Bluebirds set the vultures on Puel
CLAUDE PUEL heads into the new year with continued uncertainty over his future after Leicester City’s shock defeat by promoted Cardiff.
Puel bought himself time at the King Power Stadium with successive wins over Chelsea and Manchester City.
But the Foxes’ failings under the Frenchman were again shown in Saturday’s 1-0 home loss that gave the Bluebirds their first away win.
Leicester travel to Everton today with Puel once more the bookies’ favourite to be the next Premier League manager sacked.
Leicester’s Thai owner Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha is known to be an admirer of Rafa Benitez, whose hopes of a takeover at Newcastle to inject fresh January funds are fading.
Puel has never fully won over Leicester’s fans despite the team coming ninth last term. He received £100million to spend in the summer and questions persist about his tactics, man-management and motivational skills – especially around star striker Jamie Vardy.
And although Puel’s promotion of youth and his stewardship of Leicester in the aftermath of the club’s devastating helicopter crash are hugely admirable, they are unlikely to keep him in the job for the long term. Puel’s decision to field a weakened team to take on Manchester City in the quarter-finals of the League Cup dismayed many as they were knocked out on penalties. His players wanted to win the trophy in tribute to late owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, who lost his life in October. Had they beaten City, Leicester would have drawn League One Burton Albion in the last four.
And against Cardiff, Puel’s 68th-minute decision to substitute Vardy was booed. It meant the striker was not on the field to take their penalty, which James Maddison missed.
Vardy shook Puel’s hand when he was replaced by Kelechi Iheanacho, who has not scored for three months. But the Frenchman’s relationship with his talisman remains rocky.
The 2016 champions are arguably at their best on the counter-attack, using Vardy’s pace, but Puel is still trying to promote the possession game that saw the Foxes labour against Cardiff, who won with a 92nd-minute screamer from Victor Camarasa.
Now the spotlight is back on Puel ahead of eighth-placed Leicester’s televised trip to Goodison Park at lunchtime.
Puel said: “Cardiff was the first game of the second half of the season. It was an important one but we lost, and we need to have the right direction and response against Everton.”