Leicester City Star Dismisses ‘Hollow’ Praise and Urges for Betterment

Leicester City goalkeeper Mads Hermansen sees “room for improvement” both individually and for his team, despite receiving praise for his performances so far.

Hermansen, a standout in City’s campaign, showcased his shot-stopping abilities, particularly in City’s recent 1-0 win against Bournemouth, where he secured his first clean sheet of the season.

That victory moved Leicester to 15th place with six points, though Hermansen feels they should have earned more from their first seven matches to call it a satisfactory start.

While Hermansen has garnered acclaim for his individual displays, he admits it’s not entirely fulfilling.

His efforts were particularly noted in Leicester’s 1-0 loss to Arsenal, where he produced four top-quality saves in the second half, only to be beaten in added time.

Troy Deeney, in his BBC Sport column, praised Hermansen’s performance, calling it “one of the best performances I’ve seen from a goalkeeper on a losing team.”

Reflecting on his Premier League debut season, Hermansen told Tipsbladet, “On a team level, we might have liked to see a point or two more, but overall, it’s been okay.

However, there is still room for improvement.”

He noted that his busy performance at Arsenal was bittersweet: “I was happy to contribute with a few saves, but of course it ended with zero points, so there wasn’t much to celebrate.”

Though pleased with the positive feedback on his performances, Hermansen feels the praise sometimes rings hollow.

“It’s nice to hear that people think I’ve done a good job,” he said, “but as you say, the best effort from a losing team’s goalkeeper—that’s nice, but it sounds a bit hollow.

It’s great to contribute, but I’m tired of the fact that we couldn’t hold on to the one point.”

Hermansen has now joined the Denmark national team for their upcoming Nations League matches against Spain and Switzerland.

Despite being in the national squad for the past 18 months, the 24-year-old is yet to make his senior debut, having served as an understudy to Kasper Schmeichel.

Speaking about his wait for a Denmark cap, Hermansen said, “Whether it’s annoying or not, I don’t know, but I always strive to play.

I’m doing what I can to prove to the coaching staff that I’m the one to play.”

Hermansen remains determined to earn his first international appearance. “I think I’ve played some good games this season, but ultimately, it’s the coaches who set the team,” he explained.

Acknowledging that patience is often required for goalkeepers, he added, “It’s part of a goalkeeper’s fate that you sometimes have to wait.

But I work as hard as I can every day and try to focus on playing my game.”

Although he’s content with his early-season performances, Hermansen is eager to see both personal and team improvements as Leicester City pushes forward.