Leicester City have parted company with manager Claude Puel following their 4-1 home defeat to Crystal Palace, their sixth defeat in their last seven matches in all competitions.
The move to sack Frenchman Puel was the first big decision taken by Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha since he took sole charge of the club following the death of his father, Vichai, in a helicopter crash in October. It’s certainly been a traumatic season for the Foxes and they are in need of some stability but Puel becomes the third manager to lose his job since they won that famous Premier League title in 2016. Claudio Ranieri lasted only nine months after than unexpected triumph and Craig Shakespeare only eight months in total. Puel won 23 of his 67 matches in charge in a 16-month period but never really endeared himself to City fans and there were also reportedly clashes with some of the club’s most well-known players.
Prior to Peul’s appointment, Michael Appleton had overseen two games which both resulted in victories and he has been backed to make a return to the King Power, this time as permanent manager. The former Portsmouth, Blackpool, Blackburn and Oxford manager is only a best 9/1 to become the Next Permanent Manager of Leicester City and seems to have credentials better than most on an early list that isn’t overwhelming.
Leicester are confident that the job will appeal to some of the bigger names available as the club’s owners have traditionally backed their manager in the transfer market and there is a crop of young players – Ben Chilwell, Hamza Choudhury, Wilfred Ndidi, Demarai Gray among others – on which to base a squad. But most of the names at the head of the betting are already employed so it would take some time to arrange compensation and for talks to take place, especially at this stage of the season.
William Hill are best odds on a number of the short-list with Celtic’s Brendan Rodgers at 5/4. Burnley boss Sean Dyche is 12/1 with Rafa Benitez, who is doing a brilliant job at Newcastle with limited backing, a best 14/1. David Wagner, who recently quit at Huddersfield, is 7/1 with William Hill who have the former Celtic and Hibernian manager Neil Lennon, who played for the Foxes, at 14/1. Nigel Pearson, who spent three-and-a-half years as Leicester boss before the arrival of Ranieri, is 16/1 with Betvictor. Allardyce has expressed an interest in taking the role on either an interim or permanent basis but there probably isn’t a job in the Premier League in which he hasn’t put himself forward at some point.
Next Permanent Leicester Manager Current Best Odds
Brendan Rodgers 5/4
David Wagner 7/1
Michael Appleton 9/1
Sean Dyche 12/1
Neil Lennon and Rafa Benitez 14/1
Nigel Pearson 16/1
Roberto Martinez 20/1
Chris Wilder 33/1
Sam Allardyce and Mikel Arteta 40/1
Jurgen Klinsmann 50/1
(Odds correct at 2.30pm February 25)
