After firing Steve Cooper, Leicester City must make a crucial choice in their search for a new manager, and making the wrong choice might result in relegation.
Only a small number of recently promoted teams have fired their managers while remaining in the Premier League, and even fewer have done so after just 12 Premier League games or right after an international break as opposed to before or during it.
However, after a 2-1 loss to Chelsea at home on Saturday, Leicester City did just that, benching Steve Cooper. The only thing that matters right now is whether or not it was the right choice, and there are many Leicester supporters who would argue both sides and raise some good points in the process.
There isn’t a huge list of clear, workable options, as is frequently the case when managers receive their P45s early in the season. It’s possible that the superiors have already recognised a young, talented player from the outskirts of European football who merits a promotion to the major leagues. But with less information, the bookmakers have narrowed down the field to three contenders: David Moyes, Graham Potter, and Ruud van Nistelrooy, who are most likely to replace Cooper at King Power Stadium.
After Erik ten Hag’s firing at Manchester United ended his tenure there too soon, Van Nistelrooy seemed eager to get back to coaching as soon as possible. He has so far demonstrated his managing abilities by winning the KNVB Cup, guiding PSV Eindhoven to second place in the Eredivisie in the 2022–2023 season, and then defeating United in his brief stint as interim head coach.