Saturday 24 December 2016 17:24, UK
Claudio Ranieri says 2016 was the 'best' year of his career after his Leicester side clinched the Premier League title last season.
The Foxes are struggling in the lower reaches of the top flight this campaign, but that has done nothing to dispel Ranieri's delight that his hard work had finally paid off after so many decades in management.
"I never won a [league] title before, so for this reason it's the best [year]," he told Sky Sports. "But I also can't forget where I started from, like Jamie Vardy [who began in non-league] and I slowly, slowly climbed through the leagues and after 30 years I won the title. It means I worked so hard, and for this reason I'm very pleased.
"I'm also pleased with a lot of people from the club and the chairman because I wanted to come back to England. I love the spirit, the atmosphere and everything around the football here.
"When I arrived I met the people in Leicester and felt a fantastic electricity. The chairman always gave us a lot of positive energy, which is important for the manager and all the staff around me. It was an amazing, amazing year."
Ranieri has built up a close bond with his playing squad at Leicester, and said the relationship he had with his team was a key part of their surge towards the title.
Discussing his philosophy, the Italian said he likes to treat his players like men as well as footballers, while not pinning blame on them for any mistakes.
"I'm not friends with my players but I am very close with them," he said. "It's my character, when I speak with the players I speak to the man every time, because for me football is similar to life, and in both you can win or lose. You can have bad moments, but if you are strong and stay together then you [will get through them].
"That's why I don't want to speak about players or blame them for mistakes. I say to them: 'I make mistakes, everybody makes mistakes'. What's important is to understand where you've made the mistake, watch the highlights then go on the pitch and try to improve. That's my philosophy.
"It's too easy to say: 'You are wrong'. You can do that for one year or two years, but then you are finished. I think the man who says he doesn't make mistakes is not the right man in my opinion."
Ranieri also said he has been overwhelmed by the support received from all the over the world due to Leicester's triumph, while also admitting to being taken aback by the backing they received from opponents last season.
"I receive a lot of letters from all over the world, I feel like we were adopted as a second team by so many people," he said.
"Also something that had never happened in my life, when we played the last seven or eight matches of the season our opponents would come to me [after the match] and say: 'Well done, try to win'. It was amazing."
Leicester lost just won key player from their squad over the summer as N'Golo Kante went to Chelsea. But Ranieri insists the Frenchman's departure is not the reason for their league slump this season, and that everyone in his squad was equally essential.
"Every player was very important for us," he said. "Those who don't play and then you say: 'Hey, now 10 minutes give me the max'. That's important for me.
"The first XI are important but you win with the other players who go into training and work hard because they knew sooner or later I would need them and they must be prepared to give me 100 per cent. So thank you to the first XI, but thank you to the other people as well."
Leicester have reached the last 16 of the Champions League after coming top of their group, and Ranieri said that the Foxes have already matched his expectations by reaching this stage.
As for the Premier League, Leicester are just three points and three places above the drop zone, and the boss insists that 40 points and survival is still their target.
"We are underdogs because it's the first time we've played in it," he said. "A lot of people say Sevilla is a good draw, but they won three [Europa League] titles in a row! It's not easy for us, but it's a little dream. The most important thing for me was to get to the knockouts.
"With the Premier League it's 40 points to be safe. I hope the match against Stoke was right for us and changed our mood and try again to start now."
See more from Claudio Ranieri's interview with Sky Sports News HQ on Christmas Eve and don't miss Leicester's trip to Middlesbrough on Sky Sports 1 on Monday January 2.
