Craig Shakespeare: Leicester City caretaker boss appointed manager until end of season - BBC Sport
Leicester caretaker boss Craig Shakespeare is appointed manager on a full-time basis until the end of the season.
Last updated on .From the section Football

Craig Shakespeare has been appointed Leicester City manager until the end of the season.

The 53-year-old has been in caretaker charge since Claudio Ranieri was sacked on 23 February, nine months after winning the Premier League title.

Shakespeare, who has never managed full-time, was Ranieri's assistant after being brought to the club by the Italian's predecessor, Nigel Pearson.

Leicester have won both of their games with him in charge.

Foxes vice-chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha said: "We always knew the team would be in good hands when we asked him to take charge a fortnight ago.

"He has initiated the type of positive response that we hoped change would bring, showing great leadership qualities and composure under considerable pressure to produce two very important results.

"We have asked him to continue to lead the team this season and we are very happy that he has accepted."

Shakespeare's first match as caretaker manager was a 3-1 league victory over Liverpool, and they beat Hull City by the same scoreline.

The Foxes are three points clear of the relegation zone in 15th.

Leicester host Sevilla in the second leg of their last-16 Champions League tie on Tuesday. The Spanish side won the first leg 2-1.

There are interesting challenges ahead of Shakespeare now - trying to get into the quarter-finals of the Champions League while trying to stave off Premier League relegation.

He made no bones about wanting the job. The players and the fans, in a local newspaper poll, were overwhelming in favour of him getting the job until at least the end of the season. So let's see what sort of fist he makes of it.

He knows very well that stepping up from the number two role is light years away from letting someone else take the unpopular decisions and determine the tactics.

So will he manage to step back from his previous, harmonious working relationship with the players and show a tougher edge?

Will Shakespeare make the grade, so he gets the job beyond this season, or will he be another Sammy Lee or Brian Kidd?

Hugely respected, acknowledged as a fine coach, but ultimately an assistant?