Premier League newcomers Leicester City FC have announced the decision to sack head coach Steve Cooper with immediate effect.
Cooper’s assistant manager Alan Tate has also left the club alongside first-team coach and analyst Steve Rands following a 1-2 home defeat to Chelsea yesterday.
Leicester’s Woes This Season
The Foxes are still outside the relegation zone, but with their current form, this does not appear likely to last. In their previous five league games, they have lost three times, drawn once, and won just once.
The victory and draw are not as good when contextualised, with both coming in close matches against the other two fellow newly promoted teams. A 1-1 away draw with Ipswich Town, a 94th-minute goal from Jordan Ayew was needed to claw a point after a Tractor Boys red card.
In their win against newly promoted Southampton, it was an even later goal from Jordan Ayew, this time in the 98th minute, that sealed Leicester just their second win of the season. Leicester’s form under Cooper puts them equal with Ipswich for the second-worst form in the league.
Cooper’s Appointment
Steve joined Leicester in June this year following the departure to Chelsea of Enzo Maresca who took them up in the first place. Maresca is now the one who has sealed the finishing blow on the man meant to replace him.
Cooper seemed an intelligent appointment at the time. In his previous role at Nottingham Forest, he took them from rock bottom of the EFL Championship in September 2021 to promotion through the playoffs in 4th place that same season.
This was Forest’s first time in the Premier League for 23 years. His work was not done and he oversaw Nottingham Forest staying up in the Premier League in 16th place.
Despite difficult times during this season, the Nottingham Forest board continued to back him for how far he had taken them already. Some warning signs were present however and Cooper’s time would come to an end with Forest the following season in December 2023 after they had only won once in their last 13 games.
Despite a less than favourable end to his time with Forest, the appointment of Cooper appeared to have potential. Some factors have also not helped Cooper.
For example, the departure of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, also to Chelsea, is not one that appears to have been sufficiently addressed with no current Leicester players able to replicate close to the impact Dewsbury-Hall had. In their promotion season, around 29% of their goals were either scored or assisted by Keirnan and this is an impact Leicester seem to lack.
Despite the recent poor form, the sacking of Cooper is one that may raise some eyebrows. For goals scored in the league, the Foxes rank 12th in the league and for goals conceded, they are 17th.
The xG table, however, may tell a different story of their performances than face value results. The expected goals suggest that they should in fact be in 18th now and the goals they are statistically likely to have scored by now would put them at 16th in the league for goals scored.
Club Announcement
In the club announcement, Leicester took the time to thank Cooper and his staff for their contributions to the team and wish them well for the future. It also confirms that, for now, first-team training will be overseen by first-team coach Ben Dawson with the support of Andy Hughes and Danny Alcock.
The Foxes are already in search of their replacement and with their next game against Brentford just six days away, they are likely to act swiftly. This does raise the question as to why Cooper was not sacked prior to the most recent international break.
However, the announcement is scarce in detail and the King Power Stadium faithful will simply have to wait for further details, and potential replacements, to emerge.
Looking Forward
The next move of the King Power ownership will have huge impacts on their side both in the short and long term. The correct appointment could help an undoubtedly talented squad soar to new heights, but the wrong appointment could well see the Foxes plunge into the relegation zone they statistically should already be occupying.
Whatever will happen is yet to be seen. But with the fast and unforgiving nature of the Premier League, it is unlikely Leicester fans and neutrals alike will have to wait long to find out.