In the echo chamber of King Power Stadium, the mood has shifted from disbelief to a grim, repetitive anxiety. Following the unnecessary hiring and consequent predictable dismissal of Marti Cifuentes, Leicester City find themselves in a precarious 20th position in the Championship. A sobering six-point deduction for financial breaches subsequently emerged.
It was against this backdrop of instability that Gary Rowett (who is supposedly in the frame to succeed the Catalonian, a man who knows the club’s DNA as well as its current flaws), issued a provocative challenge to the hierarchy: be "really ambitious".
" I think they'll be really ambitious with their next appointment"Gary Rowett via Birmingham Live
Though ​Rowett's request highlights a painful dichotomy. On one hand, the Blue Army have grown weary of a cycle of underwhelming appointments: names that suggest a 'steady the ship' mentality rather than a voyage back to the elite. On the other, LCFC's balance sheet is a restrictive straitjacket.
The recent £20.8 million breach of Profit and Sustainability rules has left many expecting a safe, low-cost arrival. Yet the bookmakers have actually thrown a curveball (or a figurative grenade) into the mix.
Gareth Southgate to Leicester City?
​Gareth Southgate has suddenly emerged as a frontrunner in certain betting markets; his odds were slashed as fans dream of a transformative figure. A few supporters actually consider the ex-England head coach a potential nightmare. Although the level-headed majority see the situation as a definite possibility, but unlikely.
"The current bookies' joint-favourite to become the next Leicester manager is ex-England boss Gareth Southgate"talkSPORT
To appoint the former England manager would be the ultimate "break the cycle" move. Southgate represents a level of knowledge, prestige and cultural reset that the East Midlanders desperately require. He is a builder of environments; a man who famously turned the toxicity of the national team into a cohesive, high-performing unit.
For a club accused by Rowett of "very, very poor management," the 55-year-old would signal that the ownership is ready to reclaim their status as disruptors of the status quo.
​Yet, as seductive as the Southgate narrative is, the reality remains stubbornly improbable.
Would a man who led England to consecutive European Championship finals really be convinced to navigate an English Football League Championship relegation scrap while handcuffed by financial constraints? Almost certainly not.
What do Leicester fans think about the Southgate rumour?#LCFC
— Foxes of Leicester (@FoxesofLCFC) February 10, 2026
(What Leicester fans think to the possible hire is above)
Seagrave (however plush) currently seems a world away from the esteem of St George's Park. While Southgate's presence would undoubtedly shatter the ceiling of Leicester's current expectations, the distance between the bookies' optimism and the Foxes' harsh financial reality suggests that the call for ambition may remain a haunting 'what if' rather than a blueprint.