Claudio Ranieri sacking by Leicester takes shine off title win, says Matt Elliott
Friday 24 February 2017 12:38, UK
Former Leicester skipper Matt Elliott believes the team’s Premier League triumph has been tainted by sacking manager Claudio Ranieri.
The Italian was dismissed on Thursday, nine months after winning the title by ten points, with the Foxes lying one place off the relegation zone.
Speaking on Premier League Daily, former Scotland international Elliott said: "Surprising as it is for many, and sad you have to say because Ranieri has been unbelievable and the glory of last season, Eddie Howe says it hasn't been tainted but I think some of the shine has been taken off that.
"It's an unfortunate situation but I think if you take the sentiment out of it, the owners have looked at it in a pragmatic way and thought 'this gives us the best chance of avoiding relegation this year', and only time will tell if it's the right decision."
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Elliott also described the build-up to the Champions League game with Sevilla as "bizarre" with the club's board watching the players warm-up on the touchline.
The former centre-back said he found it strange that the chairman, the vice-chairman and members of the board were by the pitch in Spain.
And he said Claudio Ranieri did not look himself in the post-match press conference after the 2-1 defeat, which turned out to be his last game in charge of the Foxes after being sacked on Thursday.
Elliott said: "In hindsight and on reflection, pitchside before the game during the warm up, the chairman, the vice-chairman and members of the board were right there on the touchline, assessing what was going on in the warm up, looking really closely and scrutinising the mood and the feel around the camp.
"I don't think they would have been too impressed with what they saw in the first 45 minutes.
"I found that a little bit strange, how close they were to the football aspect because they're not usually. I found that slightly bizarre.
"Also, again on reflection afterwards, at the press conference Ranieri was slightly sullen in his manner really.
"Okay they'd lost the game but you expected him to be a little bit more upbeat and I don't know if he got a general perception of what was to come."
Assistant manager Craig Shakespeare is taking charge of training ahead of Monday's game with Liverpool, which is live on Sky Sports.
