Premier League: Leicester City owners back under-fire manager Claude Puel despite team's slump in form

London: Leicester boss Claude Puel said the former Premier League champions must suffer short-term pain for long-term gain after receiving the backing of the club’s Thai owners on Friday. [caption id=“attachment_4177173” align=“alignleft” width=“381”]  File photo of Claude Puel. Reuters[/caption] The Frenchman, at the centre of speculation over his future following a poor run, met with chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and son Top with the King Power Stadium chiefs offering him their support. Puel’s side are ninth in the Premier League but he has come under fire after just two wins in their past 11 Premier League games, including a 5-0 hammering at Crystal Palace last week. Puel could also see the break-up of the remaining 2016 title-winning team with the futures of Wes Morgan, Robert Huth, Danny Simpson and Riyad Mahrez in doubt this summer. But the former Southampton manager said it was important to focus on the long term. “We have to endure this short-term pain for long-term gain,” said Puel, ahead of Saturday’s Premier League visit of West Ham. “It’s a summary but it’s important because we’ve put in place the foundations, we’ve improved a lot but at the end of the season we wasted a little of the benefits. “It (the meeting) is a normal thing at the end of the season to bring together all the energy for the last games. It was important to have this good support from our owner. It’s not just about me, it’s the support for all the people in the club.” Puel said he understood that results for the 2015/16 Premier League champions had to improve. “I’m not under pressure,” he said. “I’m pragmatic, I know my work, I know what we need to do and what we want for the end of the season.”