Leicester City’s appointment of Ruud van Nistelrooy has been disastrous, and it’s left the board with a huge decision to make.
Ruud van Nistelrooy replaced Steve Cooper as Leicester City manager in November, with the Dutchman promising a fresh, exciting and attacking style.
Almost four months after entering the dugout, the 48-year-old’s time at the King Power Stadium couldn’t have gone any worse, having lost 11 of his last 12 league games.
Leicester’s 4-0 defeat to West Ham last Thursday left them marooned in the bottom three by five points, while fans called for Van Nistelrooy to be sacked.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 17 |  WolvesWolves | 27 | 6 | 4 | 17 | 37 | 56 | -19 | 22 |
| 18 |  IpswichIpswich | 27 | 3 | 8 | 16 | 26 | 57 | -31 | 17 |
| 19 |  LeicesterLeicester | 27 | 4 | 5 | 18 | 25 | 61 | -36 | 17 |
| 20 |  SouthamptonSouthampton | 27 | 2 | 3 | 22 | 19 | 65 | -46 | 9 |
With just 11 games remaining, time is running out to save their season, and now a fresh update on the Manchester United legend has emerged.
Ruud van Nistelrooy retains the faith of the Leicester City board
In the harrowing loss at West Ham, there were signs that the Dutchman had lost the dressing room. Jannik Vestergaard refused Van Nistelrooy’s handshake while Jamie Vardy was seen jogging.
But despite staring down the barrel of a relegation and creating unwanted Premier League history, Ben Jacobs suggests Van Nistelrooy retains the faith of the Leicester City owners.
“Everyone at Leicester is supporting Ruud [Van Nistelrooy] at the moment. They’re doing their best to make it work, and there is an appreciation that they’ve not been able to support Ruud in the market,” Jacobs said via GIVEMESPORT.
“So right now, Ruud van Nistelrooy retains the faith of the Leicester board, and the bigger question amongst the fan base and some sources I speak to is whether or not Leicester are going to change their recruitment model, and whether financially they can, and how much of this is ultimately on John Rudkin rather than Ruud Van Nistelrooy.”
Fans have called for Jon Rudkin to be sacked alongside Van Nistelrooy after delivering a recruitment model that isn’t fit for purpose while failing to back the manager.
Leicester only signed one player in January as Woyo Coulibaly joined from Parma, and that was perhaps them waving the white flag.
Leicester owners have themselves to blame for PSR
PSR is an issue that has held the Foxes back in recent years and is one reason why sacking Van Nistelrooy isn’t an option.
- READ MORE: Leicester City owner made stance on sacking Ruud van Nistelrooy clear in honest chat with players
But, whilst some outsiders may have some sympathy for Leicester, the owners can be blamed for how the club has plummeted financially.
A poor recruitment strategy has seen Leicester lose £192 million worth of talent for nothing, and this has created a domino effect.
Their lack of organisation and planning in the window has resulted in multiple mishaps, including the loan signing of Odsonne Edouard and the £20 million capture of Oliver Skipp from Tottenham in 2024.
Indeed, scattergun recruitment and shocking managerial choices have led to PSR troubles and will result in relegation to the Championship.