Leicester City

Claudio Ranieri has been sacked for winning the Premier League.

That is the long and short of it.

If he hadn’t guided the relegation candidates to lift the trophy last year, then he wouldn’t have been given the chop now. He has been booted out the door for overachieving. Let’s just be thankful that he didn’t eat a pie.

What is more shocking than the manner of the loveable Italians departure just 9 months after lifting the league title is that it is JUST over a week since the Leicester City board handed him the dreaded vote of confidence saying:

“In light of recent speculation, Leicester City Football Club would like to make absolutely clear its unwavering support for its First Team Manager, Claudio Ranieri.”

I didn’t realise that the Thai translation of “unwavering support” was “already looking for a replacement” . They must have missed that off my ‘Thai for Beginners’ course.

The general reaction to the news was one of shock. Leicester City fans, who claimed they’d be more than happy to accept relegation following their successes, seemed genuinely upset by the decision. Whilst, non-Leicester City fans were even more miffed at why Claudio should be handed his P45 when really he should have been handed the keys to the city, crowned supreme overlord and worshipped like a king…. and that’s just for making Morgan and Huth look like decent centre backs for a season.

It was Vice-Chairman Aiyawatt Sriva, Aiyaywayya Shrivaer, Aiyawtt Srivaddhan. Screw it…

It was the Leicester City Vice-Chairman who released the news to the world and shared his opinion on the departing manager.

“His warmth, charm and charisma have helped transform perceptions of the club and develop its profile on a global scale. We will forever be grateful to him for what he has helped us to achieve.”

That reads more like an obituary than a official statement. They did however stop short of saying “he’ll be dearly missed” and singing a couple of verses of “Kumbaya”.

So its bye bye Claudio or as I’m sure he would say “Dilly Ding, Dilly GONE”. All we are left with is the bizarre statistic that, for the last two seasons running. The reigning Premier League champions have sacked their manager before the end of the following campaign. Antonio Conte must be bricking it.