GOING INTO WAR Claudio blasts out Foxes battle cry
During their alarming fall from grace this season, the Foxes have been accused of lacking the stomach to beat the drop.
The critics have battered Ranieri and his title-holders from pillar to post, suggesting they are unwilling to battle for top-flight survival less than a year after they conquered all in such spectacular fashion.
That reached fever pitch last Sunday after a 3-0 home defeat to Manchester United left them in a perilous position just above the bottom three.
But on the eve of this afternoon’s crunch trip to fellow strugglers Swansea, Ranieri has hit back at the snipers.
The under-fire Italian is adamant both he and his squad possess the necessary character and experience to dig themselves out of trouble.
He may never have tasted relegation as a coach but, having endured some very close scares, Ranieri knows exactly what it takes to survive.
The King Power supremo, whose Foxes are level with Swansea on 21 points, said: “If you look at my career, you’ll see it’s not all about trying to win trophies. I’ve often had relegation battles.
“When I was at Cagliari and we reached Serie A, we were down near the bottom of the table and were saved right at the end. HARRY PRATT And after my time with Chelsea and Valencia, I was back in Italy at Parma. We were also at the bottom and were only saved one day before the season finished.
“My career is always up and down but my memories of relegation are all positive.”
Those words are sure to boost the mood of the worried Leicester faithful – as will Ranieri’s promise that his flops are finally coming to terms with their lowly position.
Jamie Vardy and his team-mates are through to the last 16 in both the Champions League – where they face La Liga side Sevilla – and the FA Cup but have failed to click at all during an appalling title defence which has seen them lose 15 of their 24 games so far.
“It’s different because last season it was about maintaining calm,” said Ranieri, 65, who received a huge vote of confidence from the club’s Thai owners last week.
“When you win and win and win, you’re full of confidence and think just about the team.
“This year I have to push a lot to give them confidence and remind them they are very good players and that they have to go back to their old form.
“That would be difficult at a big club always fighting for the title because suddenly they drop down and are not used to it.
“But Leicester are used to these battles. Last season was a one-off as the year before these players were fighting relegation.”