Leicester City appoint former Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri as manager
Leicester City have appointed Claudio Ranieri on a three-year deal, the club announced on Monday through their official website. This is the Italian’s second spell in England having managed Chelsea from 2000 to 2004 and brings vast experience to the Foxes side after having worked with Inter Milan, Juventus, Atletico Madrid, Valencia and Roma among his former recruiters.
The newly appointed manager took charge of his new team immediately in Austria where the team is undergoing their pre-season training after Vice Chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha and Director of Football Jon Rudkin flew him down to the camp, their website reported.
Aiyawatt said: “It is my great pleasure to welcome Claudio Ranieri – 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.
“To have attracted one of the world’s elite managers speaks volumes both for the progress Leicester City has made in recent years and for the potential that remains for the club’s long-term development.” Glad to be here: Ranieri
“I'm so glad to be here in 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 dreamt of another chance to work in the best league in the world again”, he 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 for returning their trust: squeeze all my energies to getting the best results for the team,” he added.
Claudio Ranieri replaces Nigel Pearson who helped the side finish 14th in the Premier league and avoided relegation after winning 7 winning seven and drawing one in their last 10 games of the season. The Italian has Copa Del Rey, UEFA Super Cup and Coppa Italia among the list of the accolades he has won.
Leicester face Mansfield Town, Burton Albion, Rotherham United and Birmingham City in friendly fixtures in a build up to coming season which they kick-off against Sunderland at King Power Stadium on Saturday 8 August.