Leicester player denies 'kicking out' coach Ranieri

Goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel and striker Jamie Vardy have denied reports that they used their "dressing room clout" to get manager Claudio Ranieri sacked by Leicester's board.

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Schmeichel believes Leicester players cannot get coach Ranieri fired. Photo: AFP

The sacking of manager Ranieri by Leicester's board of directors a few days ago was a shock in English football. The Italian coach had to leave just 298 days after leading the "Foxes" to the historic Premier League championship.

Some newspapers in England said that Leicester players used their "locker room power" to get coach Ranieri fired. This is entirely possible because if the players do not play actively, the team will have poor results and from there the board will have to change the coach.

Leicester goalkeeper Schmeichel and striker Vardy were very angry with this information. They strongly protested and both said that they "owed Ranieri a lot.

"Players can only influence the outcome of a match on the pitch but we don't do that. We can't know what the team's management thinks," Sky Sport quoted goalkeeper Schmeichel.

Besides, the Danish goalkeeper also denied that the key players had a meeting after the loss to Sevilla in the first leg of the Champions League knockout round.

"I can say that the Leicester board are very close. They come to the training ground and during matches. They talk to us about everything, from the weather to the pitch. The information about us is really ridiculous because we cannot have the power or influence to get Ranieri fired," Schmeichel said.

Vardy also denied any involvement in Ranieri's sacking. Photo: AFP

Similarly, striker Vardy also had strong reactions. The English striker was one of the pillars that helped Leicester win the championship last season when he scored 24 goals in the Premier League, but this season he played very poorly.

"There are rumors that I was involved in the sacking of coach Ranieri. Those are baseless and hurt me. The only thing we blame him for is not playing well, causing the team to not achieve the set goals. I wish Ranieri all the best. Thank you Claudio!", Vardy wrote on his personal page.

According to TNO