Key Takeaways
- Claudio Ranieri says minor tactical adjustments turned Leicester City into ‘legends’ during their fairy-tale Premier League title win a decade ago.
- The Italian boss promised his squad a full week of holiday if they took nine points from matches against Manchester City, Liverpool, and Arsenal.
- Leicester City currently compete in League One after suffering consecutive relegations from the top flight.
Ten years have passed since Leicester City achieved one of football’s greatest shocks. Now the club sits in England’s third division, but their former manager Claudio Ranieri still remembers exactly how they created history.
The Italian coach recently spoke to Sky Sport Italia and musician Sayf about that unforgettable campaign. He admitted he never truly believed they could win the title until the trophy was actually in their hands. The club’s owner had simply asked him to secure 40 points to guarantee safety from relegation.
Ranieri joined the Foxes during a pre-season training camp. The previous boss had just lost his job. The new manager had only 48 hours to study videos from past matches before taking charge. He immediately noticed problems at the back. He changed the two wide defenders because the team was conceding too many goals. These small adjustments helped the side become much stronger defensively.
The former Chelsea boss also shared a story about a crucial three-game run. Leicester faced Manchester City away, Liverpool at home, and Arsenal away. Striker Jamie Vardy asked the manager if the team could win all nine points. Ranieri made a deal: win all three matches, and the players could enjoy a full week of vacation.
The Foxes beat Manchester City 3-1. They then defeated Liverpool at the King Power Stadium. Against Arsenal, they led 1-0 but lost 2-1 in the final minute after receiving a red card. The dressing room was silent and upset. However, Ranieri kept his promise. He told the players they had given their maximum effort, so they deserved the week off anyway. He believes this trust helped build their winning mentality.
Ranieri also spoke about his famous ‘dilly-ding dilly-dong’ catchphrase. He used this bell-ringing gesture in training to keep the atmosphere positive. He always wanted his players to smile and feel involved, no matter what happened on the pitch.