Foxes of Leicester
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Who’s to blame for Leicester relegation? Part 2: managers

By Damon Carter

Brendan Rodgers, Manager of Leicester City (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Brendan Rodgers, Manager of Leicester City (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) /
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Leicester City
Leicester City’s first team coach Adam Sadler (L) and Leicester City’s first team coach Mike Stowell (R) discuss tactics during the English Premier League football match between Leicester City and Aston Villa at King Power Stadium in Leicester, central England on April 4, 2023. (Photo by Darren Staples / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by DARREN STAPLES/AFP via Getty Images) /

Adam Sadler and Mike Stowell

So in the absence of a proper plan and being rejected by Graham Potter, the club placed not one, but two caretaker managers in charge. Presumably because the hierarchy only trusted the duo individually 50% each, so thought if they taped two guys together they only half trusted they would make one manager they actually trusted. Unlikely

A more likely scenario is that LCFC just gave it to the two guys nearest the coaching staff and hoped for the best. Sadler and Stowell were clearly surprised by this and had to get the team ready for Aston Villa in very much the same way Rodgers would have done – only with less arrogance or assertion in ridiculous ideas. The Villa game was typically poor; Wilfred Ndidi gifted Villa a winner in a new and creative way for the Nigerian underperformer.

On the following Saturday, Bournemouth came to town and in a huge six-pointer, Stowell and Sadler inexplicably decided to rest Harry Souttar and replace him with the unreliable Daniel Amartey. The Foxes consequently turned in a truly pathetic performance with a Maddison clanger that gifted the Cherries the three points. It punctured so much hope that the faithful had; Stowell and Sadler’s contribution was ultimately two home defeats.