1 win at the King Power Stadium.
The Foxes, on the back of four straight wins that lifted them out of the Premier League relegation zone, took a deserved first-half lead before Chelsea's second-half resurgence.
After Pearson referred to "the amount of criticism and negativity" his side have faced this season, Ian Baker of Wardles Press Agency asked the Foxes boss to elaborate.
In the exchange, Pearson repeatedly took issue with the reporter.
*Warning - there is language in this transcript which may be considered offensive:
Baker: What criticism are you talking about?
Pearson: Have you been on holiday for six months? Have you been away for six months?
Baker: I am not quite sure what specific criticism you are referring to?
Pearson: I think you must have been either head in the clouds or away on holiday or reporting on a different team because if you don't know the answer to that question... your question is absolutely unbelievable... the fact you do not understand where I am coming from. If you don't know the answer to that question, then I think you are an ostrich. Your head must be in the sand. Is your head in the sand? Are you flexible enough to get your head in the sand? My suspicion would be 'no'.
Baker: Probably not.
Pearson: I can, you can't. You can't. Listen, you have been here often enough and for you to ask that question... you are either being very, very silly or you are being absolutely stupid... one of the two because for you to ask that question... I am sorry son, you are daft. What criticism are you talking about?
Baker: There hasn't been much harsh criticism of the players.
Pearson: You are wrong. No, you are wrong. You have been in here, I know you have, so don't give that crap with me. Please don't give that crap with me. I will smile at you because I can afford to smile at you. Now, do you want to ask a different question or do you want to ask it differently? Come on, ask it, ask it. Or are you not capable?
Baker: I just don't know what you, erm…
Pearson: You don't know. What's 'erm'?
Baker: I don't know how you've taken that question...
Pearson: Well, you must be very stupid. I'm sorry.
Baker: Thanks Nigel. See you tomorrow.
Pearson: No don't thank me.
Pearson then walked out of the news conference.