RANIERI’S BACK!
Ex-Chelsea boss takes command at Leicester
Claudio RanieRi shocked football yesterday by returning to the Premier league as the new manager of leicester City.
The 63-year-old italian, who last had a job in england 11 years ago, has signed a three-year contract to replace nigel Pearson and has flown to the club’s pre-season training camp in austria to start work straight away.
Former Chelsea boss Ranieri, who has been out of work since november when he was sacked as manager of Greece, got the job ahead of other targets including Guus Hiddink and Martin o’neill after impressing director of football John Rudkin during interviews in london.
leicester’s billionaire Thai owners wanted a major name to follow Pearson and take the club forward after surviving their first season back in the top flight — and Ranieri’s c.v. includes spells managing some of europe’s biggest clubs. But it still represents a major gamble after so long out of english football.
Former leicester star Gary lineker said: ‘Claudio Ranieri is clearly experienced, but this is an uninspired choice.’
The italian, whose last club job saw him win promotion for wealthy French side Monaco then finish runners-up in the
top division, has wanted to return to England ever since he lost his job at Stamford Bridge to make way for Jose Mourinho in 2004. He said: ‘I’m so glad to be here at a club with such a great tradition as Leicester City. I have worked at many great clubs, in many top leagues, but since I left Chelsea I have dreamed of another chance to work in the best league in the world.’
Ranieri had taken Chelsea to runners-up in the Premier League and to the Champions League semi-finals when he was sacked by Roman Abramovich.
He earned the nickname Tinkerman for rotating his selections but was popular with fans and respected throughout English football.
Leicester chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha wanted a figure who could energise the Leicester fans following the shock sacking of Pearson a fortnight ago.
Premier League experience was also important, which was why former Chelsea manager Hiddink and Republic of Ireland manager and Leicester legend O’Neill were approached. The job was not right for either in the end.
Ranieri flew to the squad’s training camp in south- east Austria alongside vicechairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha.
He described Ranieri as one of the world’s elite managers, adding: ‘He is a man of remarkable experience and knowledge that will lead us into the next phase of our long-term plan for Leicester City.
‘His achievements in the game, his knowledge of English football and his record of successfully coaching some of the world’s finest players made him the outstanding candidate for the job and his ambitions for the future reflect our own.’
Ranieri, whose three-year contract is believed to be worth around £1.5million a year, was introduced to his new players in Bad Radkersburg and got to work immediately. His first match will be a week today when Leicester begin their preseason schedule at Lincoln City. Leicester open their Premier League season at home to Sunderland on August 8.
Ranieri said: ‘I wish to thank the owner, his son and all the executives of the club for the opportunity they are giving me. Now I’ve only one way to return their trust: squeeze all my energies to getting the best results for the team.’
His time with Greece ended in November after a home loss to the Faroe Islands left his team bottom of their Euro 2016 qualifying group. In all, he has taken charge of 14 teams over 29 years in five different countries, including Valencia, Parma, Juventus, Roma and Inter. He has won the Coppa Italia and Copa del Rey.
Esteban Cambiasso played under Ranieri at Inter. The Argentine midfielder has an offer from Leicester to stay on but the club’s player of the year also has interest from clubs in Major League Soccer.
Ranieri is set to work within the existing structure, with assistants Craig Shakespeare and Steve Walsh in charge of coaching and recruitment respectively. Walsh spent 16 years as a Chelsea scout, four of them during Ranieri’s time.