Leicester City’s underwhelming start to their return to the Championship epitomises years of decline. Two relegations in three years, poor recruitment, and a squad that’s inept in front of goal. Whether it’s tension between players and managers or the discontent from the fans with the board, Leicester are completely fractured. Therefore, after continued demands for change, it’s no surprise that Khun Top is looking to make a change.
Khun Top Eyes Major Change for Leicester City’s Footballing Operations
What to Expect From the Change?
As reported by John Percy, Leicester are making significant changes to their football operations. This will see divisive figure Jon Rudkin moved ‘upstairs’, with the appointment of an inaugural technical director. Rudkin remains a key figure in the club’s hierarchy, having worked his way up through the club for the last 27 years.
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The Foxes believe ‘more experience, expertise and personnel are needed’ in the role, especially considering they will be working closely with Head of Recruitment Martyn Glover. Percy also adds that the hunt for a new technical director has already begun, with the club ‘prepared to pay compensation’ for any target.
Following Susan Whelan’s exit just last month, it was evident that an overhaul was coming. Whelan spent 15 years in the East Midlands and oversaw Premier League and FA Cup success. This led to owner Top becoming City’s Chief Executive Officer. Meanwhile, the appointment of Kamentha Netthanomsak as interim managing director further adds to the changes.
Why is this Significant?
As I’m sure much of the fanbase will agree, this is a positive move for the football club. It’s always been hard to question Khun Top’s commitment to the Football club, but many decisions over the past three years have been confusing. However, with more interactions with the fanbase and a new hierarchy, things look much more positive for City than they did a few months ago.
Recruitment is an incredibly important aspect for every club, and especially for Leicester after the last decade. Leicester’s recruitment was once the envy of Europe, as Chief Scout Steve Walsh identified the likes of Riyad Mahrez, Jamie Vardy and N’Golo Kante. Even a few years later in 2019, when James Maddison, Youri Tielemans and Ricardo Pereira arrived, the business was excellent. However, the following transfer windows haven’t hit the same heights. The arrivals of Bobby Decordova-Reid, Jordan Ayew and Oliver Skipp as Leicester’s options to fight for survival were ill-thought-out.
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Therefore, a new technical director certainly brings hope. If the East Midlands outfit can make the same smart signings as they did throughout the 2010s, then the club may become that exciting project once again. With a state-of-the-art training ground and a terrific academy, the foundations are certainly there. Whether or not Marti Cifuentes’ side can return to the top flight this season is still uncertain, but a rebuild with better recruitment and an emphasis on young players could really make a difference. However, this will take time, and many different factors will have to be worked upon as the current squad is lacking. Therefore, whilst this could be positive, time will tell as to how impactful it really is in beginning Leicester’s rebuild.
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IMAGO / Pro Sports Images
