Nigel Pearson: Leicester boss showed courage to apologise for 'ostrich' comments when he could have buried his head in sand

COMMENT: Nigel Pearson's decision to say sorry should prove to his detractors that he is human just like the rest of us

(Getty)

For a manager who dislikes being in the public eye, Nigel Pearson has an odd way of keeping himself out of the headlines.

You just know his autobiography is going to be a modern classic. Even by the 51-year-old’s offbeat standards, calling a reporter an ‘ostrich’ was pure Hollywood. It was as bizarre as it sounds.

But his apology on Thursday afternoon, and refusal to take the bait when harangued by BBC 5 Live's Pat Murphy, says a lot about his character.

When asked if he had behaved like a 'fool' or if he has ever considered taking anger management classes, an indelicate question at the best of times, Pearson was calm and pragmatic.

He said: "So you’re suggesting I made a fool of myself? I think you’re looking in the wrong place. I do recognise when I have been out of order and I thought I was out of order last night.”

It was in stark contrast to last night, when he became an internet sensation within minutes, as many reporters even left the King Power Stadium feeling sympathetic for Pearson.

The saga started after the Leicester boss took offence to a line of questioning after last night's 3-1 defeat to Chelsea.

“If you don’t know the answer to that question (about criticism) 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.”

Ian Baker, the reporter in question, was typically humble in his response: “Probably not.”

But Pearson wasn’t done. “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.”

Perhaps that now-famous chair, in the Leicester press conference room, has a potent personality suppressant lined into the leather? It must have, for that isn’t the way Pearson carries himself away from the cameras.

His mild-mannered, affable nature has endeared him to reporters, myself included, who regularly frequent the King Power Stadium corridors.

His charge sheet is inescapable though. First he told an abusive Foxes fan to ‘f*** off and die’.

Then he grappled with James McArthur on the sidelines before taking aim at club vice-president Gary Lineker. It wasn’t long before another journalist was being labelled a ‘pr***’.

It’s worth remembering that Pearson isn’t your usual Premier League manager. He has climbed the four divisions, patiently waiting for his shot, and worked under some of the best coaches in the land.

While the likes of Mark Hughes and Garry Monk may be more inclined to spend their summer vacations in the sun, the Leicester boss instead hikes in the Carpathian mountains.

Once attacked by a pack of wild dogs, Pearson fought them off with his walking stick before hurling himself into a patch of brambles.

A layman may assume that his relationship with the press is as spiky as those nettles, but the truth is quite the opposite. His apology proved that he has an understanding on where 'the line' lies.

One question lingers however. Was there even a football match on last night? I can’t remember.