Leicester City's lack of direction in manager search could hand Craig Shakespeare an extended audition
Leicester City were in such a rush to sack Claudio Ranieri that they had no real successor lined up for the Premier League-winning manager, placing Craig Shakespeare in a strong position for an extended tilt at the role.
The Italian was sacked at East Midlands Airport on Thursday night, after returning from a 2-1 Champions League defeat in Seville. The result itself was not the end of the world, a Jamie Vardy away goal leaves the Foxes in with a shot of progression but the club's hierarchy had already made their decision to part company with the 65-year-old Italian.
Craig Shakespeare is in temporary charge at the King Power and will lead the side into Monday night's clash with Liverpool. The long-time Leicester assistant, briefly also an England coach under Sam Allardyce, has told friends that he feels ready for the job and hopes to win over the squad in the next week or so. Some of them are already open to the idea of the popular coach replacing Ranieri, and there is crossover within that group with those who would like Nigel Pearson, who left the club under a cloud after their infamous tour of Thailand, to return.
As well-considered as he is by the playing staff, Pearson's re-hiring would be a tough sell to some of the key decision-makers.
Leicester have contacted a number of external candidates and the general picture is one of indecision. They don't appear to be looking at a specific type of manager but have been sounding out the interest of already-employed candidates while planning more detailed talks with those currently out of work. Within the club, those sending out feelers, including head of recruitment Eduardo Macía, are unsure if they will still have jobs next week.
Sergio Conceicao, the Nantes manager, and David Wagner, of Huddersfield Town, are two that politely declined discussions over the managerial vacancy when approached by intermediaries but there are almost certainly more. Roberto Mancini felt torn, given his history with the club and openness to a Premier League return, but believes he can get a Champions League job in Italy. Guus Hiddink, Alan Pardew and, surprisingly, Martin O'Neill have also been contacted already.
Leicester may have a straight-up fire-fighting job on their hands right now but, going forward, there is a marked difference from what you would expect from Wagner or Hiddink. That there is so little in common between these candidates should be a concern given Ranieri's sacking was not necessarily a surprise. If that was a measure being considered then the club failing to sound out potential hires represents some naive business in the world of modern football.
One source close to first-team squad members comments that the players want someone known to them, not a new face coming in at such a delicate juncture. The club's owners clearly bowed to the players' sentiments in the dismissal of Ranieri, should they do so again it may see Shakespeare handed an extended audition to make the job his own.
