Former Leicester Striker Tony Cottee Tips Foxes Manager Claude Puel to Leave in the Summer

Former Leicester striker Tony Cottee has claimed that he 'wouldn't be surprised' if current Foxes manager Claude Puel left the club in the summer.

Puel has endured a difficult relationship with the club's fans, with his pragmatism and style of play drawing criticism for a perceived defensive approach.

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Cottee, who spent four seasons in the Premier League with the Foxes, claimed that a combination of Puel's lack of enthusiasm and growing speculation over his future, has created an inevitability about his departure from the King Power Stadium.

He said: "The manager is not the most enthusiastic of managers, shall we say. He comes across as a little bit deep and dour and perhaps that’s what the fans are responding to. 

"There’s been times where they’ve questioned his substitutions, but I think there’s a lot going on in the background. There seems to be other rumours coming out of the training ground and that is never a good sign.”

Despite leading Leicester to two successive victories over Manchester City and Chelsea last month, Puel's team selection for the side's shock FA Cup exit to Newport County increased the pressure on his job.

Cottee added: "I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a change at the end of the season. I wouldn’t see a reason to change now as they’re in ninth position, but when you consistently get these rumours coming out of the club, these things only ever end one way, with someone like Mourinho being the perfect example.”

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