Leicester owner Srivaddhanaprabha says who he blames for downfall amid Jon Rudkin anger

Leicester City owner Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha has stood behind director of football Jon Rudkin despite fan anger.

Marti Cifuentes was sacked by Leicester on Sunday, with the club now in the process of hiring the Spaniard’s replacement.

A club statement confirmed that Andy King would lead the team while the replacement process progresses, with Rudkin expected to take a major hand in the decision.

Russell Martin is the bookies’ favourite for the Leicester job, after he was sacked by Rangers in October.

Stoke City manager Mark Robins has also been linked with Leicester, with an appointment expected in the coming weeks.

Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha makes Jon Rudkin admission

Rudkin was appointed as Leicester‘s director of football in 2014, with the miracle Premier League-winning season of 2015-16 coming shortly after.

The Foxes enjoyed several years of competition in the top flight in the years after, but the downfall since 2022 has been severe.

The 2021-22 season saw Leicester finish eighth in the Premier League, but when Brendan Rodgers left in April 2023, they were doomed to relegation.

Enzo Maresca led the club straight back up when his side won the Championship in 2024, but it would be an even worse campaign that saw them relegated once again last season.

Now, Cifuentes has left the Foxes 14th and six points from the play-offs, leaving some fans fearing the worst for the immediate future.

Rudkin has taken much of the blame for the poor recruitment and questionable decisions over the years that have left Leicester in this position, but Srivaddhanaprabha has refused to pin the blame on him.

“Jon is [seen as] like a bad cop,” he told The Telegraph on Tuesday. “When we won the Premier League, it was because of Jon too, but nobody talks about that anymore.

“We are trying to find a black spot in a white sheet all the time, which is normal, I do the same. Many clubs make mistakes. No club buys the right players all the time.

“We used to be very good. We have to be clear so that people, the scouting team, can work towards the system we’re going to play. It’s not about Jon choosing players alone, so blame him.

“I never blame anyone. Everyone has to share the responsibility, all four of us. I think he needs support and that is why I’ve come to my decision to change the structure to make sure that everything is the right way going forward.”

Jamie Vardy footage reveals attitude towards Rudkin

In a recent video, Leicester legend Jamie Vardy was seen interacting with fans with his wife, Rebekah, reportedly in the background.

The striker left the Foxes at the end of last season, and is now plying his trade with Serie A side Cremonese.

A fan is captured in the video asking Vardy whether he will come back to Leicester, to which a voice off camera, reportedly belonging to the Englishman’s wife, responds: “Not while Jon Rudkin’s there.”

Leicester will hope their next manager can avert the heat from Rudkin and those above him, with fan anger beginning to boil over.

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