It seems like more than a matter of when and not if Craig Shakespeare will get offered the Leicester City job on a permanent basis, and you can be sure more than a few Foxes fans will be delighted when confirmation comes through the wires.
The shadow of the sacked ex-Leicester supremo Claudio Ranieri will always hang heavy over the King Power Stadium considering the magnitude of his influence in drawing the Premier League to their clutches in the 2015/16 season.
Next season will be a fresh start for all clubs, but it is perhaps Leicester who have most to be excited about the future.
So, let’s examine whether Shakespeare deserves the job or whether the Foxes should still be in the hunt for a more experienced candidate.
Shakespeare has earned his chance
Depending on who you consult, the powers that be at Leicester either know everything or nothing about loyalty.
Ranieri’s dismissal less than one year after he led them to the Premier League crown was an utter travesty in many people’s eyes. That he was cut loose in what was seen as a rather unceremonious and harsh manner still grates on die-hard fans today.
On the other hand, certain sections feel fine with it – after all, the then champions were struggling near the foot of the table, the players were unmotivated by his methods and the whole set-up appeared stagnated and ineffective, so there is the argument that his time was up.
Regardless how one views that, what is undeniable is the unchangeable nature of the past. What’s done is done, essentially, and the necessary focus should be on ensuring, should Shakespeare indeed get offered the job, the correct foundations are laid and he is given free reign over transfers, tactics, coaching decisions and is granted the sort of trust Ranieri himself was afforded at the beginning of his journey.
Because if the club wants to avoid another comedy of errors in the forthcoming season, there is one thing they need right now: long-term stability.
Shakespeare’s steadying influence was a real positive for the club as they hauled themselves out of relegation danger and within touching distance of eighth-placed Southampton at the culmination.
While he has spent seven of the last eight years at the club and helped them reach the last eight of the UEFA Champions League, he has only proven himself capable of steadying the ship as the main man.
What he needs to do now is redesign it, patch up the sails and set courses for calmer seas. It’s a much bigger ask, but considering their core team won the league title very recently, they should have higher aims than simply being competitive – they will want to get back to being the best, and although it’s highly unlikely they’ll crack the top four, they could potentially push for a top seven or eight finish.
Foxes can buy new club legends for a new era
For Shakespeare, it is absolutely vital that he continues getting the basics right. If he does that, he will be able to build on his progress to date.
Seven wins out of 13 matches, including five consecutive victories, are proof that he is confident in his ability to limit damage, but it’s going to be interesting to see what he can do with a transfer budget to hand, a few months to plan and prepare and just how he will adjust to life without Riyad Mahrez.
It’s sure to be daunting, but he has a number of things going for him.
Firstly, although he played a part in the league win, it was Ranieri who pulled the strings, and Mahrez was instrumental to that philosophy. These next few months will be his chance to wipe down the tactical whiteboard and define some of his own ideas.
Mahrez has handed in a transfer request and it’s easy to see him joining Barcelona or Arsenal. Kasper Schmeichel could also leave, as too might some of the other stars. While that could be seen as an unfortunate series of blows for the club, there are plenty of potential positives on the horizon, too.
The club would be able to demand whopping fees for their wantaway players and would receive a huge cash injection heading into the final summer months. meaning they could buy a whole new set of talented performers.
Kelechi Iheanacho is one such name being heavily linked with the club and could join for as little as £20 million, a significant bargain considering how clinical and entertaining he was to watch for Manchester City in his first full season. An energetic worker who can dazzle with mazy dribbles and quick feet, the Nigerian international is one of the most underrated youngsters in the English top flight and would be a terrific purchase if the Foxes can outdo West Ham United in a bidding war by using their expected incoming funds.
Also on Leicester's radar is outgoing Sassuolo FC player Francesco Acerbi, a highly-rated 29-year-old central defender who could be just the sort of experienced persona they need at the back.
Also read: Ranieri 'stimulated' to return amid Crystal Palace and Watford rumours
Long-term future demands calm board
Since the club’s takeover was officially ratified by the Football League back in 2010, Leicester have seen seven managerial stints come to the dugouts. That works out at an average of a new face in the hot seat every year since then.
Stability has not always been evident.
While the current owners have not always been responsible for those firings and replacements, they have played their part in some of the most high-profile ones. Ranieri included, they have not always been involved in very reparable relationships. Nigel Pearson, in a messy affair, was let go just due to 'fundamental differences in perspective' over a year after he earned them the Championship title, having previously promoted them from League One.
The culture in the boardroom has become something of a tense one – wrong moves being monitored and penalised quickly and brutally.
If Shakespeare is to enjoy a proper spell at the helm, it will require him to do a good job for sure, but perspective will be needed from the board. Hiring and firing with the regularity witnessed by this club will not be conducive to a confident manager, and that tension could trickle through onto the pitch in time unless they are very careful.
Pearson’s stint was the longest of any manager since Martin O’ Neill (who incidentally paid back the loyalty shown to him at the time by winning the League Cup twice and earning promotion to the top flight) and saw them reach the Premier League, so it’s pretty obvious that keeping the faith in Shakespeare, creating an environment of help and support for a prosperous and lengthy relationship between them, will be utterly crucial to a bright future for the club moving forward.
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