Ranieri reaches 65 but wants five more years before retiring
>> LONDON: Claudio Ranieri, the manager who led Leicester City to their stunning Premier League title triumph last season, celebrated his 65th birthday on Thursday and told reporters that he was good for another five years at least.
“I’m an old man but I continue,” he said at a news conference ahead of today’s game at home to Crystal Palace.
“I feel good. For me my job is my life, I want to carry on.
“When I started at 35 I said, ‘okay at 50 I finish’. When I arrive at 50 I said, ‘why now, 55?’ Five by five, step by step, 65, 70.”
Returning to English football in 2015, 11 years after being sacked by Chelsea, appeared to give the likeable Italian a new lease of life.
After turning Leicester into English champions for the first time in their history, his task now is to improve the form that has brought such a stuttering title defence.
Languishing in 13th place with two wins and eight goals from eight games, City have scored only one goal in their last three league matches and lost 3-0 at Chelsea last time out.
Captain Wes Morgan, England striker Jamie Vardy and Welsh midfielder Andy King did not train on Thursday but are all expected to be fit for Saturday.
Meanwhile, Crystal Palace boss Alan Pardew is open to the England coach’s job but believes interim manager Gareth Southgate could be the answer to the national team’s current managerial crisis.
Southgate has two more games in charge to convince the FA that he is the right man for the job following England’s home win over minnows Malta and a draw against Slovenia in the World Cup qualifiers this month.
“I think this England thing is becoming a bit of a problem for the manager. It might be a good time to let Gareth have it. I know him very well and he has the attributes to do it,” Pardew told the BBC.
“I’ve never been offered the job. If I’m offered the job... I’m English, would I turn it down? I don’t know. I think I’ve got the experience to do it.
“I think I can do it one day. I don’t know if this is the time. I’ve just got to hope that at some point we get it right.”