Jamie Vardy Discusses Claudio Ranieri's Firing from Leicester City

Leicester City forward Jamie Vardy has taken to social media to address the sacking of manager Claudio Ranieri, saying the rumours he had anything to do with the Italian's dismissal are false.

Ranieri was let go on Thursday after a string of poor results, and when the players didn't publicly speak out or even thank the Italian for his services, speculation they were behind the sacking quickly arose.

Vardy has now said it took this long for him to speak because he wanted to find the right words:

Sky Sports' Paul Vinnell previously reported a group of players met with club ownership to express their discontent with Ranieri following the UEFA Champions League defeat at the hands of Sevilla.

Ranieri guided the Foxes to the Premier League title last year in arguably the biggest Cinderella run in the competition's history. The story captivated football fans across the globe, and it was a sporting feat that was celebrated for months.

The club came crashing back down to Earth in the 2016-17 season, however. While Leicester performed well in Europe, the domestic campaign quickly turned sour, and as of right now, the team faces a real battle to avoid the drop.

Charles McQuillan/Getty Images

Few expected Ranieri to be sacked, especially after the 2-1 loss against Sevilla—a result that actually gave the team a good chance to advance in Europe. Ultimately, the Foxes prioritised the Premier League, hoping a managerial change can have an immediate impact.

Sports writer Adam Hurrey noted the tributes from the players on Saturday came very late:

Leicester City will host Liverpool at the King Power Stadium on Monday in their first match since Ranieri's sacking.