LONDON – Leicester
City have confirmed the
sacking of Craig Shakespeare, just four months after handing him a permanent
contract to manage the former Premier League champions.
Shakespeare, 53, was promoted from his role as assistant
coach on an interim basis following the shock dismissal of Claudio Ranieri in
February, and in June, he was handed a three-year contract.
But the 2015-16 champions have struggled this season and are
third from bottom of the table with a single league win.
Leicester vice chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha said on
Tuesday: “Craig has been a great servant to Leicester City
– during his spells as an assistant manager and since taking over as manager in
challenging circumstances in February.
“His dedication to the club and to his work has been
absolute, and the contribution he made to the most successful period in Leicester City history is considerable.
“However, our early promise under Craig’s management has not
been consistently evident in the months since and the Board feels that,
regrettably, a change is necessary to keep the club moving forward – consistent
with the long-term expectations of our supporters, board and owners.
“Craig is and will remain a very popular, respected figure
at Leicester City and will be welcome back at King
Power Stadium in future, both professionally and as a friend of the Club.”
Former Blackburn and Portsmouth
boss Michael Appleton, who had been working as Shakespeare’s assistant, will be
Leicester’s caretaker manager for Saturday’s Premier League trip to Swansea.
Among the bookmakers’ early favourites for the job are
former England boss Sam
Allardyce, who left Crystal Palace at the end of last season, Wales coach Chris Coleman, Burnley
manager Sean Dyche and Zenit St
Petersburg chief Roberto Mancini.
Shakespeare’s appointment earlier this year sparked a striking upturn in form that saw Leicester secure their Premier League status and reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
Reacting to Tuesday’s development, former Leicester and England player Gary Lineker tweeted: “Was always a miracle, but it’s even more remarkable really that Leicester won the league given the ineptitude of those that run the club.”
Shakespeare had no previous managerial experience when he stepped into the hot seat following Ranieri’s dismissal, which came with Leicester a point above the relegation zone.
But he inspired the team to five straight league wins and they finished the season in a respectable 12th place.
Shakespeare was given around £60 million to spend on players in the summer transfer window, and splashed out on striker Kelechi Iheanacho, Harry Maguire and Vicente Iborra, but Leicester’s only Premier League win came against newly promoted Brighton in August.
Their only other points have been picked up in draws against Huddersfield, Bournemouth and West Brom, while Shakespeare oversaw wins against Sheffield United and Liverpool in the League Cup.
He is the second managerial casualty of the Premier League season following the dismissal of Frank de Boer from the Crystal Palace job.