I don't think that Ranieri was or is a pathetic manager. far from it. As his history proves. Never likely to be considered a Great, nonetheless, he has been entrusted with high quality teams and hardly failed to at least show competency. Considering he built much of the team at Chelsea, which went on to great success, and steadied our ship as we sailed back into the top flight, achieving a very respectable 3rd, then helping us on our way to 2nd, only a fool would call him pathetic...
Yes, he had lost the dressing room by the time he was culled. But he can obviously manage. he knows how to make a team solid and functional. And also has an interesting character.
i wanted him OUT when he was expelled from our ranks, but that was not because i don't rate him as a manager. It was more due to the fact that he seemed to have taken us as far as his talents allowed, and I wasn't keen on his transfer policy.
Only the Poulsen for Alonso routine bothered me immensely.
And compared to Ciro, he is galactic class.