The former Birmingham, Derby and Millwall manager is the new frontrunner to take over at the King Power Stadium as the search for Marti Cifuentes’ successor reaches 23 days
Gary Rowett is the frontrunner to become the new Leicester City manager(Image: Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
Gary Rowett is the new frontrunner for the Leicester City job after holding talks over the vacant manager’s position.
But what will City get if their former full-back is appointed to the hotseat? Here’s a closer look.
Wealth of Championship experience
Since the rebrand of the Championship in 2004-05, only four managers – Neil Warnock, Tony Mowbray, Mick McCarthy and Ian Holloway – have been in charge of more fixtures in the division than Rowett has. With none of them are currently at second-tier clubs, it would mean City have the most experienced manager in the division in their dugout.
In all, Rowett has managed 418 Championship matches across five clubs and has been almost a permanent fixture in the division for more than a decade.
He has a points-per-game ratio of 1.46 in the division. If he enjoyed such a record with City over the next 14 matches, that would earn 20 points, taking them to a tally of 52 for the season, which would likely be enough to earn survival.
JOIN US ON FACEBOOK! Latest Leicester City news, analysis and more via our LCFC Facebook page
Potentially season-changing boost at the back
Across his 418 Championship matches, Rowett’s sides have kept 142 clean sheets, a record of better than one in three. That is significant as it’s been in defence where City have had trouble.
Not only do they have the second-worst goals conceded record in the division, but they’re on a run of 26 league matches without a clean sheet, a streak that goes back to September.
Injuries at the back for City mean centre-back Ben Nelson should start the upcoming games. But even if Jamaal Lascelles and Jannik Vestergaard were fit, the 21-year-old would have a very strong chance of remaining in the side thanks to his work under Rowett on loan at Oxford last season.
Nelson returning from injury for the conclusion to the campaign and played nine times under Rowett as Oxford secured their Championship status.
After Nelson scored and kept a clean sheet in a 2-0 win over Sunderland in late April that sealed survival, Rowett said: “I would say I thought Ben Nelson in particular was absolutely outstanding. He showed the potential which he’s got, which is to be a Premier League centre-half.
“I’d love to turn round and say we might be able to have a chance of keeping him, but I think the reality is he’s going to go to a bigger club.
“He’s probably going to end up playing for Leicester’s team if he’s not playing for a Premier League team next season. He’s got a bright future ahead of him.”
Question mark over squad suitability
Rowett would be a departure from what City usually look for in a manager given his sides’ tendency to not dominate possession.
City have typically preferred a boss who coaches control of the ball, with chairman Aiyawatt ‘Top’ Srivaddhanaprabha suggesting Enzo Maresca was his ideal type of manager in his recent round of interviews.
But Rowett is not that. In his five full seasons in the Championship, his Birmingham side ranked bottom for possession in 2015-16, his Derby outfit came in at 16th in 2017-18, while his three full campaigns at Millwall between 2020 and 2023 saw them rank 17th, 17th, and 19th for possession.
It will be intriguing as to how that fits with City’s current squad, which has typically been built to control possession, with players like Harry Winks at the heart of the team.
Even this week, interim boss Andy King has spoken about encouraging the side not to enter “survival mode” and lose their willingness to pass and keep the ball.
However, with the likes of Stephy Mavididi, Patson Daka and Abdul Fatawu, City do have the pace in attack to play on the counter, which was shown off in the first half of the home loss to Southampton last week.
Sacked at relegation rivals Oxford
There will be questions among City fans over the appointment of a manager who was deemed not to be right for one of their relegation rivals.
After a run of one win in 10 left Oxford inside the relegation zone, two points from safety, Rowett was let go at the Kassam Stadium just before Christmas.
Since Rowett’s departure, Oxford have claimed nine points from 10 games, and six from seven under new boss Matt Bloomfield, meaning they’re now in 23rd, five points adrift of safety.
To ensure our latest headlines always appear at the top of your Google searches, click here
Is Rowett the right man for City? Click HERE to have your say.