Leicester City have been without a manager since Craig Shakespeare’s departure from the King Power Stadium a few days ago. Shakespeare’s deputy Michael Appleton was handed the temporary charge as the club hierarchy went on a manager-hunting spree. A number of managers had been shortlisted by them and now, Claudio Puel has been officially announced as the manager for the Foxes.
The Foxes had no backup plan for Shakespeare and Director of football Jon Rudkin has been given the charge to do the job. Leicester have now undergone two managerial changes since their title-winning season as they also showed the door to Premier League winning manager Claudio Ranieri last term, following which Shakespeare was given the duty to steer the team.
Competition in the Premier League is becoming very stiff in recent years and clubs have become pro-active when it comes to firing a manager. Clubs like Crystal Palace and Everton also parted ways with their manager so it has become a new trend in the Premier League. Perform or Perish!
Claude Puel was sacked by Southampton in the summer despite a very strong performance by the Saints last season. He guided the club to the EFL Cup final where they lost to a mighty Manchester United and also led the club to an eighth-place finish in the Premier League.
Puel’s removal as the Saints boss was termed harsh by a many people but the main reason behind his sacking could be his strategy. The French manager used to rotate his squad too much and there was no fixed starting lineup which was a frustrating thing for a number of players.
But despite all these complaints, his ability cannot be put under question, given his success in Ligue 1. He won the French title with Monaco in the 1999/2000 season but failed to replicate his magic on English soil. He would definitely cherish a second chance to fulfil his dream and Leicester could provide that opportunity.
Puel’s arrival might not excite the Foxes supporters but the 56-year-old does have an envious CV and the club hierarchy has been on the lookout for a manager who has the experience of the English top tier. The French is currently a free man and could take the job imminently.
There are a number of other interesting names on their short-list but with the experience of Puel, there are very few managers who can promise as much as he can. But is he the right man for the Foxes?
