‘Ruud van Nistelrooy shocks squad in behind-scenes rage at Leicester player’
Leicester manager Ruud van Nistelrooy has shocked his squad after clashing with them in the wake of their 2-0 defeat to Fulham, the Daily Mail reports.
Van Nistelrooy singled out Facundo Buonanotte in a heated exchange with a number of the Foxes’ players after the game.
The Dutchman was booed by Leicester fans after he substituted the Argentine attacker on the hour mark in their loss to Fulham (18 January).
It is reported that a number of Leicester players were surprised by Van Nistelrooy’s decision to single out the attacking midfielder, on-loan from Brighton.
Despite being a key-man under former boss Steve Cooper, Buonanotte has only started three of the last nine games, and is understood to be unhappy with his lack of playing time. His parent club the Seagulls are thought to have considered terminating his season-long loan.
Leicester will regret Steve Cooper sack
Football Insider Verdict
The decision to sack former Nottingham Forest boss, Cooper, may just be the worst decision made by a Premier League club this season.
Despite not playing “pretty” football, Cooper understood what his job was from the moment he was brought in. Win the Championship, survive the Premier League.
Well, he got the first part done pretty handily, dispatching of all those who stood in the Foxes’ path in the 2023/24 season as they tore through England’s second tier.
The second part? Cooper also looked like he was on course to keep the Foxes in the Premier League, as they sat outside the relegation zone before his surprise sacking.
Now, the situation is dire for the Midlands club. The Foxes are on a run of seven consecutive losses in the league and Van Nistelrooy has taken the surprising approach of lambasting his players rather than encouraging them.
The Dutchman played under Sir Alex Ferguson at Man United, famed for his “hairdryer treatment,” where the Scotsman would deliver vocal tirades at his players after poor performances.
Choosing to single out a 19-year-old who has been one of the few players to actually play somewhat well is a puzzling choice, and one that has unsurprisingly gone down poorly within the squad.
Leicester fans had previously called for the Dutchman to be sacked after the Fulham game, and that stance is unlikely to change with this news.
In other news, Leicester are plotting a sensational move for one of the stars in their promotion campaign.
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