Linked Leicester City manager candidate comments on club’s ‘surprising’ relegation

Potential Leicester City managerial candidate Danny Rohl has said he’s surprised the club came straight back down from the Premier League.

Rohl, who has hinted he will leave his position as Sheffield Wednesday boss this summer, has been named as a potential successor to Ruud van Nistelrooy should City decide to change managers ahead of their return to the Championship.

Potential Leicester City managerial candidate Danny Rohl has said he’s surprised the club came straight back down from the Premier League.

Rohl, who has hinted he will leave his position as Sheffield Wednesday boss this summer, has been named as a potential successor to Ruud van Nistelrooy should City decide to change managers ahead of their return to the Championship.

Also linked to Southampton, where he used to be assistant manager, Rohl has said he did not expect both City and the Saints to come straight back down given the “brutal quality” they had shown in getting promoted, and with their recent Premier League history to draw on.

Rohl believes that clubs wanting to establish themselves in the Premier League may need to factor in a relegation, pointing to Fulham as an example.

The Cottagers yo-yoed between the divisions for five seasons before establishing themselves in the top flight.

Rohl told Kicker, as reported by Sport Witness: “I have to say, the promoted teams last season, Leicester, Ipswich, and Southampton, it was a bit of a surprise to me that they went straight back down, because they had brutal quality.

So, in Leicester, also in Ipswich, in Southampton, and especially Leicester and Southampton, with their Premier League backgrounds, who had been at that level for many, many years, I wouldn’t have expected them to be back in the Championship so quickly.

“But Fulham also needed two or three years to actually stay in the league. Of course, you have that parachute in the Championship if you get relegated.

“You might also factor in direct relegation, but you already have a team that can then get promoted again straight away. I think you have a good chance then.”

Rohl also suggested he has an unofficial agreement to leave Wednesday this summer. The 36-year-old has had a fine couple of seasons at Hillsborough, first guiding the Owls away from relegation and then up to mid-table this season.

He said: “Personally, I had a fantastic time at Sheffield Wednesday. I’ve made no secret of the fact that I’d like to work at the highest possible level with the best players in the near future.

“My situation in Sheffield is unofficially relatively clear. There’s a clear agreement with the owner about how I envision my future. Unfortunately, I can’t go into detail about that right now.”

The loaned-out midfielder kicks off his play-off campaign with Sheffield United on Thursday evening when they travel to Bristol City for the semi-final first leg

Play-off success for Sheffield United could lead to a financial boost for Leicester City.

The Blades play their semi-final first leg at Bristol City on Thursday night with Chris Wilder’s men three games from an immediate return to the Premier League.

Finishing third in the table, Sheffield United are the favourites to join Leeds and Burnley in the top flight, with Sunderland and Coventry contesting the other play-off semi.

And if the Blades do earn their place back in the Premier League, it could lead to a City sale.

Hamza Choudhury is expected to be involved on Thursday night, either as a starter or as a substitute, having been involved in nearly every match since moving to Bramall Lane on loan in January.

Playing as a defensive midfielder or as a right-back, Choudhury made 16 appearances, only missing the final game of the regular season.

He has done what he was brought in to do and has broken up play well. For combined tackles and interceptions per game, he ranks in the Championship’s top five.

With that versatility and with those defensive abilities, Sheffield United may consider taking up the option to buy in Choudhury’s loan contract.

It’s not that promotion is decisive for a deal to go through, but the greater financial freedom it would give the Blades would make the transfer more likely.

In the event that Sheffield United don’t take up the option to sign Choudhury, he could yet have a future at City.

The 27-year-old was surplus to requirements under Ruud van Nistelrooy, but not only are there doubts over the Dutch manager’s future, but a reassessment of the squad may be required over the summer.

City didn’t need Choudhury with Wilfred Ndidi, Boubakary Soumare, Harry Winks and Oliver Skipp to choose from, but there’s potential for three of those to leave this summer.