Claude Puel Is In – Here’s How Leicester City’s New Manager Could Revamp The Side Completely

What Should Claude Puel Do To Revamp Leicester City

Leicester City have made a decision to appoint former Southampton manager Claude Puel as their new manager, after sacking Craig Shakespeare about a week back. Undoubtedly, Shakespeare will feel harshly treated after his sacking, but he is not the first to feel that way. The club’s owners are famous for being ruthless – and in most situations, it is this nature of theirs that has yielded results. The decision to fire Nigel Pearson led them to Claudio Ranieri, following which they won the title in 2015-16.

Their decision to sack Ranieri less than a year after perhaps the most miraculous fairytale victory seemed even more shocking but that did save them from a relegation battle. It remains to be seen if Puel’s appointment will produce positive results; although he has started off with a 2-1 home win vs Everton. But even if it doesn’t, the owners will be aware of what they need to do next.

Having said that, Puel’s credentials certainly can’t be questioned. He won the Ligue 1 title with Monaco, took Lyon to the Champions League semifinals and lifted Nice into the Champions League places. However, his recent disappointing spell at Southampton does come across as a dampener.

Puel did not really fail at Southampton though. After all, he took his team to the League Cup final, where they lost to Manchester United, and finished 8th in the league. They’ve only finished higher twice in the Premier League era. But then, it is possible that Puel’s Southampton stint seemed disappointing when compared to his previous successes.

At Leicester, the manager’s style is likely to suit the club as the Foxes embark on a mission to revive their Premier League campaign. Puel is not a man who likes to risk losing possession with smart direct balls or bold counter-attacks. Thus, in other words, he is famous for precisely the sort of football that Leicester have been playing for the past two years.

Leicester is still a young club that is evolving. It has not been too long since they were promoted from the Championship, and the team needs more confidence with the right amount of consistency in order to flourish. This club has lived fantastic moments in the past few years, winning the Premier League and playing in the Champions League. They have also been subjected to a lot of lows, but Puel will be tasked with bringing about stability and consistency in the squad.

It is important for Leicester to take as many points as possible and target getting back into the top half of the table. Thus, the road will be tough for Puel but if he manages to come out on top, it will be a remarkable milestone in his managerial career so far.