A day after being crowned the new champions of the Premier League, Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri said the Foxes will probably never be able to replicate this feat ever again.
The Italian also confirmed that he will be in charge of the club in the 2016/17 season, but modestly implied that his side will definitely not be expecting to defend their title in the next campaign.
“I am staying at Leicester. This is a year that cannot be repeated, next year we’ll try to fight for a top-10 place, hopefully. We must continue to grow and to do well,” Ranieri said on Italian TV channel Rai 3 [via Goal.com].
This was Ranieri’s first title in top flight football, after being in the sport’s management for nearly three decades. The Italian has coached some of the biggest clubs in European football (Napoli, Valencia, Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, Juventus, Roma, and Inter Milan).
However, his first top flight league title comes with Leicester City, who were potential relegation candidates at the start of the season.
“I am 64 years old, I’ve been fighting for a long time, but I was always positive and had positivity on my side,” continued Ranieri. “I always thought that I’d end up winning a league title somewhere eventually. I am the same man who was fired by Greece, perhaps someone there had forgotten about my career.”
Always the humble man, Ranieri also pointed out that he is the same person who was sacked as the head coach of Greece, after a humiliating loss at the hands of minnows Faroe Islands.
“It’s not as if anyone will forget, but I like to point out I am the same man who was on the Greece bench. I haven’t changed,” said Ranieri.
Ranieri playing Leicester’s chances down again?
Like any shrewd manager Ranieri also plays mind games during his press interactions. However, unlike most other managers, Ranieri’s mind games are more of a humble kind.
Throughout the early part of the season, Ranieri had maintained that Leicester’s main objective was to avoid relegation — even when they were sitting pretty at the top of the Premier League table. He kept saying that Leicester’s objective was to reach the safety mark of 40 points.
After reaching that mark, it has always been one target after another for Ranieri, while Leicester remained at the top of the table. It was not until the very end that he conceded that his side does have a chance of winning the Premier League.
Well, the Italian has now said that Leicester’s target next season will be to finish in the top half of the table, but we can expect the Foxes to do much better than that. However, it will be easier said than done, as the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United will pounce back to their usual good form next season.
Also, Jurgen Klopp seems to be working wonders at Liverpool, who could turn out to be serious title contenders once the German gets to sign some players of his choice.
