Leicester City have sacked manager Steve Cooper following a poor run of form that has left the club languishing in 16th place in the Premier League, just two points above the relegation zone after 12 games. The decision to sack Cooper was made on Sunday, a day after a 2-1 defeat to Chelsea, who are managed by former Leicester boss Enzo Maresca.
Cooper, 44, was appointed when he replaced Maresca in June due to his previous ties with local rivals Nottingham Forest. His tenure at Leicester saw the Foxes win only two of their 12 Premier League games, leaving the club close to the drop zone.
In a statement, Leicester announced that first-team training will temporarily be led by coach Ben Dawson, with assistance from Danny Alcock and Andy Hughes, as the search for a new manager gets underway. The club hopes to conclude the hiring process swiftly. In addition to Cooper, assistant manager Alan Tate and first-team coach and analyst Steve Rands have also departed.
Cooper’s short stint at Leicester followed Maresca’s successful 2023/24 campaign, in which he led the Foxes to the Championship title and earned promotion back to the Premier League. However, the current season has seen the club struggle, with six top-flight defeats already recorded.
After Saturday’s loss to Chelsea, Cooper voiced frustration with the officiating, criticizing referee Andrew Madley for decisions he felt went against Leicester. Speaking to BBC Sport, Cooper acknowledged the challenges of returning to the Premier League: “I knew how tough the challenge of the season was going to be both on and off the pitch, and it’s proving to be that, but that’s just how it is coming back into the league. I believe we can do better, so that’s got to come in the performances to get the results.”
His dismissal makes him the second managerial casualty in the Premier League this season, following Manchester United’s sacking of Erik ten Hag in October.
Before his Leicester appointment, Cooper had a notable track record with Nottingham Forest, guiding them to Premier League promotion in 2022 and keeping them in the division the following season.
However, he was dismissed midway through the 2023/24 season with Forest hovering just above the relegation zone. Cooper is also known for leading England’s Under-17s to World Cup glory in 2017 and taking Swansea to the Championship play-off final in 2021, where they narrowly lost to Brentford.
Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date
Open In Whatsapp
