After a disappointing 2-1 loss to Oxford United, Leicester city manager Marti Cifuentes has been sacked. The former Queens Park Rangers boss joined the foxes following the club’s relegation to the second division last season after a disappointing Premier League campaign under Ruud Van Nistelrooy. Leicester currently sit 14th in the table at the time of Cifuentes’s departure, far from the clubs’ ambitions and expectations before the campaign began. Foxes’ legend and first team coach Andy King takes charge of the club on an interim basis as confirmed by the club following the departure.
Cifuentes led Leicester to 10 wins, 8 draws and 11 losses in his 29 games in charge of the Championship winners, leading to an overall disappointing tenure for the Spaniard considering the quality of players at the club. Cifuentes’ departure means Leicester have now sacked 6 permeant managers in 3 years highlighting the decline of the club in recent times following the glory days of the infamous Premier League win as well as an FA cup and consecutive finishes in the top 5 of the Premier League.
The following statement was made by club chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha following, the departure: “This has been a difficult decision and not one I have taken lightly, I would like to thank Marti for the total commitment he has shown during his time at Leicester City. He gave everything to the role and worked tirelessly to help us achieve our targets. However, I believe this is the right step at this time to improve performances and results, and to act in the best interests of Leicester City Football Club. Marti leaves with our thanks and our best wishes for the future.”
Cifuentes had to manage the club at a time when they faced key losses such as Leicester icon Jamie Vardy departing following 500 games leading the line for the club, as well as a lack of key transfers before the loan arrivals of Jordan James (the standout player for the foxes in a poor season), Aaron Ramsey and Julian Caranza joined late in the summer window. The lack of signings is due to the well documented financial issues Leicester face with a points deduction looming over the heads of club executives and the inability to provide much needed investment due to the desire to comply with the PSR regulations.
The club will look to return to their best in the near future and hopefully a new change of management can boost morale both on and off the pitch. When the football is going well, the city as a whole seems to be in a more positive mood, with the title winning season in 2015-16 being the prime example and hopefully they can regain a similar form going into the rest of the campaign. The club’s next game is a home fixture against recently promoted Charlton, who the foxes were able to beat 1-0 away from home in August, with new boss King hoping to recreate a similar result in his first competitive fixture as first team boss.
Whilst the future is uncertain, with financial restrictions and poor results plaguing the team, the foxes can hope for the backing of the fans to reignite the team and turn the season around with a positive end to what has so far been a disappointing campaign. Otherwise, the club risks an unprecedented freefall down the divisions seen by many pervious topflight stonewalls such as Blackburn, Bolten and the Sunderland of old. Andy King and the rest of the senior staff will have a monumental task ahead and fans both young and old can only hope for a positive end to an overall poor season.