Leicester City: A points deduction, another manager & ‘grossly underperforming’

A decade ago to this very day, Leicester City were sat atop the Premier League table on their way to a glorious, historic title.

Now? The Foxes fester in the relegation zone in the Championship, two points adrift of safety.

A six-point deduction, which the club are appealing, has obviously not helped matters. But this is still a squad and a club that is performing well below expectation. A drop into League One, five years after winning the FA Cup, is a real possibility.

Gary Rowett has taken charge for the rest of the season, several weeks after the sacking of Marti Cifuentes. The interim period in between was helmed by club legend Andy King – who oversaw four defeats in all competitions, including the remarkable 4-3 loss against Southampton, in which they were 3-0 up.

Rowett is a seasoned Championship expert, but his last role saw him leave Oxford United in December, who are currently the only competitive club in the second tier below Leicester in the table. His appointment is a statement of where the club are currently at.

‘A grossly underperforming squad’

Even amid the financial limitations that have seen Leicester not allowed to spend any money this season, they still have a talented squad that is performing at a level far less than the sum of its parts.

Abdul Fatawu can frustrate at times, with his individualist play, but he is one of the standout talents in the league. Stephy Mavididi scored 12 goals last time Leicester were at this level, Harry Winks has played for England, while Jordan Ayew, Oliver Skipp, Bobby DeCordova-Reid and Jannik Vestergaard should all be very solid Championship operators.

Instead, they have at times been carried this season by 21-year-old midfield loanee Jordan James. Brought in from Rennes, it is little surprise that his absence through injury for the past month has led to such a horrific downturn. He had scored nine times before then in 24 appearances.

“It is a grossly underperforming squad,” David Prutton told the Sky Sports Essential EFL podcast. “Gary has a huge job on his hands, and it could be straight in and straight out if results do not improve quickly.

“This is a huge football club in serious trouble. The first priority is getting enough points on the board to stay safe. Whoever takes the job has one objective: consolidation. It is a major task.

“The points deduction is damaging, and you feel for the fans because it creates real concern about the immediate future. Even with that taken into account, 38 points from this squad is unacceptable.

“They have been nowhere near the required level for most of the season. The squad needs a significant overhaul.”

‘I watch every game. I get very cross’ – Leicester owner insists he still cares

Despite everything, it was only a few weeks ago that owner Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha spoke to Sky Sports about his plans for the future.

In his first interview since Leicester won the Premier League 10 years ago, and his first since his father, Vichai, was killed in a helicopter crash in the King Power Stadium car park in 2018, Khun ‘Top’ Aiyawatt, as he is known, likened the club to his ‘son’, saying he will not walk away and that he is determined to get Leicester back to the Premier League.

“It’s not about hiding or trying to avoid an interview,” he said. “Not blaming Covid, but it changed a lot of things. What I created at the time – winning the Premier League and the FA Cup – that element has gone.

“I have a big job to do in Thailand and I have to make sure everything is OK and stable. It is not a one-day fix. It takes time. I always expect people who get a job here to work professionally and make sure that everything is running smoothly. If I come in every year like I did before, I feel like I will interrupt the way of working.

“I watch every game. I get very cross. I talk to my team and staff quietly. I don’t need to tell you or the whole world what I have done. Maybe the communication is not nice for the fans.

“So, why now? It is not because of negativity or complaints from the fans. I want to pay them back and show we are aligned with a plan. Leicester fans have been supportive since the first day I came here. I really appreciate them.

“I know how it works. I know how social media works. The club needs to be better with its communication and it starts from myself.”

‘Leicester plight a product of boardroom mismanagement and poor performances’

Sky Sports’ Evan Draycott:

“A decade on from the greatest underdog story in football history, Leicester City’s 10-year anniversary of winning the Premier League could be marred by the possibility of relegation to the third tier of English football.

“For many outside of the club, it seems alien that this has been allowed to happen, but the decline of what was widely regarded as one of the best run clubs in England now appears to be quite the opposite.

“The rapid demise from FA Cup winners and European football in 2021 to being on the cusp of back-to-back relegations is a product of mismanagement from the boardroom and performances below par on the pitch. A squad with Champions League level wages find themselves fighting for survival in the Championship.

“A motto associated with the club reads ‘Foxes Never Quit’, but the last few years show that phrase doesn’t align with what is happening at the King Power Stadium. Alongside a miserable few years on the pitch, there has also been a lack of accountability off it.

“Leicester are on to their fifth permanent manager in the last three seasons, and there have been calls from the stands for those responsible for decision-making to have their positions reviewed. Constant pressure from fans for change have almost been diminished by Khun Top’s backing of director of football John Rudkin, who has faced the largest amount of scrutiny.

“Things have clearly filtered down onto the pitch, with players on bumper contracts from the Premier League days remaining at the club and a points deduction for breaching PSR rules. Combine this with a lack of clear communication and direction between board and fans, it is clear to see why fans have voiced their concerns at pthe eople running the club.

“The atmosphere has become toxic, while other teams seem to smell the fear in the players on the pitch. It feels like a complete juxtaposition of the togetherness and fight of the club I grew up watching.

“It’s hard to think of a decline in English football as rapid as Leicester’s, and the feeling around the fanbase is that it isn’t quite rock bottom yet.”

So what now?

Leicester are, naturally, appealing their points deduction. The Premier League, however, are also appealing for a bigger deduction.

The Foxes were sanctioned for failing to comply with PSR rules for the 2023/24 season, and while they are appealing to reduce the punishment, the Premier League is seeking a harsher one. For clarity, a verdict is expected before the end of the season.

So for Leicester, and Rowett, the job right now is to put as many points on the board to try to dig themselves out of trouble.

Considering their recent form, that won’t be easy. And the fixture list for the short term looks a struggle. A trip to Stoke follows a visit to promotion-chasing Middlesbrough. They then host in-form Norwich City before heading to Ipswich.

The talent is obviously there in the squad, but endeavour is sorely lacking. Generally it takes more of the latter than the former to get anywhere in the Championship.

Leicester were in League One seven years before they won the Premier League, and it seemed unthinkable that 10 years later they could end up back there. But it has hurled its way into view as a genuine possibility this season.

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