"Many Photos" - Leicester boss Puel has kick-started the careers of some of the world’s best

CLAUDE PUEL will face more calls for his head if Leicester fail to beat Crystal Palace at home on Saturday.

However, if fickle Foxes fans put Le Guillotine away for now and hold their nerve, they could be pleasantly surprised by what the much- maligned Frenchman can achieve, given time and a bit of patience.

Puel was ordered by late owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha to slash the average age of the first team and build a bright new Leicester to rival the club’s legendary 2016 title winners — which Puel has since discovered is not exactly child’s play.

Yet in his last match against Spurs at Wembley, Puel, 57, stubbornly stuck to his young guns and fielded SEVEN players aged 22 or under.

Puel’s pups Ben Chilwell, Wilfred Ndidi, James Maddison and Demarai Gray, all aged 22 and 21-year-olds Youri Tielemans and Harvey Barnes all started, while Kelechi Iheanacho, 22, came off the bench and Hamza Choudhury, 21, was an unused sub.

Leicester managed 20 shots at goal to Spurs’ seven but still went down 3-1 to Mauricio Pochettino’s more experienced side.

Now take a glance at this team of youngsters Puel put his faith in at a similar age at his previous clubs.

And before you pull the trigger Foxes fans, here’s a team of kids Puel prepared earlier!

Claude Puel has pulled off some unbelievable signings over the years

Getty Images - Getty

HUGO LLORIS

Lyon: First-team debut 21 years old

Puel signed the keeper from Nice for £7.4million in 2008. Last year Lloris became a national icon as the French captain who lifted the World Cup.

Claude Puel signed Hugo Lloris for Lyon from Nice in 2008

AFP - Getty

WILLY SAGNOL

Monaco: 22

Frenchman first came through the reserves under Puel. Won Champions League and five Bundesliga titles at Bayern Munich. Played in the 2006 World Cup final.

Willy Sagnol came through the reserves at Monaco undel Puel

PA:Empics Sport

ADIL RAMI

Lille: 21

Signed from Fourth Division French amateurs Frejus for £8,500. Went on to win Europa League with Sevilla and the 2018 World Cup.

Adil Rami was signed for a bargain £8,500 fee

AFP - Getty

DANTE

Lille: 20

Joined Puel from Brazil’s Juventude. Found fame at Bayern, winning 2012 Champs League and four Bundesliga’s.

Dante, left, joined Puel at Lille from Juventude

AFP or licensors

RAFAEL MARQUEZ

Monaco: 21

Puel paid Atlas Guadalajara £3.9m for the promising youngster. Marquez won two Champions League crowns and four La Liga titles with Barcelona. Mexico’s greatest-ever defender played in five World Cups.

Rafael Marquez is regarded as Mexico’s greatest ever defender

Getty - Contributor

ERIC ABIDAL

Monaco: 21

Plucked from amateurs Lyon-Duchere for free. Then signed him again aged 22 for Lille for £260,000. Won Champions League twice at Barca.

Eric Abidal was signed from amateurs Lyon-Duchere for free

AFP

JOHN ARNE RIISE

Monaco: 19

Signed from Norway’s Aalesunds aged 18 and soon stepped up to Monaco’s first team. Won 2005 Champions League with Liverpool.

John Arne Riise was plucked from Norwegian side Aalesunds

PA:Empics Sport

LUDOVIC GIULY

Monaco: 22

Won Ligue 1 with Monaco before joining Barca. Won 2006 Champions League and two La Liga titles.

Ludovic Giuly won the league title with Monaco before joining Barca

Getty - Contributor

EDEN HAZARD

Lille: 16

Puel handed the Belgian starlet his senior debut in a friendly v Bruges and swiftly promoted him to his first team.

Lille later sold him to Chelsea for £32m. Has won two Premier League titles, the FA Cup, League Cup and Europa League with the Blues, as well as finishing third with Belgium at last year’s World Cup in Russia.

Puel handed Eden Hazard his senior debut at Lille

AFP

DAVID TREZEGUET

Monaco: 21

Helped Jean Tigana bring him through Monaco first team and later became his boss before Italian giants Juventus swooped to sign the youngster for £23.5m. Won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 with Les Bleus.

David Trezequet won the World Cup and Euros with France

News Group Newspapers Ltd

THIERRY HENRY

Monaco: 21

The Arsenal legend only played one first-team game for Puel before being sold to Juventus for £11m.

However, the Leicester boss was his assistant manager during his formative years at Monaco. Henry has won the World Cup, European Championship and Champions League with Barcelona.

Thierry Henry played just one first team game under Puel

Hulton Archive - Getty

SUBS: Karim Benzema (20), Miralem Pjanic (18), Dejan Lovren (21), Alexandre Lacazette (19), Sidney Govou (20), Stephan Lichtsteiner (21), Mathieu Debuchy (18), Yohan Cabaye (18).

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News Photo Leicester boss Puel has kick-started the careers of some of the world’s best
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