Claudio Ranieri: Leicester City appoint ex-Chelsea manager
- Published
Leicester will be the 15th team of Claudio Ranieri's managerial career.
Former Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri has been appointed Leicester City's manager on a three-year contract.
The 63-year-old Italian replaces Nigel Pearson, who was sacked on 30 June despite keeping the Foxes in the Premier League last season.
Ranieri has not worked in England since leaving Stamford Bridge in 2004, and was sacked as Greece manager last year.
"Since I left Chelsea I have dreamt of another chance to work in the best league in the world again," he said., external
"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."
Ranieri in his own words | |
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Ranieri, nicknamed "the Tinkerman" for his liking of squad rotation, was also known for his turn of phrase while at Chelsea. | |
On being called "the Tinkerman": "If it is the case that you need just a first 11 and three or four more players, then why did Christopher Columbus sail to India to discover America?" | |
On his selection dilemmas: "When I don't put Damien Duff in the squad, my mother, who is 84 years old, asks why? She kills me about it, it is true." | |
On his imminent departure from Chelsea: "Before you kill me, you call me the "dead man walking". I must buy you an espresso. But only a little one - I am Scottish." | |
At a press conference before Chelsea were knocked out of the Champions League by Monaco in 2004: "Hello my sharks, welcome to the funeral." |
Ranieri left as manager of Atletico Madrid to join Chelsea in September 2000 and during his four-year spell, the Blues finished runners-up in the Premier League, reached the Champions League semi-final and were FA Cup finalists.
Ranieri was replaced at Chelsea by Jose Mourinho and the Italian went on to manage Valencia, Parma, Juventus, Roma, Inter Milan and Monaco.
He took over as Greece coach after the 2014 World Cup in Brazil but was sacked four months later after a home defeat by the Faroe Islands.
BBC Sport's Gary Lineker, a former Leicester striker, said of the appointment: , external"Claudio Ranieri is clearly experienced, but this is an uninspired choice by Leicester. It's amazing how the same old names keep getting a go on the managerial merry-go-round."
Pearson guided the Foxes to 14th in the league last season, winning seven and drawing one of their last 10 games to stave off relegation.
But the 51-year-old was dismissed last month, with the club stating their working relationship was "no longer viable".
It came after his son, Leicester trainee James, was involved in a racist sex tape in the Leicester owners' homeland of Thailand.
Pearson senior was involved in several high-profile incidents last term, including calling a journalist an "ostrich" and clashing with Crystal Palace's James McArthur.
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