Leicester star Hermansen on Maresca's approach and talks with Schmeichel
It says everything about Pep Guardiola's impact on English football that his influence has now stretched far beyond Manchester.
Manchester City have struck up a domestic monopoly since Guardiola arrived on these shores back in 2016. The Spaniard won his fifth title in six years last season despite the best efforts of his former right-hand man Mikel Arteta; and now another of his disciples is forging his own path away from the Premier League champions.
Enzo Maresca's time at Leicester has been brief, but his impact has been seismic: his side are five points clear at the Championship summit after winning 11 of their opening 12 matches and have already been touted as the best team in second-tier history.
And while Maresca may have inherited plenty of the tools required to fashion Leicester into a team capable of returning to the Premier League at the first attempt, it's his meticulous methods and unquenchable thirst for improvement which have concocted a winning formula unlike anything that Mads Hermansen has encountered before.
"He's so good at giving solutions to his players," the Danish goalkeeper told Mirror Football. "It doesn't matter what the opposition is doing, he will always find a solution. As a player, that's a fantastic feeling.
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"I feel like no matter what is happening on the pitch, all 11 players know exactly what to do. Also on the training pitch he's great, always explaining. He studies the game a lot; all the time he's trying to develop.
"The way he's detailed into the tactical part of the game, that's what impresses me the most. All the players in the squad have this feeling, that we can all grow [under him]. He's a fantastic manager."
Hermansen was one of the nine players who followed Maresca to the King Power in the summer. He's featured in 11 of the 12 league matches Leicester have played this term under the highly-rated Italian coach.
Swapping the Superliga for the Championship has been seamless for the 23-year-old, who was prised away from Brondby in the transfer window. He has quickly established himself as an integral part of the division's leanest defence, shipping just seven goals in 11 games.
Hermansen has conceded just seven goals in 11 league games this term (Getty Images)That's not to say that the relentless beast that is the Championship hasn't taken its toll on Hermansen, though, who relocated to the UK with his girlfriend and his dog in the summer.
"It's been good. The games are tough but great to play in. I've not found it hard to adapt but I don't think I realised how many good players are in this league.
"In Denmark, you don't really follow the Championship that much, so I didn't know what to expect in terms of the level of players in other teams. But I've been really impressed. All the games are difficult because the players are so good."
While the Championship may not make headlines in Denmark, Hermansen did not walk through the doors to the King Power blind. The Foxes already had a small Danish contingent on their books with the likes of Daniel Iversen, Jannik Vestergaard and Victor Kristiansen.
As a Danish goalkeeper, Hermansen is also no stranger to Kasper Schmeichel: a bonafide King Power legend. While he didn't seek the veteran shot-stopper out before his move to Leicester, Schmeichel possesses a wealth of knowledge that Hermansen has tapped into.
"I think when I arrived here, I think it's natural to speak with the Danish guys a little about the club. We all try to fit in the squad as best we can. I talk a bit more with Victor outside of the pitch as well, so that's nice.
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"I had an idea of what I was coming in to. I also talked to Kasper before that; not in regards to a move, just about the club. That was positive.
"Kasper is a big player for Leicester and Denmark. He's played the last 10 years for the national team and almost has 100 caps, so of course I look at him and try to learn from him. I talk to him about situations in football and life as well. He's great to talk to and a good guy."
While they now share both club and country on their resumes, Hermansen is a completely different entity to Schmeichel. The Brondby academy graduate's attributes very much marry up with the current demands placed on a goalkeeper, with Hermansen comfortable on the ball and building possession from the back.
Enzo Maresca has already made a significant impact at Leicester City (Leicester City FC via Getty Imag)That stems from his youth, where he played outfield before an Achilles injury altered his career path. The severity of the issue at the time meant that he was shoehorned into a new role between the posts.
"I was around 10 years old when I got an injury in my Achilles," Hermansen recalls. "When you're a kid, the goalkeeper is not so active in the game so it was the only way I could keep on playing.
"I don't really remember [much about the injury]. The only thing I really remember is that the only way I could keep on playing was to go in goal, but then I actually liked it. I don't think anybody dreams of being a goalkeeper as a kid!"
Hermansen may not have anticipated life as a goalkeeper, but fate's intervention has seen Leicester profit. The Foxes face a stern test of their promotion credentials on Tuesday night when they face Sunderland, but there already feels like an air of certainty about their chances of a Premier League return.
Hermansen has picked the brains of Denmark and Leicester legend Kasper SchmeichelNo other side in second-tier history have failed to win promotion after amassing 30 points from their first 11 games. Only a fool would take the bet on Leicester ruining that streak given how the land lies.
Not that that statistic will carry much weight with either Maresca or Hermansen, who are both resolute in their search for marginal gains. "We enjoy winning, but we also enjoy developing as a team," the Foxes' No.1 concludes.
"We want to keep on focusing on small details and getting better all the time. I feel like we enjoy the development in the games, when we feel like, 'Ok, we've been working on this for a long time and now it's working in the game', that's a good feeling.
"But even then, you have to get used to the fact that every time you play, you're straight away thinking about the next one. You get your mind ready and your body ready and then we're looking at the tactical aspects we take into the next one. It's tough. We're just trying to hang in there, do the right things and keep on winning."
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