‘Leicester City to sack Ruud van Nistelrooy imminently’
Ruud van Nistelrooy is set to be sacked by Leicester “imminently” after their relegation from the Premier League was confirmed.
That is according to former Man United and Blackburn chief scout Mick Brown, who remains very well-connected within the game, as he exclusively told Football Insider that the writing is on the wall for Van Nistelrooy at the King Power.
Leicester’s defeat to Liverpool, alongside Wolves’ victory against Man United and West Ham’s draw with Southampton, meant the Foxes are now mathematically unable to achieve survival.
This comes after Football Insider revealed on 11 April that Van Nistelrooy is the favourite to be sacked next after failing to turn their season around.
It has been a dismal spell in charge for the manager, who has picked up just two league victories since taking over from Steve Cooper in November.
During that time, his team have scored just 16 goals and conceded 50, including their current run of 11 games without a win.
Brown told Football Insider earlier this month that Van Nistelrooy will be sacked by Leicester and the decision will be made before the end of the season.
Leicester City make Ruud van Nistelrooy sack decision
Following his appointment as manager, Brown warned Football Insider that Van Nistelrooy would face “major problems” at Leicester, who have now been relegated.
The former scout, who has a wealth of experience working with elite managers including Sir Alex Ferguson and was instrumental in bringing Van Nistelrooy to England in 2001, insisted that Leicester want a new name to lead them in the Championship.
“I know Ruud as a person and hold him in very high regard,” he told Football Insider.
“But it’s a fact of life that if you lose eight or nine games in a row in the Premier League, your job is at risk, whoever you are and wherever you are.
“It would surprise me more if Ruud didn’t leave, at this point, because of their situation.
“Now that they’ve been relegated, the decision will be made imminently and I expect he will be sacked.
“Is he the person who is going to take them back up from the Championship?
“They don’t see that happening with him, so they’re looking at other options.
“There’s a hell of a lot of work for them to do looking at that side.
“They have to ask serious questions about whether the team is good enough, not just the manager, because the Championship is a different kettle of fish.
“It’s relentless, you’ve got to have a good team and a good squad to handle it.
“So I think Ruud will go, because he hasn’t done a good enough job there, but that won’t be the end of the problems for Leicester.”
Russell Martin and Sean Dyche on King Power shortlist
Ahead of Van Nistelrooy’s likely departure, Leicester have already begun the process of searching for a new manager as they target promotion next season.
Brown told Football Insider on 8 April that Russell Martin and Sean Dyche are in contention for the role as they continue to assess potential alternatives.
However, the board will have to make a decision about the direction they want to take the club and the style of play they want to adopt.
There are also concerns about the strength of the squad at the King Power ahead of what will be a busy summer for the Foxes.
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