Nine months ago the world was shocked when the team I have supported since childhood won the English Football Premier League. Nine months later the world was shocked again when the owners (mentioning no names Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha HALAPULA, formerly Vichai Raksriaksorn Chutmarani, a Thai billionaire businessman, football manager, founder, owner and chairman of King Power Duty Free. (from Google)) sacked the Leicester City manager (FIFA manager of the year) Claudio Ranieri.
Having taken a 5000-1 team (who were favourites for relegation) to win the most competitive (and maybe best) and prestigious league in world football, getting to the last 16 of the Champions League (with the possibility of making the last 8) it is easy to see why a small blip this season (struggling in the league with a relegation battle) makes a person who redefined sporting history sackable, I mean fairy tales happen every day, right?
What was the reason for the dip in form? I think there are two main reasons- firstly Ranieri and the players thought the players were better than they are (essentially a squad of rejects). Ranieri tried to develop the club by giving the team new styles as the old style that won the league was now too well known, not realising that the players aren’t good enough to play anything than the good old English 4-4-2 and secondly the players thought they were too good to bother with things such as playing football when they can be in magazine and have £100,000 per week new contracts.
If the well placed rumours have truth it was the players who spoke with the chairman (up to 4 times, I have read- players who, when he was sacked didn’t say a word until the press said they were to lame and then came out at the same time en masse to protect themselves ) to get the man who made them champions sacked. When the players listened to him they won the league, when they didn’t they end up in a relegation battle (both before Ranieri and this season). Yes Kante left and was not replaced, but how can you replace a player that is now, seemingly, the missing link in Chelsea’s almost certain league win this year? The answer is you can’t (or Kante).
The excuses need to stop. The problem with the club is the players, the players who never thought they would be stars (Vardy was non-league, Mahrez was league 2 in France (about 4th division by English standards) became stars and lost their heads and hunger and instead of looking at themselves turned on the manager and the chairman followed a disturbing pattern in football
(Seasons after the manager won the league
12 Mancini sacked
13 Fergie retired
14 Pellegrini replaced
15 Mourinho sacked
16 Ranieri sacked)
And removed the man who gave them their wildest dreams.
If the decision was made to protect the brand and the £100 million that would be lost if the team are relegated then this action (which may still see the team relegated) then it would be akin to shooting Bambi’s mother to protect the meat industry.
It seems there is no longer any room for sentiment in football, but luckily no one told Ranieri, a man who in the age of media cynicism would shake the hand of every journalist (even if there were 100) before every press conference), this
Yesterday, my dream died. After the euphoria of last season and being crowned Premier League Champions all I dreamt of was staying with Leicester City, the club I love, for always. Sadly this was not to be.
I wish to thank my wife Rosanna and all my family for their never ending support during my time at Leicester. My thanks go to Paolo and Andrea who accompanied me on this wonderful journey. To Steve Kutner and Franco Granello for bringing me the opportunity to become a champion.
Mostly I have to thank Leicester City football club. The adventure was amazing and will live with me forever. Thank you to all the journalists and the media who came with us and enjoyed reporting on the greatest story in football. My heartfelt thanks to everybody at the club, all the players, the staff, everybody who was there and was part of what we achieved.
But mostly to the supporters. You took me into your hearts from day one and loved me. I love you too. No one can ever take away what we together have achieved, and I hope you think about it and smile every day the way I always will. It was a time of wonderfulness and happiness that I will never forget. It’s been a pleasure and an honour to be a champion with all of you.
Arrivederci Claudio, and thank you
‘till next time
thegreaterfool2016 