Leicester City: Claudio Ranieri sets sights on 10th after historic Premier League triumph
Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri has downplayed his team's chances of retaining the Premier League trophy, less than 24 hours after they secured the title.
The Foxes' 12-month transformation from relegation fodder to champions of England was completed on Monday night after Tottenham failed to beat Chelsea.
Their triumph has already gone down as one of the greatest sporting upsets of all time and Ranieri, who had never previously won a league title in a 30-year managerial career, is unsure his history boys can repeat the feat.
"No, I think no," answered the Italian when asked if Leicester would win back-to-back titles.
"But of course we want to build…We know very well we have to fight for 10th position. We want to do our best. I'm positive and I want to fight.
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"Yes, a top 10 target, to make a very good campaign in Europe and the Cup and to make sure the season is safe and then something more."
The 64-year-old and his team were showered with praise from the football world and beyond on Tuesday for a feat which bookmakers had considered a 5,000/1 long shot at the start of the season.
Jose Mourinho, who succeeded Ranieri at Chelsea in 2004, said: "I lost my title to Claudio Ranieri and it is with incredible emotion that I live this magic moment."
Former Leicester City striker and Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker gushed: "It's extraordinary…I got a bit emotional at the end of the game. I just couldn't hold it back, it was quite hard to breathe the last few minutes to be honest."
Ranieri, who will pocket a £5m bonus for winning the league, may even be awarded the freedom of Leicester according to mayor Sir Peter Soulsby who said: "I'm sure we'll want to recognise what's been an amazing achievement for Claudio and an amazing team."
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Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore believes that Leicester's triumph will now help them develop into a popular global brand.
"People like winners, don't they?" he said. "Ultimately, when people are winning, people latch onto them. And therefore across Asia we're already seeing this – not just in Thailand but across the world as well – we are seeing people turning on to the Leicester phenomenon.
"And that will happen as any club becomes a winning club. As this whole thing grows, so will Leicester's supporter base."