Advertisement

Leicester City sack Claudio Ranieri less than 10 months after winning unlikely Premier League title

Gone | Leicester City sack Ranieri: Getty Images
Gone | Leicester City sack Ranieri: Getty Images

Leicester City have sacked manager Claudio Ranieri less than 10 months after he guided them to the top of English football.

But as glorious as last season was for the Foxes, not even the subsequent excited of Champions League football has curtailed what has been a disastrous defence of their Premier League title.

Leicester currently sit just one point above the relegation zone, having failed to win in the Premier League since the 1-0 victory at home to West Ham on December 31.

And it’s that domestic demise, in which they have failed to score or win in the top flight in 2017, that has sealed Ranieri’s fate, despite the 65-year-old - who was crowned FIFA coach of the year - having a received a vote of confidence from the club a fortnight ago.

The club have confirmed that assistant manager Craig Shakespeare and first team Coach Mike Stowell will take charge or first team affairs until a new manager is appointed, and are set to be in the Leicester dugout for this weekend's match with Liverpool.

A statement released on Leicester's website read: “Domestic results in the current campaign have placed the Club’s Premier League status under threat and the Board reluctantly feels that a change of leadership, while admittedly painful, is necessary in the Club’s greatest interest.”

Vice Chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha added: “This has been the most difficult decision we have had to make in nearly seven years since King Power took ownership of Leicester City. But we are duty-bound to put the Club’s long-term interests above all sense of personal sentiment, no matter how strong that might be.

“Claudio has brought outstanding qualities to his office. His skilful management, powers of motivation and measured approach have been reflective of the rich experience we always knew he would bring to Leicester City. His warmth, charm and charisma have helped transform perceptions of the Club and develop its profile on a global scale. We will forever be grateful to him for what he has helped us to achieve.

“It was never our expectation that the extraordinary feats of last season should be replicated this season. Indeed, survival in the Premier League was our first and only target at the start of the campaign. But we are now faced with a fight to reach that objective and feel a change is necessary to maximise the opportunity presented by the final 13 games.”