IN a previous, less successful managerial life, Claudio was the Tinkerman.
The Italian avoided those old temptations last season by sticking with a settled side and a recognised formation — and promptly lobbed a huge stone into the foreheads of all the so-called Premier League giants.
Leicester’s opponents yesterday, Manchester United, along with City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs, have spent these last three months healing those embarrassing wounds and plotting revenge on the East Midlands upstarts.
Those of us who predicated a nightmare first season for Ranieri at the King Power should probably remain ultra- cautious. But even with Leicester’s ability of sticking two fingers up at anyone who doubts them, this team will surely not retain the title.
Equally, as they demonstrated at Wembley, there is no chance the champions will be dragged away from the party without kicking, screaming and causing one hell of a commotion.
Over this next season we will see the same old Leicester.
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An organised, dynamic and at times, bruising and crafty set of individuals who will be a complete pain in the backside to play against. One of their key players, N’Golo Kante has left while Ranieri has brought in five new players, including the exciting Ahmed Musa.
Yet there will be no obvious tactical change. The Foxes will be happy to sit back, counter-attack and then feast on a mistake in the way Jamie Vardy punished Marouane Fellaini’s cock-up.
Ranieri will have been disappointed with both goals conceded to Jesse Lingard and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, as these were out of character for a side which has been built on defensive stability and plays as though it should be in Serie A.
The Italian will undoubtedly attempt to play with the same intensity and similar 4-4-2 system which worked so well last term.
So do not expect any shocks when the club begins their defence at Hull on Saturday or a week later against Arsenal.
It seems the biggest problem for Leicester’s players will be what is between their ears.
Everything has changed in their lives both on the pitch and off it. The pressures and expectations have changed.
Although they failed to do so, beating United would no longer be considered an out-of-this-world shock.
And they have the problem of being everyone’s second-favourite team in the Premier League. Before and after the final whistle, Leicester’s players were applauded by United’s fans and this is likely to be repeated in what could be a season-long victory parade around the country.
Ranieri would never admit it but their best plan would be to put all their eggs in the Champions League basket and attempt to go as far as possible in a competition they are unlikely to feature in again.
Depending on the draw, top English seeds Leicester could get into the knockout stages of Europe but something would have to give way — and that should be the league.
For Leicester’s fans, still wondering whether the month of May was some weird dream, they will continue to embrace this golden age of the Fox.
And they certainly generated another excellent atmosphere in the sunshine at Wembley in their first visit to the national stadium since beating Tranmere to win the League Cup in 2000.
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