MX23RW : Tuesday, March 19 06:04:01| >> :600:126222:126222:

Tony Cottee: 'Claudio Ranieri deserved more time at Leicester City'

Cottee: 'Ranieri deserved more time'
© SilverHub
Former Leicester City striker Tony Cottee claims that sacked manager Claudio Ranieri deserved more time to turn the club's form around.

Former Leicester City striker Tony Cottee has claimed that Claudio Ranieri deserved more time to turn things around at the club.

The 65-year-old was sacked by the Foxes earlier this evening just nine months after leading the club to their first ever top-flight title, overcoming 5,000-1 odds in one of the most remarkable football achievements of all time.

Leicester remain in the Champions League but sit just one point clear of the Premier League relegation zone having failed to win or even score in the top flight so far in 2017.

However, Cottee believes that Leicester are having a "normal" campaign this time around and would have liked to have seen Ranieri given the chance to secure survival.

"This is like a normal Leicester season – they are normally in the bottom half of the table and they are normally flirting with relegation," he told Sky Sports News.

"Last season was an incredible one-off season and personally I think Claudio Ranieri should have been given a bit more time. They've got some important games over the next few weeks and I know they are flirting with relegation but I don't expect them to actually go down.

"I don't think it'll go down too well with the supporters. He gave them a season that will never be matched. It'll just never happen again. I think he should've been given a bit more time and a bit more respect. Then, if they do go down, you say thank you very much and you move in."

Craig Shakespeare and Mike Stowell will be in interim charge of the team while they search for a new manager.

ID:292438: cacheID:292438:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:2713:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Claudio Ranieri watches on during the Premier League game between Southampton and Leicester City on January 22, 2017
Read Next:
Lineker slams "unforgivable" Ranieri sacking
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Leeds UnitedLeeds38257670284282
2Leicester CityLeicester37264774334182
3Ipswich TownIpswich38249580493181
4Southampton36227773472673
5West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom381991059362366
6Norwich CityNorwich381871369541561
7Hull City371610115346758
8Coventry CityCoventry3715121059431657
9Preston North EndPreston37168134954-556
10Middlesbrough38166165352154
11Cardiff CityCardiff38165174351-853
12Sunderland38146184845348
13Watford381212145351248
14Bristol City38138174245-347
15Swansea CitySwansea381210164858-1046
16Millwall381110173650-1443
17Blackburn RoversBlackburn38119185164-1342
18Plymouth ArgylePlymouth381011175462-841
19Stoke CityStoke38118193553-1841
20Queens Park RangersQPR381010183650-1440
21Birmingham CityBirmingham38109194259-1739
22Huddersfield TownHuddersfield38815154261-1939
23Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds38115223061-3138
24Rotherham UnitedRotherham38311243077-4720

Subscribe to our newsletter


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!