Leicester City made the decision to ruthlessly part ways with manager Steve Cooper, who only arrived to replace Enzo Maresca in the summer, on Sunday.
It may seem like an odd decision from the outside looking in, with the Foxes 16th and outside of the relegation zone, but the underlying statistics have been poor throughout the season.
Cooper’s team sat 19th in the league for xGA (22.8) and 18th for xG (12.2) and this shows that the performances were of relegation quality, which may be why the board have decided to make a change.
It is now down to the club, however, to ensure that they are able to dip into the managerial market and land an upgrade on the former Nottingham Forest boss.
Leicester considering swoop for English coach
According to journalist Graeme Bailey, Leicester are considering a move to bring in out-of-work head coach Graham Potter in to replace Cooper in the dugout.
The report claims that the former Brighton and Chelsea boss has been identified as one of a number of potential candidates in the running to land the role.
It adds that the board are happy with the transfer business that was done in the summer and that they do not believe that Cooper was getting the best out of the options at his disposal.
The Independent, meanwhile, claims that former Manchester United assistant coach Ruud van Nistelrooy, alongside Potter, is also a contender for the job, having moved on from Old Trafford earlier this month following the arrival of Ruben Amorim.
Why Leicester should appoint Graham Potter
Firstly, the former Brighton manager would be a better option than van Nistelrooy as he has the relevant experience to help him hit the ground running, which is what Leicester need in the midst of a relegation battle.
Manager Focus
Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast's Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.
The Dutchman has only had one full season as a first-team head coach, finishing second with PSV in the 2022/23 campaign, and was part of a coaching set-up at Manchester United that ultimately saw Erik ten Hag lose his job, with no experience of battling relegation.
Whereas, Potter has plenty of experience in English football, with Swansea, Brighton, and Chelsea, and kept Brighton in the Premier League in all three of his seasons on the south coast.
In his three full campaigns with the Seagulls, the English boss finished 15th, 16th, and 9th in the top-flight, and has averaged 1.23 points per game as a Premier League manager.
Games managed
141
66
Wins
41
14
Draws
50
19
Defeats
50
33
Points per game
1.23
0.92
As you can see in the table above, Potter has a far superior record in comparison to Cooper in the top-flight, with a points-per-game rate that equates to between 46 and 47 points over a 38-match season.
Whereas, the former Leicester boss’ career average is only 35 points per 38-game campaign in the Premier League, which shows how much of an upgrade the ex-Brighton tactician would be.
It is now down to the board to ensure that they can convince the 49-year-old manager, who was once dubbed a “a genius” by journalist Sam Morton, to take on the job in the coming days.
Leicester City eyeing move for "exciting" £17m Abdul Fatawu replacement
The winger is set to miss the rest of the season.
ByTom CunninghamNov 22, 2024
