Foxes must build for future in Premier League 'piranha club'

LEICESTER: Leicester City manager Claude Puel says the club must build for the future if they are to survive the Premier League’s “piranha club.”

Leicester went against all odds and emerged as Premier League champions for the very first time in 2015/16 under 66-year-old Italian Claudio Ranieri who is now managing French Ligue 1 side Nantes.

Leicester have won only four of their last 19 league games and last weekend’s 2-0 defeat by West Ham United has increased the pressure on the 56-year-old Frenchman.

Puel only took charge of The Foxes in October last year, following the sacking of 54-year-old Englishman Craig Shakespeare. Shakespeare is now a first team coach under former England manager Sam Allardyce over at Everton.

“The Premier League is like a piranha club but the most important thing for me is to build for the future,” said Puel, a former defensive midfielder who spent his entire 17-year playing career in France with principality team Monaco, who he made close to 500 appearances for between 1979 to 1996.

“It is not at all possible that within a very short period of only six months, to have all the possibility to perform like a great team.”

Puel pointed to his former club Southampton, who are battling for top flight survival after sacking 46-year-old Argentine Mauricio Pellegrino and replacing him with 54-year-old Welshman Mark Hughes.

“I finished eighth in the Premier League with Southampton when I was in charge. And we can see where they play now and how they are struggling for top flight survival.”

Leicester on the other hand are in the top half of the Premier League standings, sitting comfortably in ninth spot, and they play hosts to Arsenal today who are in sixth place.