Shakespeare pens new act in Leicester fairytale
london — A relative unknown on the global football scene just weeks ago, Craig Shakespeare now stands poised to steer Leicester City into the quarterfinals of the Champions League.
The jocular coach was promoted from his role as assistant manager following Claudio Ranieri’s shock dismissal last month, which he said left him feeling like a “pantomime villain”.
But Leicester have won their two games under Shakespeare’s stewardship and will attempt to overturn a 2-1 deficit in Tuesday’s last 16 second leg at home to Sevilla with confidence fully restored.
“He is a top coach, a top guy and he has taken it on naturally,” says Leicester right-back Danny Simpson.
“He has kept it simple and told us what he wanted to do, which was simple and basic, and we’ve done that, so let’s hope we can carry it on for him.”
Leicester’s players were said to have been unsettled by Ranieri’s tactical tinkering as the club slid towards the Premier League relegation zone and Shakespeare has unashamedly gone back to basics.
He has reverted to the starting XI that won the title last season, with January signing Wilfred Ndidi
he is a top coach, a top guy and he has taken it on naturally
Danny Simpson
taking the place of N’Golo Kante, now of Chelsea.
Leicester produced a stirring display in Shakespeare’s first game, Jamie Vardy scoring twice in a 3-1 home win over Liverpool, and came from behind to beat Hull City 3-1 on their last outing.
The squad subsequently spent time training and relaxing in Dubai, before Shakespeare was confirmed as manager until the end of the season on Sunday. It is his first full-time managerial role.
The 53-year-old has faced criticism in some quarters for putting his hand up for Ranieri’s job, former Arsenal defender Martin Keown branding it “almost out of order”.
But Leicester’s players and fans have been universally supportive, while Shakespeare himself has been sanguine.
Those closely involved with the club say the good-humoured Shakespeare played a pivotal role behind the scenes during last season’s 5,000-1 title success. —