Richard Keys has blasted Jamie Vardy and Leicester City following their relegation from the Premier League. The beIN sports presenter questioned the forward’s role in the club’s disastrous season.
Leicester were relegated after defeat against Liverpool on Sunday afternoon following an ill-fated return to the top-flight. After earning promotion as winners of the Championship, the Foxes saw two managerial changes as Enzo Maresca first joined Chelsea, before Steve Cooper was replaced by Ruud van Nistelrooy in November.
Reflecting on the club’s relegation, Vardy described the season as a s***-show and tore into his team-mates in an apology to supporters. But for Keys, Vardy did not not offer the whole picture of how the season unfolded.
The 68-year-old reckons that Vardy and his team-mates perhaps should of shown some contrition for Cooper’s sacking. The squad partied in Copenhagen and were caught holding a sign which read “Enzo [Maresca], I miss you” before the Midlands side parted ways with Cooper after 12 matches.
And Keys reckons that for whoever will be in charge at the King Power, it is time for Vardy to make his exit.
“Jamie Vardy has described Leicester ’s season as a s***-show,” posted Keys in his blog. “In the article I read in The Mirror he blasted everybody. He’s got a point.
“What he didn’t do though was admit Leicester’s viperous dressing room might just have been wrong to turn on Steve Cooper.
“Cooper was sacked after just five months in charge at Leicester. He left them in 16th – two points above the drop zone.
“In his previous job, Cooper had performed miracles keeping Forest up in their first season back. He knew the course. He knew what was needed.
“So why was he sacked so quickly at Leicester? For one thing – he wanted to move a few ageing players on. Players who had literally run their race in a Leicester jersey.
“The more powerful elements in the Leicester dressing room were having none of that. So – once again – they flexed their muscles – called the owner – and let it be known ‘it’s us or him’.
“As we now know – it was him. Bad call. It never got any better under Van Nistelrooy, but at least he kept playing Vardy. Having been in charge of the ‘shit-show’ Van Nistelrooy can’t survive. (Jon Rudkin should go as well).
“The new manager would be wise to clear the dressing room out as fast as possible. And I think we all know who should be the first to go.”
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