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Claudio Ranieri has opened up about the surprising circumstances behind his dismissal from Leicester City in 2017—just nine months after delivering one of the most iconic triumphs in football history.
Ranieri famously guided Leicester to the Premier League title in the 2015-16 season, a campaign that saw the Foxes defy 1000-1 odds to become champions. However, what followed was a dramatic downturn that ultimately led to his departure.
Struggles after historic success
The 2016-17 season proved challenging for Leicester, as the squad struggled to balance domestic competitions with their UEFA Champions League commitments. A poor run of form saw the team slip dangerously close to the relegation zone, sitting just one point above it after a five-game losing streak.
Despite progressing to the knockout stages in Europe, the club’s hierarchy opted for a managerial change. Claudio Ranieri was dismissed in February 2017, with Craig Shakespeare stepping in as interim head coach and later helping the team secure survival.
“Unbelievable” reason behind the sacking
Reflecting on the decision, Ranieri revealed that results were not the only factor behind his exit, pointing to internal issues within the club setup.
“Honestly, it hurt. Nine months earlier, we had won the Premier League together, but now I was being dismissed? Why? Later, the chairman’s son told me the problem was I didn’t get on with some English members of the staff. Unbelievable.
“Already the season before, when we were top of the league, one of the staff members had been speaking badly about me to the players. I called him into my office and asked why – he couldn’t even give me an answer. At that point I was too focused on the title race, so I simply told the general manager that at the end of the season, we’d let him go. In the end we won the title – there was such joy, such celebration, that I decided to do nothing. That was a mistake. The following year, he continued speaking negatively about me to the players.”
A legacy that endures
While his exit remains one of football’s most debated decisions, Claudio Ranieri’s legacy at Leicester is firmly intact. His role in orchestrating the club’s historic title win continues to be celebrated as one of the greatest underdog stories in modern sport.
Even years later, the Italian’s revelations provide fresh insight into a departure that stunned the footballing world.
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