REWRITE HISTORY
Shakespeare will be centre stage if Foxes beat Sevilla
AS Craig shakespeare gave his first public address since being named Leicester’s manager until the end of this season, the subject of his 92 per cent approval rating among fans was raised.
The Leicester Mercury newspaper polled more than 13,000 people and the overwhelming response was the stuff of dreams for presidents and prime ministers.
‘Of course the results helped,’ said shakespeare, who led Leicester to victories over Liverpool then Hull. ‘If we’d have lost both games it would have probably been one or two per cent — and that would have been my family! That’s the industry we’re in.’
It was a glimpse into the kind of self-effacing humour shakespeare has employed on the training pitches at Leicester for seven of the last eight seasons and gives evidence as to why the players, according to Danny Drinkwater, are firmly behind his appointment on a longer-term basis.
Moving from amiable assistant to hard-nosed manager is the next, tricky step, but beating sevilla tonight would ease the transition and place shakespeare’s name into Leicester folklore.
Another percentage provides tantalising context here. shakespeare has been No 1 in three previous games and each has ended in a scoreline that would achieve progression past sevilla. Those 3- 1 victories against Hull and Liverpool were preceded by a 2-0 win for West Brom over Crystal Palace inn 2006 as shakespeare made hiss caretaker manager debut.
should the 53-year- old main- tain that particular 100 per cent t record in the face of a 2-1 firstleg defeat we begin to enter into the territory of Roberto Dii Matteo and Tony Barton, who o each lifted the European Cup p having been placed in temporary y command by their clubs only months earlier.
Chelsea benefited gloriously from a change in 2012, just as Aston Villa did in 1982 and shakespeare did not attempt to douse aspirations Leicester might do the same.
‘Why not?’ he said when asked if they could win the Champions League. ‘We have to be competitive and show determination, and s show all of that against sevilla.’
The first leg last month proved to be Claudio Ranieri’s final game in charge. But shakespeare preferred to focus on the future, setting the scene for another dynamic occasion at a ground that has stirred momentously m many times before.
‘It will be a special occasion,’ he s said. ‘I’m expecting the team to play on the front foot. That is not saying we are going to be open, but it makes for a very interesting game.’
Although sevilla’s attacking carousel almost submerged Leicester in spain, Jamie Vardy’s away goal gives the English champions a chance. Further, Jorge sampaoli’s team have suffered a mini- blip, drawing their last two games to modest Alaves and lowly Leganes. Add in the fact Leicester won all three of their group games at home and the tie is very much alive.
sampaoli is sufficiently concerned. ‘I’m worried about the team’s behaviour,’ said the sevilla boss after the home draw to Leganes. ‘We know that it will be difficult for us to advance in the Champions League.’ Asked about Ranieri’s dismissal he said: ‘I found it very, very surprising. He basically changed the course of history for his team.’
sitting in the conference room at the King Power, Drinkwater provided strong backing for shakespeare to stay in charge beyond this summer.
‘We were very happy to see him get it short term, I’m sure it would be the same reaction longer term,’ he said.
The midfielder gave an insight into how shakespeare has tweaked things at the club. ‘ He wants us to do the simple things and hopefully the rest will shine through,’ said Drinkwater.
That includes penalties. ‘ We practised them,’ said shakespeare. ‘They were good.’