Neil Lennon emerges as frontrunner for Leicester manager

Neil Lennon emerges as early frontrunner for Leicester City manager

• Leicester are still finalising a shortlist of candidates
• Sam Allardyce has not been approached, say Leicester


Neil Lennon, who enjoyed a distinguished playing career at Leicester City between 1996-2000, would find it hard to turn down any approach.

Leicester City sacked Nigel Pearson without having a replacement lined up and the club are still finalising a shortlist of names for a post that has seen Neil Lennon emerge as the early frontrunner.

While Leicester remain guarded about the potential candidates, the Premier League club insist Sam Allardyce has not been approached and that no deadline is being put on the time it takes to bring in a new manager.

Lennon, who enjoyed a distinguished playing career at Leicester between 1996-2000, has not had any contact from his former club and only took the Bolton Wanderers job in October, yet it is understood that he would find it hard to turn down any approach. The 44-year-old is regarded highly by Leicester fans and is likely to have support among key personnel within the club.

Jon Rudkin, who was appointed director of football in February, and Andrew Neville, the club’s director of football operations, know Lennon well – as well as Martin O’Neill, another name in the frame – and both men will be involved in the process of liaising with Leicester’s board and Thai owners about Pearson’s successor.

A move for Lennon would not be straightforward because he is in work and the same is true of Sean Dyche, who will be managing alongside the Northern Irishman in the Championship next season. Dyche, the Burnley manager, is also likely to be receptive to an offer to return to the Premier League.

Steve Cotterill is another Championship manager on Leicester’s radar. Cotterill led Bristol City to the League One title in style last season, having previously made a favourable impression with Leicester when he coached at the club towards the end of the 2003-04 season under Micky Adams. Rudkin was working for Leicester at that point.

Other possible targets include Esteban Cambiasso, who has yet to decide whether to take up the offer of another playing contract at the club, Roberto Di Matteo and O’Neill, the Republic of Ireland manager who was such a success during his time in charge of Leicester between 1995-2000. The final say will rest with Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, the club’s billionaire Thai owner, and Aiyawatt, his son, and it remains to be seen whether a high-profile name is important to them.

Although Leicester will not be rushed into making an appointment, the new Premier League campaign gets underway five weeks on Saturday and pre-season training has already started for a few of their players. The majority of the Leicester squad will return on Monday, with those involved in international fixtures after the end of the season given a slightly longer break. Pearson, meanwhile, is still to agree compensation with Leicester after being relieved of his duties only 12 months into a three-year contract.

Guardian