Danny Simpson reveals the moment he lost confidence in Claudio Ranieri at Leicester
Danny Simpson has revealed the moment that he lost confidence in former Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri, just months after the Italian guided the Foxes to their stunning Premier League title.
On The Beautiful Game Podcast, Simpson talked in length about the superb title-winning squad at the King Power before airing his frustrations at being left out of Leicester’s first-ever Champions League game.
The right-back played a starring role in that unbelievable 2015-16 campaign, playing 30 league games in defence before he was dropped the following season for their European tour and was replaced by newcomer Luis Hernandez.
Danny Simpson (R) hits out at ex-Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri (L) for his selection choices
The Premier League-winning right-back spoke about the Foxes’ stunning season in lockdown
The decision enraged Simpson, who revealed where the wheels fell off following their remarkable achievement.
When asked what was causing the rift at the time, Simpson revealed: ‘Player rotation [was a problem] and not being used to that. I got dropped for the Champions League, the first Champions League game – I’m fuming.
‘He played Luis Hernandez and I’m sat there thinking, “I’ve just spent all last season working my socks off to play in the Champions League” and first Champions League game, I ain’t playing.
Simpson played a starring role in Leicester’s stunning title win back in the 2015-16 campaign
In Foxes’ first ever Champions League game, Simpson made way for Luis Hernandez (centre)
‘That was Claudio’s way. He had to rotate and I feel like maybe the only thing that he didn’t do, because he didn’t have to do it the season before when we won the league, he only ever made changes if it was due to suspension or injury.’
Simpson also criticised Ranieri’s man-management skills, claiming that players were kept in the dark about why they weren’t being played.
He added: ‘No one ever got pulled to the side and got told “this is why I’m not playing you, I feel you are better for this game on Saturday”, which is what Sir Alex [Ferguson] always did.
‘You would always hear a story about what Sir Alex do. He would speak to Darren Fletcher and say to him, “in four games, you’re playing”.
‘Little things like that, players just want to know. Even that example with me [missing the Champions League game], I was p***ed off. I’m not playing the first Champions League game in Leicester’s history and I was p***ed off that Luis Hernandez had just been signed and he’s playing Champions League!
Simpson reveals he was left fuming at the decision to be dropped after ‘working his socks off’
Simpson also criticised Ranieri’s man-management skills, claiming players were left in the dark
‘What? Because he’s foreign and he thinks he knows European football better than me? I think there was little instances like that where he [Ranieri] could have pulled a player to the side and said, “this is why I’m not playing you today or tomorrow”.’
Ranieri was sacked in February 2017, with the Foxes left just one point above the relegation zone and 13 matches left to be played.
Caretaker manager Craig Shakespeare would turn the ship around and would see Leicester go on to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League, where they’d be knocked out over two legs by Atletico Madrid.
