Leicester City's 2016 Premier League title triumph remains a landmark moment in football history, achieved under the ownership of Thai billionaire Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, who took control of the club in 2010. Claudio Ranieri, the manager who led Leicester to that improbable title, has reflected on Srivaddhanaprabha's profound impact, describing him as "an extraordinarily kind man" whose presence was deeply felt by players and staff. Srivaddhanaprabha died in a helicopter crash outside King Power Stadium in October 2018, a moment Ranieri called "a truly painful" event. The former manager recalled personal gestures, such as Srivaddhanaprabha arriving at the dressing room with a birthday cake minutes before training, an act Ranieri said would be "unimaginable" in Italy. Since the owner's death, Leicester's fortunes have sharply declined. The club, once Premier League champions, now faces the reality of playing in League One next season after consecutive relegations from the Premier League and the Championship. Ranieri expressed sadness seeing Leicester struggle near the bottom of the Championship table, a stark contrast to the heights reached during Srivaddhanaprabha's tenure. He hoped the late owner is watching the 10-year anniversary of the title win with pride and happiness.
Leicester's fall from Premier League champions to League One is a direct reflection of how much the club relied on Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha's leadership and vision. His absence has left a void that no on-field tactic or managerial change has been able to fill. No Nigerian or African player featured in this story.
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