It wasn't supposed to happen like this, not after the miracle we witnessed last season. But football is an unforgiving beast and nine months after leading Leicester City to the Premier League title, Claudio Ranieri has been sacked as their manager. Those things that the Foxes inspired on the way to that 5000-1 trophy, defying the traditional and financial powers, those don't appear to matter now that they're flirting with relegation. Most fans would have taken relegation to win the title this time a year ago. That was with the title still to look forward to though and with only the downside to come, tough decisions had to be made.

Yet was it worth it? Was it worth souring the greatest achievement in modern football to take a gamble that someone else might have a better chance of salvaging top flight survival? Would relegation have been that bad, even? Would relegation have tarnished the fairy tale more than sacking Ranieri tarnishes the fairy tale?

To be honest, I wrote about all that last week so there's no reason to regurgitate (even though the firing is pretty sickening). Instead it's a time for primal emotions, the likes of which are best surmised in the purity of poetic verse...

The Day They Sacked Ranieri

once we dreamed that passion was vital
once we dreamed that triumph was free
once we dreamed that dreams were enough
          (that was before)
          they sacked Ranieri

once we feared that greed was engulfing
once we feared that success had a fee
once we feared that romance was dying
          (that was before)
          they hired Ranieri

one day he awoke and he rose as a champion
one day he awoke and he rose as a king
one day he awoke and he rose as a hero
one day he awoke and they told him to go
    
that was the day
          they sacked Ranieri