Dubai: It is hard to believe that Claudio Ranieri was sacked by Roman Abramovich in 2004. When the Italian first took the reins at Stamford Bridge he couldn’t speak English, he was accompanied by a translator in every press conference.
After he was unceremoniously booted out of the Bridge he took up the manager’s job at Valencia where his tenure wouldn’t even last a season.
It was a similar story at Parma, and then Juventus. He resigned under a cloud from Roma in 2011 before an underwhelming campaign at Inter Milan saw him leave after just seven months. His time at Monaco was even shorter.
National football beckoned and the Italian took over the Greece national side, but he was sacked after a defeat at the hands of the Faroe Islands.
Then, to much suspicion in the English midlands, he was appointed boss of unfashionable Leicester City.
Of course we all know what happened next…
Ranieri has become a hero in Leicester and the city have fallen a little bit in love with him.
Few managers enjoy such widespread support from fans of their club, just ask Wenger, Van Gaal, Martinez and everyone who has managed Aston Villa over the last few years (to name but a few). But Ranieri's combination of charisma and on-pitch success means it is difficult to find something to dislike.
TRT World went around the city talking to fans, and the response moved the 64-year-old close to tears.
