Parma stint 'tougher than winning Premier League with Leicester', says Ranieri

Claudio Ranieri says keeping Parma up in 2007 was a harder task than winning the Premier League with Leicester City.

Source: AAP

The veteran Italian coach, currently at Sampdoria, discussed the ups and downs of his career with Sky Sports Italia.

Parma were having a poor 2006-07 Serie A season, languishing in a relegation battle when they sacked Stefano Pioli (AC Milan's current manager).

Ranieri was brought in more than halfway through the season, in February, tasked with survival.

He turned their season around with 17 points in 10 matches (compared to Pioli's 15 points in 23) with goals finally flowing.

Parma survived, finishing 12th on a tightly-packed league table, three points above relegated Chievo.

“My wife convinced me to take that [Parma] job," the 'Tinkerman' said.

"They were a team that wanted to secure safety from relegation, and it was ultimately an even tougher task than winning the Premier League with Leicester City.

“I arrived at Parma in mid-February 2007, and was thrown straight in with no friendlies or tests.

"But the lads were marvellous and did everything I asked. And I will always remember the Parma fans.”

That impressive stint earned him the Juventus manager job.

It hasn't all been peachy, though, in Ranieri's storied coaching career - as he also discussed regrets like his 2004 Valencia stint.

"I was coming off four years at Chelsea and I knew at the time it was a bad idea,” he said.

“They had just won the Liga title and UEFA Cup, but did not have a squad capable of repeating that.

"When things went badly, they sacked me. I was so upset I took a year off from coaching."

His time at some of Italy's biggest clubs, like Juve and Inter Milan, was also underwhelming.

“I arrived at Juventus in a tough moment for them and I don’t think I could have done anything more.

"There were only five champions in that squad and a lot of kids.

“As for the Nerazzurri, I followed Jose Mourinho.

"We managed seven wins in a row, but at Christmas the club sold Thiago Motta and Philippe Coutinho, so the squad fell apart.”