Leicester City appear to be signalling a managerial change, despite Ruud van Nistelrooy not yet being officially relieved of his duties.
With reports surfacing that the Foxes are searching for a replacement, including strong links to Danny Rohl and past interest in Russell Martin, the club’s direction is clear.
With the Foxes potentially facing a points deduction, their next appointment is much needed.
The decision to potentially move on from Ruud van Nistelrooy, despite concerns about a points deduction, shows Leicester’s determination to find the right leader.
As the search continues, it’s a fitting time to look back at the club’s rich history and evaluate which past managers have truly shone, as we rank the top 10 Leicester City managers by their win percentage.
Photo by Joe Prior/Getty Images
Photo by Joe Prior/Getty Images
Who is the best Leicester manager – ranking the top 10 by win percentage
10 – Willie Orr (42.15%)
Across 242 games, Orr managed 102 wins, 50 draws, and 90 losses. He led Leicester to promotion to the First Division in 1907-08, marking a significant early achievement for the club.
9 – Craig Shakespeare (42.31%)
Shakespeare’s brief 26-game term resulted in 11 wins, 6 draws, and 9 losses. He led the team to the Champions League quarter-finals.
8 – Brian Little (43.09%)
Across 188 games, Little’s team had 81 wins, 45 draws, and 62 losses. He secured promotion to the Premier League in 1994.
7 – Sven-Göran Eriksson (43.64%.)
In 55 games, Eriksson managed 24 wins, 14 draws, and 17 losses. While ambitious, he didn’t secure silverware during his time at the club.
6 – Dave Halliday (43.84%)
Halliday’s 146 games saw 64 wins, 27 draws, and 55 losses. He led the Foxes to the Second Division title in 1957.
Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
5 – Claudio Ranieri (44.44%)
With 36 wins, 22 draws, and 23 losses in 81 games, Ranieri masterminded Leicester’s remarkable 2015-16 Premier League title triumph.
4 – Brendan Rodgers (45.10%)
Rodgers’ 204 games yielded 92 wins, 42 draws, and 70 losses. He secured Leicester’s first-ever FA Cup in 2021 and an FA Community Shield.
3 – Frank O’Farrell (46.27%)
Over 134 games, O’Farrell’s team recorded 62 wins, 27 draws, and 55 losses. He led Leicester to the 1969 FA Cup final.
2 – Nigel Pearson (47.78%)
Across 282 games, Pearson achieved 135 wins, 67 draws, and 80 losses. He notably guided Leicester to the League One title in 2008-09 and famously was the man behind the “Great Escape” from Premier League relegation in 2014-15.
1 – Enzo Maresca (67.92%)
In just 53 games, Maresca secured 36 wins, 4 draws, and 13 losses, leading Leicester to the Championship title in 2023-24. His brief tenure was highly successful, ending in immediate promotion.
Photo by Scott Llewellyn | MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Photo by Scott Llewellyn | MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Who will be Leicester’s manager next season in the Championship?
This week EFL Analysis exclusively revealed that Danny Rohl is the top candidate to land the Leicester City job.
Leicester are yet to sack Ruud van Nistelrooy and had originally looked set to appoint Russell Martin, but those plans were spoilt after he chose to join Rangers.
Rohl will almost certainly leave Sheffield Wednesday this summer and has formerly been linked with the Foxes’ Championship rivals Southampton, who went for Will Still in the end.
There’s no guarantee that Rohl will end up at the King Power Stadium and with the Foxes facing a points deduction, the idea of leaving Wednesday to another club facing troubles off the pitch may not appeal.
EFL Analysis’ Chief Football Correspondent Graeme Bailey did reveal Leicester isn’t “all in on anyone” and one man who could be approached is Sean Dyche.
Bailey stated that Dyche “can’t be ruled out”, but could be an option if plans to advance on Rohl don’t take off.