Thai owned Leicester sack Ranieri nine months after stunning triumph

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Leicester sack Ranieri nine months after stunning triumph

By Toby Davis

 

 

(Reuters) - Premier League champions Leicester City sacked Italian manager Claudio Ranieri on Thursday, nine months after he clinched one of soccer's most remarkable triumphs but with the team now hovering above the relegation zone.

 

Ranieri's side stunned the sporting world when they secured a maiden English top-flight title last May, having begun the season as 5000-1 outsiders, but have struggled to repeat those heroics in the current campaign.

 

They are currently 17th in the table, a point and a place above the bottom three, having lost their past five league matches. They are the only side in the top four English divisions without a league goal in 2017.

 

"Leicester City Football Club has tonight (Thursday) parted company with its first team manager, Claudio Ranieri," the club said in a statement.

 

"Claudio, appointed City manager in July 2015, led the Foxes to the greatest triumph in the club’s 133-year history last season, as we were crowned champions of England for the first time. His status as the most successful Leicester City manager of all time is without question," it added.

 

"However, 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."

 

The decision came 24 hours after the team put in a spirited performance in a 2-1 Champions League last 16 first-leg defeat at Sevilla with former Leicester and England striker Gary Lineker leading a chorus of disapproval among the pundits.

 

"After all that Claudio Ranieri has done for Leicester City, to sack him now is inexplicable, unforgivable and gut-wrenchingly sad," Lineker said on Twitter.

 

UNDER PRESSURE

 

Ranieri had come under pressure following Leicester's amazing title success, with the team battling relegation amid media reports suggesting he had lost the dressing room.

 

The club gave him "unwavering support" in a statement two weeks ago, but Leicester suffered another low last weekend when they lost in the FA Cup fifth round at third-tier Millwall.

 

Leicester's disjointed performances have been a far cry from their relentless accumulation of points last year.

 

The Midlands club, who had narrowly avoided relegation the previous season, clinched the title by 10 points with a brand of fast-paced, counter-attacking football that played to the strengths of their inexpensively-assembled squad.

 

Yet Ranieri, who had never previously won a league title in an itinerant career that included spells at Juventus, AS Roma, Inter Milan, Monaco and Chelsea, has struggled to get the best from his players this season.

 

Having lost dynamic midfield enforcer N'Golo Kante to Chelsea, the likes of striker Jamie Vardy and playmaker Riyad Mahrez have misfired in a stuttering title defence.

 

Vardy, who got 24 league goals last term, has managed five in the current one, while a Leicester defence that conceded 36 on their way to the title have already shipped 43 in 25 games.

 

The club's current difficulties forced their Thai owners to act, according to vice-chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha.

 

"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," Srivaddhanaprabha said.

 

“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," he added.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-02-24

[LannaGuy]

that's loyalty for you... 

[Hedghog]

That's football.

[Thechook]

Oh its just a soccer team, i was thinking it was some sort of business

[petermik]

The owners gave him the dreaded vote of confidence just 3 weeks ago  

[OJAS]

At least he lasted 2 months longer in charge of a side who were the current EPL champions than Mourinho did!

[jesimps]

1 hour ago, Thechook said:

Oh its just a soccer team, i was thinking it was some sort of business

Wrong! It's a FOOTBALL team. It's that game which is played mainly with the feet as opposed to the hands. The Spams call their American Handball "Football" for some reason which causes some people to wrongly call association football "Soccer".

 

[petermik]

7 hours ago, OJAS said:

At least he lasted 2 months longer in charge of a side who were the current EPL champions than Mourinho did!

What a rivetting piece of useless information that is

Edited February 24, 2017 by petermik

[Stupooey]

50 minutes ago, jesimps said:

Wrong! It's a FOOTBALL team. It's that game which is played mainly with the feet as opposed to the hands. The Spams call their American Handball "Football" for some reason which causes some people to wrongly call association football "Soccer".

 

Wrong! The word football was coined to describe ball games played on foot, as opposed to on horseback. Association football, sometimes abbreviated to soccer, is just one version among many. What does distinguish it though is that it is the only sport played with the outside of the head.

[Baerboxer]

6 hours ago, LannaGuy said:

that's loyalty for you... 

 

He's such a nice bloke - but maybe that's part of the trouble.

 

My Uncle, season ticket holder of 50 years, says the players are much lazier this year. No where near the work rate, enthusiasm, drive and hunger like last year. Complacent and expectant. My cousin and his lads, all long term season ticket holders too, say more a less the same and add that there doesn't seem the same careful planning and execution like last season. 

 

I'm sure at 65 he's made a very large amount of money, deservedly so. But given how things were going, too close to relegation, loosing to Millwall in the cup, and playing consistently poorly meant there was little option. 

 

I really don't know why the players have stopped playing for him, or why the tremendous team spirit of last season evaporated so easily. 

 

 

[Baerboxer]

16 minutes ago, Stupooey said:

Wrong! The word football was coined to describe ball games played on foot, as opposed to on horseback. Association football, sometimes abbreviated to soccer, is just one version among many. What does distinguish it though is that it is the only sport played with the outside of the head.

 

" Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball with the foot to score a goal.  (Source: Wiki).

 

Most codes of football: association, rugby union, rugby league, Australian rules, and Gaelic don't feel the need to dress up in a crash helmet and face mask, copious pieces of body armor, or wear figure hugging tights. That's unique to American football.

[bangon04]

Surely the owners need to import a THAI manager to make everything right.........

[dunroaming]

Maybe they should have sacked the arrogant overrated  players instead.  Ranieri will move on to greener pastures, no doubt of that.  Understandable reaction by the owners though, let's hope they have plan to save the team from relegation.  It's a gutsy move to change horses this late in the race and may come back to haunt them.  Time will tell.

[whatawonderfulday]

I have never been interested in Leicester City.  However When he was at Chelsea I always thought what a charismatic and honest manager he was.  Moving forwards to his Leicester City  period then just look at what he achieved for Leicester, a team that had never gone anywhere or won anything worthwhile for decades.

 

To sack him after such a meteoric period in their history is not only typical of modern day football but also typical of the greed for success of its dubious owners, King Power in reality.

 

Let's hope that under whatever the regime, they transcend from one of Premier Leagues fantasy clubs to that perhaps of League 2 has beens.  What goes round comes round.

 

I wish Claudio the greatest success in his next endeavours or well earned retirement.  A true gentleman of the sport of which their are very few.

[Chicog]

43 minutes ago, whatawonderfulday said:

To sack him after such a meteoric period in their history is not only typical of modern day football but also typical of the greed for success of its dubious owners, King Power in reality.

It's not greed for success, it's fear of falling off the 100m quid a year gravy train.

[Bredbury Blue]

Presumably he's 'lost the dressing room' so somebody new is needed to get the players up for it. Sad to see him go though.

With the exception of Rednose and Wenger, being a Premier winning manager doesn't gurantee you won't be sacked soon afterwards as Mourinho I, Ancelotti, BobbyManc, Mourinho II and now Ranieri proves.

[BangrakBob]

Bloody typical - I hope the players don't have a sudden inspired reason to step up on Monday 

[Retiredandhappyhere]

Alex Ferguson retired when he felt ready to go, but had Manchester United actually sacked him after all the success he had earned for them, I for one would have stopped supporting them.  In some ways, I feel it would be poetic justice now if, following  the sacking of Ranieri after his fantastic achievement last season, Leicester City were to end up relegated after all.  They were a nothing club before he arrived and it should be no surprise to anyone if they return to that status now he has gone.

[NanLaew]

The reason the Foxes won the EPL title last season was because the competition was woeful. The usual top-flighters that failed to impress last season all had serious close season changes in both players and management and the league is much more competitive this year. Ranieri got lucky last season with a generally mediocre team that was never really tested and are now facing their rightful place in the Championship that they narrowly avoided only two years ago.

[Chicog]

7 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

The reason the Foxes won the EPL title last season was because the competition was woeful. The usual top-flighters that failed to impress last season all had serious close season changes in both players and management and the league is much more competitive this year. Ranieri got lucky last season with a generally mediocre team that was never really tested and are now facing their rightful place in the Championship that they narrowly avoided only two years ago.

 

Wow could you possibly sneer any more?

 

 

[MRDave]

Thats Thainess!

[toss]

I think only MRDave has got the point!?!

[NanLaew]

7 hours ago, MRDave said:

Thats Thainess!

Not uniquely Thai though. Wasn't there some Malaysian owner of Cardiff that upset the apple cart with his vision for the team that included changing their traditional home strip colour to something that was orientally fortuitous according to the stargazers he talked to? Fired a manager and the head of recruitment without any forward planning. Caused a bit of a ruckus but I wonder if his fortune teller even saw them being relegated?

 

These weekend millionaire type Asian EPL team owners want to show they are decisive and influential like Man U's and Liverpool's more experienced owners are. Face farce.

Edited February 25, 2017 by NanLaew

[OJAS]

16 hours ago, BangrakBob said:

Bloody typical - I hope the players don't have a sudden inspired reason to step up on Monday 

But I can't see them sustaining any improvement in form over the rest of the season were that to happen. They are basically a bunch of journeymen who punched way above their weight last season.

[superal]

16 hours ago, NanLaew said:

The reason the Foxes won the EPL title last season was because the competition was woeful. The usual top-flighters that failed to impress last season all had serious close season changes in both players and management and the league is much more competitive this year. Ranieri got lucky last season with a generally mediocre team that was never really tested and are now facing their rightful place in the Championship that they narrowly avoided only two years ago.

Sorry but I disagree , they won the EPL last season because of playing to a system that maximised the skills of the team . The other teams knew what they were all about but could not overcome it . Lets not forget that the team was put together by Nigel Pearson who in my opinion did an even better job than Claudio by avoiding relegation . Ranieri took over the steering wheel and was just as amazed at their performance as everyone else . I could see the demise coming and had a wager start of the season for relegation at 16/1 ( in the UK of course ) . One vital ingredient went missing , namely  Canti to Chelsea . He was their dynamo with an incredible workrate .

      As we wait for a new manager appointment they could do a lot worse than Pearson but whether he take the role is debatable after all the previous problems with the Thai owners .  

[Bredbury Blue]

^I agree with evaluation. They had a system and players that system and it worked for them - they were a complete unit last season when othet teams had a decent attack / dodgy defence or vice versa. Like many Title winning teams, they are suffering 2nd season syndrome, and not putting in the effort required, and apparently some of the senior pros were not happy with Ranieri's tactics or team selection.

It's a great shame as I think the whole nation like Ranieri and enjoyed Leicester's performance and achievement last season.

Edited February 25, 2017 by Bredbury Blue

[LannaGuy]

1 minute ago, Bredbury Blue said:

^I agree with evaluation. They had a system and players that system and it worked for them - they were a complete unit last season when othet teams had a decent attack / dodgy defence or vice versa. Like many Title winning teams, they are suffering 2nd season syndrome, and not putting in the effort required, and apparently some of the senior pros were not happy with Ranieri's tactics or team selection.

agreed but it still stinks to bite the hand that took them to an almost impossible title and although he has his millions to console him I feel for Raniere 

[Bredbury Blue]

^You commented on my comment while I was editting it; but i agree with your comment.

[BangrakBob]

On 24/02/2017 at 6:15 PM, BangrakBob said:

Bloody typical - I hope the players don't have a sudden inspired reason to step up on Monday 

Bloody typical 

 

 

[meatboy]

2 hours ago, BangrakBob said:

Bloody typical 

 

 

in horse racing its called NON TRYING,in other sport,football players bringing the game into DISREPUTE.

so it does turn out the reports of certain players bringing down the manager WERE TRUE.

shame on you.LEICESTER CITY PLAYERS.

so who wants to be their next MANAGER.?