Matty James has shared the adaptations Nigel Pearson has had to make as a manager over his career as he sets the target for Bristol City ahead of their return to Championship action.
The Robins boss signed James during his time as Leicester's manager in May 2012 after the midfielder left Manchester United's academy. At the age of 20, he would go on to play an instrumental part in Pearson's success with the Foxes having initially achieved promotion to the Premier League with 102 points.
James also featured 27 times during the following campaign to ensure Leicester's so-called great escape before a serious injury ruled him out of the entire famous title-winning season after Pearson's sacking.
The experienced midfielder was one of Pearson's first signings as City manager having joined in the summer of 2021 alongside Andy King and has remained an integral figure in the midfield, having also worn the captain's armband in the absence of Dan Bentley.
As Championship clubs continue to turn to young and upcoming managers, such as the appointments of Rob Edwards (39) at Luton, Mark Fotheringham (39) at Huddersfield and Vincent Kompany (36) at Burnley, Pearson is now the eldest manager in the league aged 59.
Football is constantly evolving whether that's tactics, technology or social media and personalities in the game need to continuously adapt to the modern game. Pearson has been no different and James was asked about his manager's biggest difference from the first time they worked together until now.
Speaking on BBC Bristol's Sound of the City, he said: "He's a little bit more different now. I think he's had to adapt to the way the game has been going and the way certain players now need more nurturing and a little more - (players) don't get the same upbringing as I had, certainly Manchester United was fantastic for me. It was hard and ruthless and it was intense.
"I think you have to be careful with how you approach the younger players and I think he's had to do that because we've got a lot here and I think he's done exceptionally well with the young players. The number of young players that have played for the club since he has been here has been a lot so I think in that way he has had to learn and adapt.
"I think with the way the league has gone, tactically now I think the Championship is different to what it was. When I was back with the gaffer at Leicester, there was a lot of 4-4-2 then. There are new systems being played and new managers trying tactically to outdo the other team.
"For us, we've had to play different systems and there are 11 players out on the pitch and you go out there and try and execute so I think the gaffer has been adaptable. We've made some good steps moving forward and hopefully, we'll continue doing that."
City are back in business this weekend and travel to Rotherham in the early kick-off on Saturday. James believes the reset came at a good time for the players after their form dipped before the four-week World Cup break having won two out of their last 11 league games including the 3-1 home loss to Lincoln in the EFL Cup.
Consistency has remained an issue but James says the side need to show a ruthlessness at both ends of the pitch on their return to help lift them away from the bottom three where they currently sit one point adrift.
"For us now we've had a bit of a reset and everyone's kind of buzzing again now and you just don't know what this is going to do to the whole football league whether teams are going to carry on with the form they've had or reset and push on," he added.
"I think it's can we be more ruthless at both ends of the pitch. When we're on top can we punish? Sheffield United was a key one. We were on top most of the game and we didn't punish them and we conceded a poor goal where we weren't ruthless enough in our own box.
"It's those little things that as we go, it's not luck because I think you create your own luck but it's just to keep performing the way we are but can we add that ruthlessness and can we be a bit more greedy in certain situations as opposed to picking out a player, can you just shoot?
"Can we be more consistent in picking out the crosses and not hitting the first man? These are the things that we are trying to work on. We're getting into the areas, that would be a problem if we wasn't so hopefully we do get into certain areas, play on the front foot - because that's the way that it works for this team and got a lot of energy and legs in this young team and we have to use their attributes around more experienced players."
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