Ranieri bags Manager of the Year award

Thousands turn out as Leicester parade trophy

AFP, LONDON: Leicester City's inspirational manager Claudio Ranieri has picked up another piece of silverware after being elected Manager of the Year by England's League Managers Association (LMA).
The 64-year-old Italian, who led Leicester to a 5,000-1 Premier League title triumph, becomes only the second non-Briton to win the award after Arsenal's French manager Arsene Wenger, who was honoured in 2002 and 2004.
Ranieri, who was also crowned Premier League Manager of the Year, collected the award at a ceremony in London on Monday after a helicopter ride from Leicester's Premier League victory parade.
"As a player I was not a champion, but I had great heart," he told the audience.
"I told my players I wanted them to play English football and I put my little Italian tactics with their English heart and then we can do something special.
"They followed me. It is a fairytale and I don't know what has happened. I don't know, believe me."
Ranieri was also named Italian Manager of the Year in his homeland last month.
He succeeds Bournemouth's Eddie Howe, who won last year's prestigious LMA award after steering Bournemouth to promotion from the Championship for the first time in the club's history.
"My congratulations go to the LMA manager of the year sponsored by Barclays, Claudio Ranieri, who, in his first year as manager of Leicester City, has achieved the most astonishing of sporting triumphs," said LMA chairman Howard Wilkinson, the former Leeds United manager.
"He thoroughly deserves all the recognition and praise being bestowed upon him tonight."
Ranieri was due to fly to Thailand with his squad on Tuesday for a post-season trip to the country of the club's owners, travel retail group King Power.
Meanwhile, Leicester City’s incredible Premier League fairytale reached a joyous crescendo as around 240,000 fans turned the city blue while revelling in the club’s title parade on Monday.

Ranieri bags Manager of the Year award

Thousands turn out as Leicester parade trophy

AFP, LONDON: Leicester Citys inspirational manager Claudio Ranieri has picked up another piece of silverware after being elected Manager of the Year by Englands League Managers Association (LMA). The 64-year-old Italian, who led Leicester to a 5,000-1 Premier League title triumph, becomes only the second non-Briton to win the award after Arsenals French manager Arsene Wenger, who was honoured in 2002 and 2004. Ranieri, who was also crowned Premier League Manager of the Year, collected the award at a ceremony in London on Monday after a helicopter ride from Leicesters Premier League victory parade. As a player I was not a champion, but I had great heart, he told the audience. I told my players I wanted them to play English football and I put my little Italian tactics with their English heart and then we can do something special. They followed me. It is a fairytale and I dont know what has happened. I dont know, believe me. Ranieri was also named Italian Manager of the Year in his homeland last month. He succeeds Bournemouths Eddie Howe, who won last years prestigious LMA award after steering Bournemouth to promotion from the Championship for the first time in the clubs history. My congratulations go to the LMA manager of the year sponsored by Barclays, Claudio Ranieri, who, in his first year as manager of Leicester City, has achieved the most astonishing of sporting triumphs, said LMA chairman Howard Wilkinson, the former Leeds United manager. He thoroughly deserves all the recognition and praise being bestowed upon him tonight. Ranieri was due to fly to Thailand with his squad on Tuesday for a post-season trip to the country of the clubs owners, travel retail group King Power. Meanwhile, Leicester Citys incredible Premier League fairytale reached a joyous crescendo as around 240,000 fans turned the city blue while revelling in the clubs title parade on Monday.