Leicester City boss Marti Cifuentes is facing dismissal should his side fail to defeat Derby County this weekend, with Russell Martin being lined up as a potential successor, reports Football Insider.
Leicester City have experienced a chaotic few years since the heights of winning the Premier League, lifting the FA Cup, and embarking on a European run.
They now find themselves back in the Championship for the second time in three seasons, and the mission to return to the top flight appears more challenging than ever.
Marti Cifuentes’ team are faltering in 16th place with an even tally of six victories, six draws, and six losses. The Foxes must mount a significant push to break into the top six, and that task will only become harder once a points deduction is enforced.
Because of that disappointing start under his leadership, Cifuentes is now at risk of being dismissed, according to Football Insider. Failure to secure a result against Derby County, who have won six of their last eight matches, could spell the end for Cifuentes.
The outlet claims that Russell Martin could be considered to replace the Spaniard. Martin has been unemployed since being dismissed by Rangers earlier in the campaign and replaced by former Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl.
Cifuentes has endured a very difficult spell as Leicester manager:
Amid financial instability behind the scenes at Leicester City, spending was restricted until late in the transfer window. As a result, Cifuentes had no pre-season with the squad he currently works with.
The Spaniard began the campaign with players like Bilal El Khannouss, Kasey McAteer and James Justin in his lineup. However, with all of them departing and three of their five new signings arriving on deadline day, preparation has been inadequate.
That has shown as the season has progressed. LCFC have struggled to build any rhythm this term, and that inconsistency could cost Cifuentes his job.
The former QPR boss might feel unfortunate if he is removed by Leicester City. However, his team have simply not been good enough this season, leaving them 16th in the Championship standings.
Russell Martin would be a gamble in LCFC’s current situation:
Martin did achieve promotion from the Championship in his last spell in the division. However, that Southampton squad was far stronger than Leicester City’s current group, and he had time to fully implement his approach.
Since that promotion, Martin has found things difficult. The Saints suffered a near record-setting relegation back to the Championship, and in his brief tenure at Rangers, he won only five of 17 matches.
Bringing him to LCFC right now would be a substantial gamble for everyone involved. If the club are not cautious, they could very easily be pulled into a relegation fight, with several teams beneath them expected to improve.