Craig Shakespeare: Leicester City caretaker boss to be offered manager's job

Shakespeare has never managed full-time, and was brought to Leicester by Ranieri's predecessor, Nigel Pearson

Craig Shakespeare will be offered the Leicester City manager's job until the end of the season, BBC Radio Leicester understands.

Shakespeare was Claudio Ranieri's assistant, and has been caretaker boss since the Italian was sacked in February.

The Foxes have since won both of their games with Shakespeare in charge.

The 53-year-old has never managed full-time, and was brought to Leicester by Ranieri's predecessor, Nigel Pearson.

Ranieri, 65, was sacked by Leicester nine months after leading the club to the Premier League title.

Leicester have also spoken to other potential candidates to replace him, including former England manager Roy Hodgson.

Shakespeare's first match as caretaker manager was a 3-1 league victory over Liverpool.

Speaking after that game, defender Danny Simpson said Shakespeare had "kept it simple and told us what he wanted to do, which was simple and basic. We've done that so let's hope we can carry it on for him".

After his side moved five points clear of the relegation zone with a 3-1 win over Hull on Saturday, Shakespeare said: "My remit was to win these two games and that's what we've done."

Leicester next play Sevilla at home in the second leg of their last-16 Champions League tie next Tuesday. The Spanish side won the first leg 2-1.

Analysis

BBC Leicester football reporter Ian Stringer

It's an appointment that will go down well on the terraces, the dressing room and in the media suite - Craig Shakespeare deserves this chance and is a top man to boot.

Shakey, as he's affectionately known, fostered a close working relationship with Nigel Pearson in his first spell with the club as the Foxes cruised through League One and into the Championship. He followed Pearson to Hull after leaving the Foxes in 2010, only to return in 2011 following the dismissal of Sven-Goran Eriksson.

Shakespeare opted to stay with Claudio Ranieri when he was appointed in the summer of 2015, a decision which sees a Premier League winners' medal hanging on his mantelpiece.

He's always expressed a wish to one day be his own man and while this may have come in a rather unorthodox way - and there is no suggestion it was anything other than picking up the pieces following the Italian's sacking - Shakespeare will relish this chance and, despite what Martin Keown may have said on Match of the Day at the weekend, has the support of the fans in the city.