Next Leicester City Manager Odds
In what is regarded as quite a shocking turn of events, Steve Cooper has been sacked as Leicester City head coach after just 12 Premier League games. Cooper had the newly promoted side in 16th position in the league and it looked like Leicester were set to achieve their pre-season objective of staying in the Premier League. However, Leicester fans and the board alike haven't been content with the performances put in by Steve Coopers side and it has subsequently cost the former Nottingham Forest manager his job.
Cooper leaves Leicester after just three wins in 15 games during his time at the club, which is his worst win percentage of any team in his career. Some regard Cooper as unlucky; however, it isn't the wins or the losses that will have cost Cooper his job, it seems to be the games they have drawn this season, drawing to Crystal Palace, Everton and Ipswich Town, all of whom look likely to be in a relegation battle towards the end of the season.
Who can replace Steve Cooper? We've argued for our top two candidates below.
Will David Moyes be the next Leicester City manager?
When sacking a manager with the pedigree of Steve Cooper, Leicester City must have some idea of who they wish to bring in and it has to be a name that at this point, would appease the fans. We believe the option that is most likely to match this quota is former West Ham United manager, David Moyes. It has been over seven years since Moyes managed a team that wasn't West Ham United and he even brought European silverware to the Hammers. However, Moyes has always been a reliable figure and has a history of overachieving with mid-table clubs with strong fanbases. His spells at Manchester United, Sunderland and Real Sociedad were short lived and didn't quite live up to expectations but the context behind those seasons gives Moyes a lot of leigh way after his strong performances elsewhere.
If Leicester want to ensure survival, Moyes is an ideal candidate and in our opinion, the most likely candidate to be able to keep the Foxes in the league this season. However, we don't think Leicester will change a lot regarding their playstyle if Moyes joins the club. If performances were the issue and the board want a more attacking style of play, this next man might be the primary choice for the Foxes.
Will Graham Potter be the next Leicester City manager?
Graham Potter has been amongst the favourites for almost every Premier League manager role since his departure from Chelsea, Potter has been out of work for 18 months and if the Leicester board want to make a statement, signing a manager whose last two jobs have led Brighton to becoming a force in the Premier League and a failed spell at the top Premier League club is the way to do it.
Potter is known for his tactically flexible attacking teams and if Leicester are looking to improve their style of play and that was the reason behind sacking Cooper, Potter should be the first manager approached by Leicester for the role. Potter has been linked with significantly bigger jobs in the past and, if you believe rumours, is believed to have turned down those roles, so it would be a coup for Leicester to get Potter over the line.
Was the sacking of Steve Cooper as Leicester City coach a shock?
Absolutely, the Leicester City board put significant time and effort into securing the signature of Cooper in the summer so the decision to sack him after just 12 games seems a little bizarre. Particularly when there was a spell last season under Enzo Maresca where Leicester only picked up 10 points in 10 games. They lost star player Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to Chelsea in the Summer and the likes of Oliver Skipp and Bilal El Khannouss were identified as big money signings to replace the players sold, unfortunately for Cooper, those players haven't hit the ground running.
The one player that has hit the ground running under Cooper is Facundo Buonanotte, who is on-loan from Brighton & Hove Albion. With three goals and two assists, he has helped provide Leicester with the creative spark needed to stay in the Premier League.