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Claude Puel called for a reality check at Leicester City as he hit back at his critics.

City are seventh in the Premier League, but that hasn’t stopped the Frenchman coming under fire from a section of supporters who have become disillusioned with his style of play and the inconsistencies of his young side.

Puel has also been the subject of media reports that his job was in doubt, and the criticism intensified after he made seven changes for the FA Cup third-round tie at Newport County, paying the price as City suffered a shock giant-killing.

Puel admits it has been difficult to manage the negativity that is around his team, but he believes considering the problems they faced in the first half of the season, and the fact they are competing against clubs with more resources, his side have done a good job to sit seventh in the table.

Puel accepts City’s title triumph of 2016 has raised expectations, but he said it wasn’t realistic to think they should be competing in the top six again and called for his emerging young players to be given more time and patience.

“I think it’s a shame because for a club to continue to improve, we need stability,” Puel said of the criticism and negativity around City.

“Stability is not about the speculation around the club, inside, outside the club. It is important to support these young players who continue to improve and put in a good structure in the club and good basics to perform in the future.

“We know the normal difficulties to improve young players and get results. Normally it is not possible to improve young players and have the result at the same time. Normally when we improve the young players, they perform later.

“There is a lot of pressure around the club, but we try to maintain good results and good improvement of lots of players.

(Image: Nick Potts/PA Wire)

“Since the beginning of the season I think we have done some fantastic work. I am happy about the work we can do, the hard work my players have given in training and in games.

“To finish seventh in the first half season with all problems we have had, it’s a very good performance. If people believe we have to be sixth, that it should be our place, it is not the truth. It’s not possible.

“And if they think eighth is not good enough, it’s crazy.

“Of course we have difficulties to get a good atmosphere around the club. We need to be clever.”

City made seven signings last summer but after the sales of Riyad Mahrez and Ahmed Musa, they had an estimated net spend of just £25million.

Puel said the truth was they couldn’t go out and compete with the top clubs in the Premier League for ready-made players, but instead were invested in youth they feel they can develop themselves.

“The question is how can we perform at this club? Do we have the same possibilities and money as Liverpool, Man City, Arsenal, Chelsea, or Everton, West Ham or Wolves? Do we have same possibilities? No,” said Puel.

“How can we compete against these teams? We can’t buy the same players, experienced and consistent with a fantastic level.

“We can perform if we can take some talented players, younger and develop them.

(Image: Plumb Images/Getty Images)

“Perhaps we have success. Then we keep them and in three to four years we can compete with the great teams. For me it is the only project we can have.

“It was exceptional that Leicester won the title. If not, it would be easy all the time to win the title. It was exceptional. If people think that was normal in the Premier League it is not the truth.

“This club won the title and the expectation from all around the club, from fans sometimes and from people and journalists, the expectation is more advanced. It’s a higher level.

“There’s a difference in the possibilities for Leicester and what people want to achieve and dream of, and what they expect from us.

“I accept this but all the time after a bad result there is pressure, and other teams with more money and more possibilities behind us don’t have noise, speculation or other things. They can work with calm, without a problem.

“We know the difficulties and the atmosphere around the club, for me and the players, for the club.

“We have to manage this atmosphere and to try to keep all the time our calm and continue this project.”

It was a similar story when Puel was manager of Southampton, who he faces tomorrow at the King Power Stadium.

He was sacked after one season despite finishing eighth in the table and taking the Saints to a cup final, but was unpopular with sections of the supporters who didn’t like the football they witnessed.

“Yes, perhaps (it’s the same), because before they finished sixth and believed after sixth it would be fifth, fourth and so on,” said Puel.

“Perhaps it was the same thing, I don’t know, but if we forget who we are it will be difficult afterwards. It is always important to be clever with ambition.

“We need to have ambition but ambition to follow a project. The way is different because we cannot pay, we cannot buy.

(Image: Plumb Images/Getty Images)

“For example, when we lost Riyad Mahrez how can we replace him with the same level? It’s not possible.

“We need to find different possibilities with different talented players and with a different profile to give strength to the team.

“It costs a lot of money. A good example is Riyad became a great player but he was not a great player when he arrived in the club.

“He made progress and I hope other players in our team have the ability to become great players with passion and hard work on the pitch and in training sessions.

“To keep the right mentality is the most important thing. Some teams can have an interest in our players because they show the world what we can do, and the quality we can put into the recruitment of young players, then developing them.

"Sometimes we buy young players and sometimes they come from the academy and develop.

“It’s the way for us.”

Puel also addressed his public persona and how that has affected perceptions of him. As he is asked, he shrugs and offers a weary smile.

“Ah, the image! I saw in the past a lot of images with different managers,” he sighed.

“They had a fantastic image, but now their teams play in the Championship.

“The most important thing is not to be spectacular on the bench, it’s to try to perform on the pitch and develop a club and to have good consistency to compete and to make progress and keep ambition, just this.”

It seemed Puel was in fighting mode after weeks of speculation and criticism, but he vowed to continue to soak up any negativity aimed at his young squad and vowed he would not waver from his plan.

“My job is to take all this pressure without giving pressure to my team and the club. I take this pressure,” he said.

“It’s not a problem for me, but I want my players to play without pressure, with freshness and freedom. This is the most important thing, to continue their development.

“I can take the pressure. I am solid, I have the habits, it’s not a problem.”