‘It’s down to players to keep dressing rooms’ – Frank Sinclair backs Claudio Ranieri after Foxes boss is sacked by Premier League champions
Frank Sinclair has questioned the attitude of Leicester City’s players after Claudio Ranieri was sacked by the Premier League champions on Thursday night.
The Foxes sit one point above the relegation places and are without a win in six league games in what has been a pitiful title defence.
Reports suggested Ranieri lost the dressing room in the aftermath of last season’s miraculous title win, with players being supposedly unhappy with the Italian’s training methods and team selection.
But Sinclair has suggested the severe decline in performances is more to do with the attitude of the playing squad rather than the departed Ranieri.
“I don’t buy into that [managers losing dressing rooms],” Sinclair told Kick Off.
“I think players have got characters - they’re paid to do a job at the best of their ability. And when you say managers lose players: I think players lose players.
“I’ve been in dressing rooms where people have thrown the towel in. I’ve been in relegation battles, I’ve been relegated with Leicester City and came straight back up with a different group of players in the Premier League.
“I’ve been in the showers when people have been talking about what they’re going to do next season when the club go down and stuff like that.
“And that’s not down to managers. That’s down to the character of the players - it’s down to players to keep dressing rooms.”
Leicester followed up their title triumph by rewarding star performers Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez, Kasper Schmeichel and Danny Drinkwater new lucrative contracts.
N’Golo Kante departed for champions elect Chelsea, but the core of the squad that enjoyed such incredible success have been a shadow of what Foxes fans have come to expect.
And Sinclair feels the team values that guided Leicester to the title have been too rarely seen this season.
“People inside and outside of the club have been questioning a lot of the players’ desire this season.
“A lot of players have got improved contracts: did that take their eye off of the hard work, the togetherness and the spirit they had? Who knows? Only the players can look at themselves and answer that.
“You have to feel for Claudio Ranieri because he’s been a victim of his own success. Coming to the club and doing something I have not seen in my lifetime in football - what he achieved last season.
“Ultimately, the decision is determined by results and Leicester haven’t had the results this season and you feared for the manager with the league season they’ve been having, and he’s paid the ultimate price.”