Steve Cooper will be very much focused on the here and now at Leicester City but it is always a good idea to have one eye on the future for any manager.
The priority for Leicester City this season is of course simply to stay in the Premier League and so far Steve Cooper has been unable to steer the club to a top flight win.
It was a busy summer at the King Power as last season’s promotion-winning manager Enzo Maresca departed for Chelsea before taking Leicester star man Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall with him.
Cooper then came in and made nine signings, so one piece of summer business that may have slipped under the radar is the loan exit of 20-year-old Brandon Cover to Port Vale.
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Leicester City loanee Brandon Cover earning glowing praise at Port Vale
Cover can play right-back or defensive midfield and has made just one senior appearance for Leicester as he played in the 3-0 FA Cup win over Birmingham City in January.
With first-team involvement unlikely this season, Cooper sanctioned the Jamaican’s loan move to League Two Port Vale where he has started all three league games since arriving.
Port Vale manager Darren Moore has deployed Cover at right-back where he helped his loan side to a clean sheet in a 1-0 win over Chesterfield last time out whilst directly up against League Two player of the month for August in winger James Berry.
Moore was full of praise for Cover after his performance, telling Leicestershire Live: “I think we have got a really good player, a quality player.
“I thought the way he looked after him (Berry) was absolutely superb, he didn’t give him a minute’s peace. That’s Brandon, he has that capability. But also on the ball he brings that calmness and assurance.
“But the biggest thing for me, which I can share with everyone, is he is such a humble individual. That adds to the character and the behaviour we want at the club.
“He can feel really pleased with his performance and we are really pleased to have him here.”
Cover could be Leicester City long-term solution to Ricardo Pereira
One of the surprises in the early weeks of the season at Leicester has been the fact that Ricardo Pereira has not been a feature of the side.
Instead, Cooper has opted to play James Justin at right-back, with Victor Kristiansen at left-back whilst Pereira has primarily watched on from the bench.
Depending on how this season goes, it is quite feasible that Pereira outlasts the Welsh manager at the club but at 30 he is not going to go on forever.
Therefore, if Cover can continue to impress on loan whilst gaining invaluable experience then the youngster could well prove the perfect heir to Pereira at right-back for the Foxes.