Share

Ranieri wins League Managers' award

London - Leicester City's inspirational manager Claudio Ranieri has picked up another piece of silverware after being elected Manager of the Year by England's League Managers Association (LMA).

The 64-year-old Italian, who led Leicester to a 5 000-1 Premier League title triumph, becomes only the second non-Briton to win the award after Arsenal's French manager Arsene Wenger, who was honoured in 2002 and 2004.

Ranieri, who was also crowned Premier League Manager of the Year, collected the award at a ceremony in London on Monday after a helicopter ride from Leicester's Premier League victory parade.

"As a player I was not a champion, but I had great heart," he told the audience.

"I told my players I wanted them to play English football and I put my little Italian tactics with their English heart and then we can do something special.

"They followed me. It is a fairytale and I don't know what has happened. I don't know, believe me."

Ranieri was also named Italian Manager of the Year in his homeland last month.

He succeeds Bournemouth's Eddie Howe, who won last year's prestigious LMA award after steering Bournemouth to promotion from the Championship for the first time in the club's history.

"My congratulations go to the LMA manager of the year sponsored by Barclays, Claudio Ranieri, who, in his first year as manager of Leicester City, has achieved the most astonishing of sporting triumphs," said LMA chairman Howard Wilkinson, the former Leeds United manager.

"He thoroughly deserves all the recognition and praise being bestowed upon him tonight."

Ranieri was due to fly to Thailand with his squad on Tuesday for a post-season trip to the country of the club's owners, travel retail group King Power.


We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1473 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2252 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE