Claudio Ranieri’s career as a manager, when you look at how long he’s been in the game and how many trophies he’s actually won, isn’t as stellar as some of his colleagues.
Winning the Premier League with Leicester City was undoubtedly his, and the club’s, greatest achievement to date, but a Ligue 2, a Serie B and a Serie C1 over the space of a near 30-year career beforehand isn’t exactly mind-blowing considering some of the clubs he has managed.
Nevertheless, his Ligue 2 title with Monaco during the 2012-13 season saw the start of the club’s rejuvenation after Dmitry Rybolovlev completed the takeover and injected a large chunk of money.
Speaking to Le Parisien on Thursday, the owner was asked about the Italian manager, and if he regretted letting him go after they came second in Ligue 1 in Ranieri’s only season in charge in France’s top division.
He said: “Claudio did an extraordinary job, he’s at the base of the project because he joined me from the start. I can only thank him for that, but the club’s strategy then evolved and turned towards younger players.
“Choosing Leonardo Jardim was a good one. The results and the style of play this season showed it even more.”
Ranieri’s Monaco finished the 2013-14 season with 80 points, nine points off champions Paris Saint-Germain, who celebrated their second league win in a row.
