Tuna Posted 6 February 2017 Posted 6 February 2017 According to The Mail. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-4197724/Claudio-Ranieri-given-final-chance-save-Leicester.html Leicester’s owners face a crucial decision on Claudio Ranieri’s position after the side slipped to two points off the bottom but sources indicate a willingness to maintain faith going into the Champions League fixture against Sevilla. Relegation as defending champions is a genuine prospect after the 3-0 defeat by Manchester United and Ranieri’s role has been placed under serious scrutiny amid strong suggestions of dressing-room unrest. Sportsmail understands Ranieri has spoken to Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, the club’s chairman, since the game and received reassurance in keeping with his regular discussions with the Thai billionaire. Srivaddhanaprabha was back in his homeland rather than at the King Power Stadium and it is believed the famous helicopter taking off from the centre-circle after the encounter was for a different executive. The performance on that pitch from those in blue can only have alarmed Leicester’s hierarchy, a meek surrender as soon as Henrikh Mkhitaryan opened the scoring. It was a display that did little to quell suspicions, as understood by Sportsmail, that the players are close to losing faith with Ranieri’s approach. Doubts among the team have been lingering for a number of months with the Italian’s tactical changes proving confusing and allegedly culminating in plunges of confidence. Less than two hours before November’s Champions League tie in Copenhagen, Ranieri changed to a 3-4-3 system that proved disastrous and was abandoned after 40 minutes. The diamond formation employed at Southampton was practiced on for just two sessions in advance despite the prior week being free of a game. Leicester lost 3-0 and Ranieri accepted the blame. Against United the players were surprised to see Shinji Okazaki and Ahmed Musa taken off at half-time but have become accustomed to Ranieri’s quick decisions. They have made their feelings known previously but the manager will take his own course. He has earned the right to, of course, but that is believed to be behind the strained relationship Ranieri is said to have developed with his assistant Craig Shakespeare. It was noticeable how little communication between the pair occurred in the dugout against United. Also seen as telling were answers from Kasper Schmeichel and Wes Morgan when asked about their manager. Neither offered a firm backing – preferring to instead insist the team was ready to fight together – and while they were talking amid high-adrenaline shortly after the final whistle continued responses of that kind will only see speculation grow. The question to be pondered is whether removing Ranieri from the equation would trigger an uplift in form. Club sources insist the Italian’s position is not under threat but should Sunday’s huge tie at Swansea end in similar fashion as against United those discussions appear inevitable. The groans from Leicester could be heard when Jon Moss was named as referee for that crunch game at Swansea. It will be the first occasion Moss has officiated a Leicester game since his controversial appearance last April when West Ham were given a debatable penalty and Vardy was dismissed for diving. Ranieri would have liked a clear run at the Swansea game but has an awkward FA Cup tie against Derby on Tuesday night. Team selection will prove a headache. He must balance fatigue and the potential for injury for first-teamers against the psychological damage a defeat to local rivals from a division below would do. ‘Maybe the FA Cup can help with our confidence, it is a big game. I don’t think you should write it off because of what is going on in the league,’ said Danny Simpson. Molla Wague is not eligible for the tie having been signed after the first leg but it remains dubious whether the Mali international will provide the competition to Morgan and Robert Huth that has been badly needed. Both are desperately short on form but Wague has not played a club game since November and Ranieri made the startling admission he must first study the 25-year-old in training. He can be justifiably miffed a defender ready to hit the ground running was not brought in. Those players who performed miraculously to win the title are not now doing so to a level in keeping with the new contracts many signed last summer, with Riyad Mahrez in particular a shadow of himself. Vardy, often starved of service, has scored just five times all season and Christian Fuchs is nothing like the dependable left-back we came to know him as. It is thought the squad will take salary cuts in the region of 30 per cent in the event of relegation but Leicester would still have a huge wage bill by Championship standards and such a prospect is not in the four-year plan mapped out to Ranieri when he replaced Nigel Pearson. Leicester’s owners retained faith in Pearson when the side were plugged to the bottom for months during 2014-15 and were rewarded with a late revival. But neither of those events can be guaranteed this time.
BenTheFox Posted 7 February 2017 Posted 7 February 2017 I remember an Italian football correspondent being interviewed on BBC radio Leicester when Ranieri was appointed. She said that after a year the players become confused by tactical changes and disillusioned under his management. This article seems to point out the exact same thing.
lee7 Posted 7 February 2017 Posted 7 February 2017 I wouldn't even give him that long. Especially if we do lose to Derby and Swansea! We'd be basically setting ourselves up to get knocked out of the champions league. Our poor away form against a very strong Sevilla side could put us out without even playing the home leg. The home leg would then become a pointless friendly!
Struwwelpeter60 Posted 7 February 2017 Posted 7 February 2017 36 minutes ago, Tuna said: Both are desperately short on form but Wague has not played a club game since November and Ranieri made the startling admission he must first study the 25-year-old in training. He can be justifiably miffed a defender ready to hit the ground running was not brought in. So much for the theory, that Ranieri is to blame for our weird transfer policy.
Koke Posted 7 February 2017 Posted 7 February 2017 20 minutes ago, BenTheFox said: I remember an Italian football correspondent being interviewed on BBC radio Leicester when Ranieri was appointed. She said that after a year the players become confused by tactical changes and disillusioned under his management. This article seems to point out the exact same thing. She was interviewed again Monday night by Radio Leicester and basically repeated that again. She also said that fans of his former clubs grew fed up with him because after every defeat he'd act so nonchalantly in his post match interviews as if things were going smoothly. Uncanny similarities to what's going on here.
Struwwelpeter60 Posted 7 February 2017 Posted 7 February 2017 14 minutes ago, lee7 said: I wouldn't even give him that long. Especially if we do lose to Derby and Swansea! We'd be basically setting ourselves up to get knocked out of the champions league. Our poor away form against a very strong Sevilla side could put us out without even playing the home leg. The home leg would then become a pointless friendly! 1. Even with Kante and in the shape of last season, the game at Sevilla would be a tough one. 2. You want to replace Ranieri. Okay. But with whom?
Struwwelpeter60 Posted 7 February 2017 Posted 7 February 2017 1 minute ago, Koke said: She was interviewed again Monday night by Radio Leicester and basically repeated that again. She also said that fans of his former clubs grew fed up with him because after every defeat he'd act so nonchalantly in his post match interviews as if things were going smoothly. Uncanny similarities to what's going on here. It only shows, that foofball fans in Italy are as fickle as here.
HankMarvin Posted 7 February 2017 Posted 7 February 2017 1 hour ago, Struwwelpeter60 said: It only shows, that foofball fans in Italy are as fickle as here. Yep especially the ones that join the Leicester forum after they have won the league
Struwwelpeter60 Posted 7 February 2017 Posted 7 February 2017 3 minutes ago, HankMarvin said: Yep especially the ones that join the Leicester forum after they have won the league That is really a cheap shot. For your information: I joined the forum one day after we had lost 3:0 at Stamford Bridge. Not when the sun was shining on LCFC, but when the shit was already hitting the fan for 2 months.
LCFCCKEANO Posted 7 February 2017 Posted 7 February 2017 4 hours ago, Struwwelpeter60 said: 1. Even with Kante and in the shape of last season, the game at Sevilla would be a tough one. 2. You want to replace Ranieri. Okay. But with whom? Not saying I want Ranieri out but if he goes there is plenty out there- De Boer for example, sacked after an unreasonably short time at Inter after smashing it Ajax wouldnt be bad.
WigstonWanderer Posted 7 February 2017 Posted 7 February 2017 Whether it's Claudio's fault or the players fault probably doesn't really matter. What matters is that it seems unlikely that Claudio can get us out of this mess. Changing the manager is about the only thing that might shake things up. Whether it would save us from the drop, who knows, but if the owners leave things as they are I can't see us staying in the prem.
stripeyfox Posted 7 February 2017 Posted 7 February 2017 stopped reading at "According to the Mail"....
m4DD0gg Posted 7 February 2017 Posted 7 February 2017 Nice one owners. Hope you like falling attendances, lack of TV money and being the first premier league champions to be relegated.
Guest Bob Hazels shorts Posted 7 February 2017 Posted 7 February 2017 'Called in' meeting last Thursday - Directors with Claudio and John Rudkin. Maybe not that unusual but I believe it was not a regular meeting.
Buce Posted 7 February 2017 Posted 7 February 2017 The owners won't pull the trigger while we are in the Champions League.
Guest ttfn Posted 7 February 2017 Posted 7 February 2017 They should come out and say something because the uncertainty is doing nobody any favours. At the very least they should be saying to the players that they stand behind Ranieri and anybody who undermines him will be disciplined. Perhaps they have done that but given everything we've seen and read recently it seems unlikely.
Guest Col city fan Posted 7 February 2017 Posted 7 February 2017 Just now, ttfn said: They should come out and say something because the uncertainty is doing nobody any favours. At the very least they should be saying to the players that they stand behind Ranieri and anybody who undermines him will be disciplined. Perhaps they have done that but given everything we've seen and read recently it seems unlikely. Exactly! Completely agree.
stripeyfox Posted 7 February 2017 Posted 7 February 2017 4 minutes ago, ttfn said: They should come out and say something because the uncertainty is doing nobody any favours. At the very least they should be saying to the players that they stand behind Ranieri and anybody who undermines him will be disciplined. Perhaps they have done that but given everything we've seen and read recently it seems unlikely. Definite need to back him or sack him. If he stays then everyone either falls into line or goes and trains with the reserves until the summer.
adejo92 Posted 7 February 2017 Posted 7 February 2017 I agree, Ranieri will take us down. With that in mind, i would probably keep him and get rid of most the squad. Can't see the grass being greener with any manager that will come and take over us in the Championship.
Soar Fox Posted 7 February 2017 Posted 7 February 2017 6 minutes ago, adejo92 said: I agree, Ranieri will take us down. With that in mind, i would probably keep him and get rid of most the squad. Can't see the grass being greener with any manager that will come and take over us in the Championship. Wrong decision sticking with Ranieri. If we do go down I'd go all out for either Gary Rowett or Sean Dyche. Burnley will stay up but hopefully we could tempt him with many pound notes in his back pocket and a big budget to get us back up.
Guest Mickyblueeyes Posted 7 February 2017 Posted 7 February 2017 8 hours ago, BenTheFox said: I remember an Italian football correspondent being interviewed on BBC radio Leicester when Ranieri was appointed. She said that after a year the players become confused by tactical changes and disillusioned under his management. This article seems to point out the exact same thing. It has been a common theme throughout his management. Ranieri at times seems to be the impact manager and equivalent to the Italian Pardew. Why change so so much that was so right. He only has himself to blame for that.
filbertway Posted 7 February 2017 Posted 7 February 2017 I hope he at least gets the first leg, there's going to be some serious money to made if he has.
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