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Sean Dyche has emerged as the frontrunner to replace Ruud van Nistelrooy as Leicester City manager.
EFL Analysis’ Chief Football Correspondent Graeme Bailey understands that the reports of Van Nistelrooy being sacked on 1 July are true and that work is being done to find his replacement.
Danny Rohl has been linked with the Leicester job as he looks for a way out of Sheffield Wednesday but fresh developments have suggested that Dyche is now the leading candidate to take the reins at the King Power Stadium.
Dyche will have an almighty task on his hands as he has to deal with Leicester’s possible points deduction, but news of him becoming a favourite shouldn’t be a surprise to many.
Sean Dyche is very close to Leicester City’s Jon Rudkin
It’s not a case of what you know, it’s who you know in life. In this case, Leicester’s controversial director of football Jon Rudkin is someone that Dyche knows very well.
Speaking on the Rest is Football earlier this year, the former Everton manager revealed that the Foxes were one of the clubs he would watch when not working due to his relationship with Rudkin.
He said: “When I came out of Watford and was living in Northampton, I only went to clubs in my area or people I knew, so I went to Leicester because I knew Jon Rudkin really well from the youth days.”
Additionally, the 53-year-old was born in Kettering, which isn’t far from Leicester and the geographical location may entice him to take the job and move closer to home.
How would Sean Dyche set up as Leicester City manager?
Over the years, Dyche has developed a reputation for being a pragmatic manager focused on long balls and old-school defenders.
That’s harsh to say, but what we do know is that the Englishman typically likes to deploy a 4-4-2 formation.
That could spell bad news for the likes of Jeremy Monga and Will Alves, who thrive in the 4-2-3-1 setup.
Two strikers up top is a rarity in this day and age, his counter-attacking style of play is reminiscent to the Nigel Pearson era – a period that is held dearly in Leicester hearts.