Leicester wield the axe and sack Premier League title-winning boss Claudio Ranieri
Relegation-threatened Leicester City have wielded the axe and sacked manager Claudio Ranieri just nine months after he led the Foxes to a miraculous Premier League title.
The decision to part company with Ranieri came barely two weeks after the club’s owners offered the Italian their “unwavering support” following a turbulent season which has left the club fighting for their top-flight lives.
Only 24 hours prior to the announcement, the 65-year-old former Chelsea tactician had overseen a creditable result, albeit a 2-1 defeat, in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 clash against Sevilla. It was, however, a seventh defeat in nine games.
Leicester have scarcely found a modicum of the form which propelled them to a 5,000-1 title win last season, and Ranieri left with the Foxes in 17th place, just one point above the drop zone.
“This has been the most difficult decision we have had to make in nearly seven years since King Power took ownership of Leicester City,” said Leicester vice-chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha.
“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.
“We will forever be grateful to him for what he has helped us to achieve.”
Assistant manager Craig Shakespeare and Mike Stowell have been placed in temporary charge prior to Monday’s showdown with Liverpool at the King Power Stadium.
Ex-Chelsea interim boss Guus Hiddink, former Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini and Frank de Boer, formerly in charge of Ajax and Inter, are among the early favourites for the full-time role.
Monday’s clash is the first of 13 remaining league games for Leicester to avoid becoming the first defending top-flight champions to be relegated since Manchester City in1938.
“It was never our expectation that the extraordinary feats of last season should be replicated this season,” added Srivaddhanaprabha. “Indeed, survival in the Premier League was our 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.”
Ranieri, who signed a new four-year deal last year, was not without support. Former Leicester, Tottenham and England striker Gary Lineker said: “After all that Claudio Ranieri has done for Leicester City, to sack him now is inexplicable, unforgivable and gut-wrenchingly sad.”