Craig Shakespeare has been sacked as manager of Leicester City, according to sources. The Foxes have won just once in eight Premier League games this season and the club have decided to part with Shakespeare less than 24 hours after a 1-1 draw with West Brom on Monday Night Football. The 53-year-old is understood to have been told of the decision in a meeting after taking charge of a behind-closed-doors friendly against Nottingham Forest on Tuesday morning, which kicked-off at 11am.
Shakespeare had assisted Claudio Ranieri during the Premier League title triumph in 2015-16 and then succeeded him, at first on a caretaker basis, in February before signing a three-year contract to take the job permanently in June. The popular coach won his first six matches in charge, including victories over Liverpool in the Premier League and Sevilla in the Champions League knockout stage, and won twice more to ensure safety in the top flight. The Foxes spent around £60m on new players in the summer, including £25m on striker Kelechi Iheanacho and £15m on Sevilla’s skipper Vincent Iborra, but sold key player Danny Drinkwater and failed to replace him with Adrien Silva by missing the transfer deadline by 14 seconds.
Sky Sports football expert Tony Gale told Sky Sports News on Tuesday that Shakespeare needed the backing of the club’s hierarchy and staff, and for his players to step up, “to come through this difficult period”. But it will now be up to someone else to try haul the team out of danger, with Swansea next up on Saturday before Leicester host Everton.
Source: Skysports
