REVOLTING
‘Cheesed-off and raw’ players demand some answers over shock Shakespeare sacking
LEICESTER’S “cheesed off” stars are demanding answers from the club over the surprise sacking of boss Craig Shakespeare.
The Foxes’ Thai owners, led by Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha (above, left), are facing a players’ backlash after axing Shakespeare just eight games into the Premier League season.
Caretaker boss Michael Appleton last night revealed he faced questions from players during a “raw” team meeting, the first since Shakespeare got his P45 with City in the bottom three.
Appleton (above, right), who is in charge for an awkward test at Swansea tomorrow, said: “The meeting before we went out to training was a little bit raw.
“People were disappointed and wanted questions answering, but I’m not the person for that.
“Coming off the pitch, from lads who were a little bit cheesed off first thing and down in the dumps in the meeting, they actually had smiles on their faces because they enjoyed the session.”
Appleton, 41, admitted he could not answer players’ questions, but hinted he will allow them to approach the hierarchy directly after the game at the Liberty Stadium.
“The questions are for certain senior members of staff and not myself,” he said.
“I didn’t release Craig and I’m not sure of the reasons.
“If there’s a million and one questions thrown at me regarding ‘why this’ and ‘why that’ then they’re probably asking the wrong person. I’m sure those conversations will take place over the coming days. But from my point of view, I’d rather they didn’t take place going into the build-up to a game.
“I fully expect the focus to be on the game and then if people want to raise those questions, I’m sure they’ll be more than happy to do that at a different date.”
Appleton played down suggestions that men who have tackled four of the Premier League’s Big Six already this season, should be blamed for Shakespeare’s fate.
“I’m sure there is a sense of responsibility but the feeling within the camp is that there wasn’t that much wrong,” he said. “So it’s hard to pinpoint responsibility on a group of players when the atmosphere and the feeling within the group was actually a positive one.”
Speaking for the first time since his sacking, 53-year-old Shakespeare said last night: “I have every confidence that, given time and once at full strength, this squad will pull away from its current Premier League position and soon deliver the high levels of performance they have demonstrated over the past three seasons.
“I’d like to wish Leicester City every success for the future, as I move on to the next challenge in my career.” READING boss Jaap Stam is ready to raid his old club Manchester United for striker James Wilson.
Stam tried to sign the 21-year-old (above) in the summer and wants to revive the move when the transfer window reopens in January.
Former Holland star Stam said: “We are looking at certain players who can improve the squad and bring quality.”
Wilson, loaned to Brighton and Derby in previous campaigns, was sidelined for almost a year by a knee injury – but has been a regular scorer in United’s Under-23 team this season.