Ranieri: Leicester are still my boys
CLAUDIO RANIERI still regards Leicester’s title-winners as ‘ his boys’ and ‘sons’ as he prepares for an emotionally-charged reunion at Craven Cottage tonight.
The Fulham manager faces Leicester for the first time since he led them to a miraculous Premier League title win in 2016.
Kasper Schmeichel, Wes Morgan, Jamie Vardy, Marc Albrighton, Demarai Gray and Shinji Okazaki are among Ranieri’s champions who remain in the Leicester squad.
Asked if he still regards them as his own players, Ranieri said: ‘Yes, that’s normal. In every team I loved my players like sons, I want to improve everything for them.’
Ranieri remains incredibly fond of Leicester and those bonds have strengthened since the tragic death of chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha in a helicopter crash on October 27.
He said: ‘now the chairman, Vichai, has died, the fairytale has finished but the memories and the achievement remain.
‘every time I face one of my ex-teams — and there are lots — there is always more emotion. Football is emotion. And Leicester gifted me a dream.’
Vardy, who may not be fit to play tonight, claims Ranieri was sacked by Leicester because he tried to change the Premier League title-winners.
‘He summed it up perfectly when he first came in and said he wasn’t going to change anything,’ said Vardy. ‘He knew what we were good at. That was why we had that success. There was no relationship breakdown. We were trying new things and they weren’t working.’