Leicester board back struggling Claudio Ranieri but say results must improve
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2015/04/22/1462335-31243733-310-310.jpg)
Updated 07/02/2017 at 14:19 GMT
Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri has been given the vote of confidence by the club's board with the Premier League champions fighting for survival in the top flight.
Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri.
Image credit: Eurosport
Leicester are battling relegation occupying 16th place in the table, a point above the bottom three after 24 games.
Ranieri's side are on a four-game losing run in the Premier League and have won just twice in their past 15 games. They host local rivals Derby County in an FA Cup fourth round replay on Wednesday before a trip to face fellow strugglers Swansea City in the league four days later.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2017/02/05/2019199-42379467-2560-1440.jpg)
Leicester City's Kasper Schmeichel and teammates look dejected after Manchester United's Juan Mata scores their third goal
Image credit: Reuters
"In light of recent speculation, Leicester City Football Club would like to make absolutely clear its unwavering support for its First Team Manager, Claudio Ranieri," said the club in a statement.
While there is a collective appreciation from everyone at the Club that recent form needs to improve, the unprecedented success achieved in recent seasons has been based firmly on stability, togetherness and determination to overcome even the greatest of challenges.
"The entire Club is and will remain united behind its manager and behind its players, collectively and firmly focused on the challenges ahead.
The Italian coach is confident his players remain behind him less than a year after they lifted the Premier League as 5,000-1 outsiders with one of the greatest triumphs in sports history.
"Journalists ask about the players, and whether they are happy with me, and I can tell you they are happy with me," said Ranieri after Sunday's 3-0 home loss to Manchester United.
We are together, I have full confidence in the players, and also the players are confident with me. Normally we never give up, but at the moment the confidence is not so high.
"It is important to forget. Last season was something terrific. Now, we have to fight. We are Leicester and we fight."
OUR VIEW - Is vote of confidence a positive sign?
It may sound positive, but it is really a public acknowledgement that is all is not well at a club. You rarely see such missives published during the good times. They certainly weren't giving Claudio a vote of confidence when they were on their way to becoming Premier League champions a year ago. Leicester badly need wins, and soon.
Otherwise, they could make history for all the wrong reasons, becoming the first club to win the Premier League, and suffer the ignominy of relegation a year later.
There is talk of players being forced to accept wage cuts of 40 percent if the unthinkable happens, and Leicester return to the Championship. These are crucial moments for Ranieri's future health moving forward. While defeat against Derby in the FaACup at home would not be critical, it would add to the sense of gloom enveloping the outlook.
They visit Swansea on Sunday followed by home matches with Liverpool and Hull before a trip to Arsenal on March 11. If Leicester don't collect at least six points from these fixtures, you wonder if the club's board will be willing to keep faith in a coach who could be manager of the year in 2016, but yesterday's man in early 2017.
Despite Ranieri's glorious achievement in coaching Leicester to an unlikely first Premier League title, sentiment won't save him.
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article
Advertisement
Advertisement