Leicester's Desperate Dive: Rowett Returns as Foxes' Relegation Lifeline!
Leicester City have named Gary Rowett as their new manager until the end of the season, aiming to haul them out of the Championship relegation zone after a points deduction and dismal form. The former Foxes player joins with assistant Callum Davidson, backed fully by the chairman in their 'fight for survival'. Sky Sports' Simeon Gholam highlights Rowett's gritty style as a potential spark for the underperforming squad.
Alright, mate, grab a pint because Leicester City have just pulled off a proper nostalgia act amid their Championship nightmare. They've swooped in and appointed Gary Rowett as their new gaffer until the season's curtain call, with the big boss declaring it's all hands on deck for a scrap to stay up. Yeah, you heard that right – the once-mighty Premier League champs are staring down the barrel of League One, and they're turning to a former midfield hero to sort the mess.
Picture this: the Foxes are rooted in the relegation muck, third from the trapdoor and just two points above the drop zone. That's after a brutal six-point whack for fiddling with those pesky Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR). Their form? Dire doesn't cover it – just two wins in their last 11 league jaunts, including eight hammerings. They've shipped goals like a leaky sieve, and the latest gut-punch was a mad 4-3 comeback defeat to Southampton last week, sandwiched with an FA Cup knockout to the same Saints. Ouch.
They showed Marti Cifuentes the door back in January, leaving fan-favourite Andy King to steady the ship as interim boss for the past four games. King did a sterling job in tough times, and he'll stick around in the coaching setup for some much-needed continuity. Rowett rolls in with his mate Callum Davidson as assistant, ready to hit the ground running.
Rowett, who cut his teeth as a Leicester midfielder back in the day, hasn't had the smoothest ride lately. He got the boot from Oxford United in December after they flirted with the drop zone, and his interim stint at Birmingham last year ended with them tumbling out of the Championship. But hey, the lad knows this league inside out, and he's buzzing about the gig. At his press do, he gushed about being chuffed to lead this 'talented bunch' and stressed the need to forge bonds with players, staff, and the King Power faithful to grind out the wins. With 14 games left, it's crunch time, and he's wasting no time.
Club chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha didn't mince words either, calling it a straight-up 'fight for survival' and praising Rowett's Championship nous. He's throwing the full club weight behind the new man, figuring his experience in the trenches is just what they need. Fair play to the top brass for backing King too – no point burning bridges when you're already on the ropes.
Sky Sports EFL Editor Simeon Gholam nailed the vibe, pointing out how the mighty have fallen that they're pinning hopes on Rowett to dodge the trapdoor. It took them nearly a month to pull the trigger post-Cifuentes, which screams panic. Gholam reckons Rowett's sides might not dazzle with silky football, but they scrap like demons – exactly what these Foxes have been missing amid their slump. This squad, even minus the deduction, shouldn't be sniffing relegation. If Rowett can fire them up and snap this rotten streak, safety's there for the taking.
Is it a masterstroke or a Hail Mary? Rowett's no stranger to turning ships around, but the clock's ticking louder than a Kop chorus. Leicester fans, you've been here before – from Prem glory to this. Fancy a wager on Rowett working his magic? Either way, it's set to be a belter of a run-in. Keep an eye on the fixtures; the Foxes need points, not promises. Cheers to hoping for bite over whimper!