Leicester’s Managerial Change Prompts Surprise from Former Goalkeeper

Former Leicester goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer stated he is “a little bit surprised” by the dismissal of Steve Cooper. This decision followed Leicester’s 2-1 defeat on Saturday against Chelsea, a team managed by their former boss Enzo Maresca. The loss left the Foxes two points above the relegation zone. Cooper had taken over from Maresca in the summer, after the Italian had guided Leicester to the 2023-24 Championship title and secured their promotion back into the Premier League. The defeat by Chelsea marked Leicester’s sixth in the top flight this season. After the match, Cooper had criticized referee Andrew Madley’s performance during the game. The Australian told BBC Radio 5 Live, “Leicester is not known for being a club that will sack managers quickly.” He added, “They are not known to panic.” Schwarzer further commented, “At times some would say that perhaps they have held on too long to some managers.” He also noted, “You did hear after the last few games that Cooper was pointing his finger a lot at the officials for decisions that had gone against Leicester and perhaps cost them.” Separately, former Premier League striker Chris Sutton expressed that he “cannot believe” the news, stating, “I think they have had a reasonable start to the season, they are not in the relegation zone.” Sutton concluded, “The three promoted sides last season went straight back down. I think that decision is really harsh.”