Craig Shakespeare has been sacked as the manager of Leicester City.
Shakespeare succeeded Claudio Ranieri as interim manager back in February and was awarded a three-year contract on a permanent basis in June, after helping secure the club’s Premier League status.
However, Leicester decided to part company with the 53-year-old on Tuesday. According to Matt Lawton in The Daily Mail, Shakespeare was called to a meeting and informed of the decision to release him by the club’s hierarchy.
Leicester have just one win in their last 10 Premier League matches and have collected just six points from their first eight league games this season, their worst start to a top flight season since 2003.
Shakespeare’s last game as manager was a 1-1 draw against West Brom on Monday night, which left them in 18th place in the league.
Shakespeare picked up 15 points in his first five Premier League games as manager. But only won 14 points in his subsequent 16 matches. With Leicester without a win in the league since August – a 2-1 win over Brighton – it’s perhaps not too surprising to see the club let him go, particularly as they sacked Ranieri less than a year after winning the title.
The Italian is now manager of Nantes in France, and his side are currently fifth in table with 17 points from nine games. However, Gary Lineker wants him back at the King Power Stadium.
Following Shakespeare’s sacking, the Match of the Day presenter and former England striker, who is a lifelong Leicester fan, tweeted his support for Claudio.
Craig Shakespeare sacked by Leicester. Bring back Claudio.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) October 17, 2017
Was always a miracle, but it’s even more remarkable really that Leicester won the league given the ineptitude of those that run the club.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) October 17, 2017
Lineker has a point, as Ranieri was part of a miracle when Leicester won the title in 2016, and he would be a better appointment than many of the candidates that will inevitably be mentioned over the coming days.
However, he’s unlikely to return to Leicester after reports that he fell out with many of the senior players at the club.
