david_smith
Martin O’Neill has ruled out a return to Leicester to replace Claudio Ranieri.
The Republic of Ireland manager won two league cups, as well as promotion to the Premier League during his successful reign as Leicester boss from 1995-2000.
The Foxes controversially sacked Ranieri on Tuesday after their 2-1 Champions League defeat at Sevilla, despite the Italian manager miraculously leading Leicester to the Premier League title last season.
Leicester are now on the lookout for Ranieri’s replacement, but O’Neill ruled himself out of the race during an appearance on BBC Five Live this morning.
“I am really enjoying being an international manager and we have a job to do,” he said.
“We have got a big World Cup qualifying game coming up in a couple of weeks’ time against Wales and I couldn’t be distracted.
“I want to see if we can try and get through, whether we don’t, whether we fall flat on our faces, I don’t know but the Euros last year were great and I am getting so much enjoyment out of this.
“I wouldn’t be going [to Leicester]. I am enjoying this at the moment.”
O’Neill also had his say on Ranieri’s shock dismissal, and criticized the Leicester players’ decision to speak to the owner about their unhappiness.
“The owners have the ultimate say but I think this was combination of things,” he added.
“Some players went to the owner to talk about whatever they were talking about. Why should players go to owner, even in this day and age? If things are not going well, you sort it out in the dressing room.
“The players took an awful lot of credit last year, rightly so, they did the playing and this game’s still about players.
“Somewhere along the way if you have to take criticism, you have to look inwards as a player.”
