Nigel Pearson draws line in sand, says sorry to journalist he called ‘an ostrich’

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/apr/30/nigel-pearson-leicester-city-ostrich-rant

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Nigel Pearson denied he is a bully after his latest outburst saw the Leicester manager heavily criticised. Pearson apologised to journalist Ian Baker for calling him an “ostrich” and “stupid” after Leicester’s 3-1 defeat to Chelsea on Wednesday.

Pearson was irritated after being asked to clarify what criticism of his players had particularly upset him this season.

It was branded “OstrichGate” on social media with the hashtag trending on Wednesday night. But Pearson said sorry and when asked whether he was bothered by the bad publicity and perhaps being called a bully he replied: “That is a word that is very easy to use but there you are. I am not.

“Fundamentally I am what I am. Again, the model which is sometimes thrown at me as being dour and arrogant, people can have their views on that but the people who work very closely with me know me a damn sight better because I allow them to get to know me.”

However, Pearson became embroiled in another row when the BBC’s Pat Murphy defended the media for how they have covered Leicester this season and claimed Pearson could be April’s manager of the month – but said his latest outburst has damaged him. Pearson responded: “Are you suggesting my job is to pander to your requirements? Are you suggesting I made a fool of myself? I think you are looking in the wrong place there. I think what you’ve got to understand is I do recognise when I have been out of order and I thought I was out of order last night, hence my apology today.”

Murphy also claimed Pearson appeared close to being paranoid and a bully but the manager remained unconcerned even after the journalist said Leicester had been unlucky. Pearson said: “I think you are looking at your side of the argument with rose-coloured spectacles – and I’m not going to get into a discussion with you today.”

Pearson also refused to elaborate on his stance over the criticism of his players. “I said there have been criticisms and I’ll stick up for my players, I always will do,” he said.

Pearson had already been involved in one spat with a journalist in March, calling him a “prick”, and told a fan to “fuckoff and die” during a December defeat to Liverpool. He also grappled with Crystal Palace’s James McArthur in February, grabbing the midfielder by the throat, but both he and McArthur played the touchline incident down. Pearson admitted he is likely to remain combative if confronted but conceded he knows when he is wrong.

He said: “Possibly. It depends on my emotional state but it would be wrong to change and wrong to recognise that we don’t make mistakes – we are human beings.”

Pearson refused to bite during questions in the broadcast section of the briefing on Thursday despite being pressed on his attitude and how he has handled himself, but he denied he disliked press conferences, despite his recent flashpoints.

He added: “That’s not entirely true actually. It is about privacy, it is about trust, I allow people who I trust to get to know me but outside of that I don’t.”

I have accepted the apology. Fair play to him for being big enough to apologise. #lcfc