Leicester consider Martin O’Neill and Rafa Benitez in hunt for experienced caretaker manager

Martin O’Neill managed Leicester from 1995 to 2000

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Leicester City are considering an experienced caretaker in order to stay in the Premier League, with former manager Martin O’Neill and Rafa Benitez among the names discussed.

The 2016 champions lost 2-1 to Aston Villa late on Tuesday night under assistants Mike Stowell and Adam Sadler after the departure of Brendan Rodgers, to leave them staring at relegation.

The hierarchy had preferred a full-time coach like Graham Potter but, with the recently sacked Chelsea boss turning them down for now, there’s a realisation a manager of such standing would not be interested in such a decision at this stage of the season.

Leicester had already been thinking of a stand-in but the impact of Roy Hodgson at relegation rivals Crystal Palace has only further impacted their decision-making. Premier League experience is seen as key, and O’Neill is one of the best managers in Leicester’s history, having won the League Cup there during a successful spell at the turn of the millennium.

Speaking after the defeat by Villa, interim manager Sadler said he had not been given a timeframe for leading the team.

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“The club have asked me to take the game tonight, that’s what I have done, I know nothing more than that at this stage,” Sadler said.

“It’s Mike Stowell and me, it’s a partnership, we have tried to pull the guys together over the last couple of days. It has been one of mixed emotions, losing Brendan was a difficult one, he is a top manager we know, but he is also an excellent man and somebody close to all of us here. But the club made a decision.

“We don’t know anything beyond that at this stage so let’s see what happens over the next few days. Until we hear different, Mike and I will continue to give everything for the football club, we have been here a long time, we know the people inside out, they know us so if it continues to be us we will give everything for the football club.”

Rodgers’ departure came after a successful four-year spell at the King Power Stadium, where he took the club close to qualification for the Champions League but just fell short.

Sadler added: “Of course it was a difficult one for everybody. Brendan has built very good relationships with everyone at the club. He is a good man, so it was difficult, but the job of Mike and me was to try and turn the attention to the game.

“That’s all we could do. There will be a time for reflection down the line, but we are in this situation and we have to face it.”

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