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'Windsurfer' Ranieri vows to ride out the storm

Claudio Ranieri believes he can lead Leicester to calmer waters as the "sharks" begin to circle.

The under-pressure boss on Tuesday received a vote of confidence from the club's Thai owners, who pledged their "unwavering support" for Ranieri amid a woeful defence of their Premier League title.

The Italian, whose team are just one point above the drop zone after last Sunday's 3-0 home defeat by Manchester United, said that the public backing was more for the benefit of the media, whom he described as "sharks".

Reports also surfaced recently that Ranieri has been losing his grip on the dressing room after confusing players with tactics and team selection, but Ranieri insisted everything was normal.

"Now there are a lot of sharks, and I am the windsurfer," he told a number of national newspapers ahead of the Foxes' FA Cup fourth-round replay with Derby this morning (Singapore time).

"I accept this. This is our life.

"Last season was a fairy tale, this season is not a fairy tale. But it is okay. Now it is important to be positive without bad, bad words.

"It is the same as last season. I speak the same s***** English and they understand me.

"It's important that they understand me. We try to do our best but, this season, everything is wrong, but we are still fighting and that is my strength.

"That is important for me to see how they speak together, how they speak with me to try to improve some situations, what we are doing well and not doing well.

"We speak every time about what we need to improve and it's okay, with all my staff and everybody.

"I say to my players, 'My door is always open'. Sometimes I come to them and sometimes they come to me.

"It's a fantastic relationship. They understand everything well. I think this (club statement) is for you, not for me, because I know the idea of the chairman of the club and everybody."

Leicester have won only five league games this season.

On Monday morning, they will travel to 17th-placed Swansea, a team directly below them in the table by virtue of an inferior goal difference. - PA SPORT

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