Leicester City’s descent into Championship mediocrity reached a venomous boiling point this weekend, leaving King Power Stadium in a state of fairly unprecedented and figurative civil war. A humiliating 2-1 home defeat to struggling Oxford United acted as the justifiable catalyst powder keg. But the fallout has proven far more seismic than a mere loss of points to a, let's face it, lesser club. As the final whistle blew, the atmosphere curdled into physical altercations on the pitch - a sight supporters desperately hope the English Football League hierarchy overlooked - symbolising a club losing its grip on both discipline and identity.
Calls for the sack and peculiar interviews
Amidst the toxicity and deafening chants for Marti Cifuentes to be relieved of his duties, the axe finally fell. In a move rarely (or never) seen in the modern game, LCFC Chairman Khun Top (Aiyawatt srivaddhanaprabha) personally suggested to BBC Sport that a sacking was probably imminent before the official statement was even drafted.
Yet the dismissal of Cifuentes has done little to quench the fans' thirst for systemic change. While the Spaniard departed, the continued employment of director of football Jon Rudkin has sparked fresh fury.
Leicester City fans, and some associated with the club, generally don't want Jon Rudkin
Adding fuel to the fire, Jamie Vardy, currently in Italy with Cremonese, offered a "neither confirm nor deny" response when asked if Rudkin was the primary problem. While Rebekah Vardy’s social media activity and supposed but unverified 'comment' in the background suggested the couple would only consider a return to LE2 if the current hierarchy shifted.
Following all this on the Sunday, a first British media interview in nearly a decade was released. Top defended Rudkin's longevity; to the annoyance of the Blue Army. He cited past successes, a justification that fell flat with a fanbase convinced the "architect of the crisis" remains untouched.
The weekend closed not with clarity, but with a deeply divisive list of potential successors. Unpopular names like Russell Martin and Chris Coleman have emerged; polarising a fan base that is already fractured.
These are the 4️⃣ apparent Leicester candidates with best chance of joining, say the bookies - which gaffer would you be happiest with/least upset with? 😅 #LCFC
— Foxes of Leicester (@FoxesofLCFC) January 28, 2026
With the threat of a points deduction looming and the board appearing increasingly out of touch, a 'whirlwind' weekend has left Leicester not just looking for a new manager, but searching for its soul. Foxes are said to Never Quit - although they really need to get going this season!