Robbie Neilson determined to win back City place

Out-of-favour defender Robbie Neilson is not one to sulk. Quite the opposite in fact.

Here is a man determined to reclaim his place in the Leicester City line-up.

Although he accepts it is not great being on the sidelines, he is ready, willing and able should he get the call from manager Nigel Pearson.

"It is difficult, but for any player not in the team it is difficult," said the 29-year-old right-back.

"But the team are doing well so you can't really complain.

"Michael (Morrison) has come in and done fantastically well, and the defence has been good, so you just have to take it on the chin.

"You need to train hard and make sure you are ready for when you get the opportunity to play.

"I feel good, I feel physically strong and, hopefully, if I get the chance, I can grasp it.

"I have the confidence that if I get back in the team I can stay in the team. It's just getting the opportunity.

"If I'm called upon I will be ready. It is up to the manager to pick his team, so we will just have to wait and see."

Neilson joined City from Hearts in July last year on a three-year-deal.

He has made 19 starts but has not featured since the 1-1 draw at home to Ipswich in early January.

Since then, City have lost in the Championship at Swansea and Barnsley and been knocked out of the FA Cup by Cardiff.

Now they are on a six-game unbeaten run, the last being a 1-1 draw at Plymouth Argyle on Saturday, when Neilson was on the bench.

The trip to Home Park was the second in a three-match away run in this hectic part of the season.

"It's full-on, with lots of games coming up from Saturday to Tuesday, from Saturday to Wednesday," said Neilson. "I'm sure the manager will utilise the squad and, hopefully, I will get a chance to come back in."

Despite playing in his native Scotland for so many years and winning a full international cap, Neilson has no regrets about moving south of the border.

"It's been a good experience for me and I'm glad I came down," he said. "I played for so long in Scotland I felt is was time to move on.

"I'm glad I came to this club, it has been enjoyable. I've had a run in the team, then I've been out of the team, but that happens in football.

"It is difficult for someone to come to a club and right away cement a place for the rest of their career.

"Sometimes it can take a bit of time to get settled in. Having been somewhere for so long you don't realise how difficult it is to make the change.

"For the family it is a big upheaval, it is difficult to settle, but we're getting there and, in the long run, it will be good for all of us."

Neilson still feels City are on course for a place in the top six.

"We've been in and around the play-offs for the majority of the season so, if we don't make it, we will be really disappointed.

"We've got ourselves into a good position, with games in hand and, if we can sustain it, we will get our reward.

"The league is so tight – so many teams still have aspirations to get into the plays-offs. We have to work right through until the end and it probably won't be decided until the last week of the season.

"Teams will go through difficult periods – Nottingham Forest went something like 18 games unbeaten and then had a bad period. When you do that, everyone starts doubting you.

"You have to stay focused and make sure you get back on track as soon as you can."