Top Soccer Story: Ranieri Out as Leicester City Manager

Less than a year after hoisting the Championship trophy of the English Premier League and leading his club to one of the most historic championship runs in the history of the EPL, Claudio Ranieri has been fired from his job as manager of Leicester City Football Club. Professional football is a m*therf*cker. What could have gone so terribly wrong that Leicester City, who ran away with the championship last year, are now one measly point away from the relegation zone?

Some say it's because their squad isn't deep enough to compete in the UEFA Champions League (where they're actually doing pretty well) and the Premiership at the same time. Others say it's Jamie Vardy's collapse. Others say Ranieri "lost the locker room" because of his strange tactical decisions this year. Whatever the reason...he's out. And that's life in the cruel world of English professional football.

A number of managers like Jose Mourinho and Jurgen Klopp have come out in support of Ranieri but other than showing empathy for a colleague, there's nothing else that can be done. Assistant Manager Craig Shakespeare is in charge for now, and speculation is of course rampant about who will replace Ranieri, with the likes of former Leicester manager Nigel Pearson, Harry Redknap, Roy Hodgson and even Newcastle's former harried boss Alan Pardew reportedly in the mix.