JibrinLeicester City chairman Top outlines why Gary Rowett was chosen for ‘fight for survival’
Twenty-four days after Marti Cifuentes’ exit, City have hired Gary Rowett on a deal until the end of the season, with 14 games for the new manager to keep them up
Gary Rowett’s “deep knowledge and experience” of the Championship persuaded chairman Aiyawatt ‘Top’ Srivaddhanaprabha to put him in charge of Leicester City’s fight for survival.
Appointing Rowett 24 days after Marti Cifuentes’ exit, Top emphasised that avoiding relegation to League One was the only priority from now until the end of the campaign, with City having dropped into the bottom three at the weekend.
Rowett has been a regular presence in Championship dugouts over the past 12 years and so understands the league inside out. That has been considered crucial.
Top told the club: “Gary is a manager with deep knowledge of the Championship and experience of the situation we now face in these final 14 games of the season – a fight for survival in the division.
“It is a task on which the entire club is focused, and we will provide Gary with every support to help us find the solutions we need.”
Top also thanked Andy King, who has taken charge of the past four games as caretaker boss. King will now return to his role as first-team coach, while Adam Sadler will also remain on the backroom team, with set-piece coach Andy Hughes and incoming assistant manager Callum Davidson also there to assist Rowett.
“I’m grateful to Andy King for the professionalism and dedication with which he has prepared the team for recent matches in challenging circumstances,” Top added.
“Together with the current group of first-team staff, he will remain a valued part of our coaching team, providing important continuity from which Gary and Callum can help to build.”
Rowett’s first game in charge is against one of his former clubs Stoke on Saturday, while he will meet the press for the first time on Thursday afternoon.
Jibrin
