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Dean Smith Joins Leicester on Interim Basis

Leicester City has agreed to appoint former Aston Villa manager Dean Smith on an interim basis until the end of the season, with Craig Shakespeare and John Terry joining him.

Smith has been out of work since being sacked by Championship side Norwich City in December but now looks set to be tasked with keeping second-bottom Leicester in the Premier League.
After reluctantly sacking Brendan Rodgers, Leicester sounded out various candidates including Benítez, though had hoped the caretaker pairing of Adam Sadler and Mike Stowell could prove sufficient until the end of the season.

Shakespeare, who was sacked four months into his reign as Leicester’s manager in 2017, is well respected within the club’s hierarchy. He worked as an assistant to Nigel Pearson and Claudio Ranieri, who led the club to the Premier League title against all odds in 2016.

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Leicester, who are second bottom after three successive defeats, have lost eight of their past nine matches in all competitions and visit the champions, Manchester City, on Saturday. Leicester has won just seven league games all term and is two points from safety after a run of seven defeats in their last eight.

Smith worked with former Leicester manager Shakespeare at Norwich and is preparing to link up again with his former No 2, who has remained on good terms with Chiefs at the King Power Stadium.

Terry, 42, also worked with Smith at Villa as an assistant head coach between 2018 and 2021.

The relegation-threatened club had spoken to a number of candidates — including former Leeds United head coach Jesse Marsch — about replacing Brendan Rodgers, who left by mutual consent earlier this month.

Caretaker managers Adam Sadler and Mike Stowell took charge of the midweek defeat by Villa, as well as Saturday’s loss to Bournemouth, but, barring any late hitches, Smith could now take charge against Manchester City on Saturday.

The 52-year-old spent three years in the Midlands with Aston Villa after spells with Walsall and Brentford.

He led Villa to the Premier League via the play-offs in 2018-19, but though he guided them to an 11-placed finish the following season, he departed in November 2021 after a run of five straight defeats.

Smith subsequently signed a two-and-a-half year deal to replace Daniel Farke at Norwich, but could not prevent the club’s relegation from the Premier League and left the following December with the Carrow Road side well off the promotion pace.
Leceister Remaining Fixtures:
April 15: Man City (A) – Premier League, kick-off 5.30 pm,

April 22: Wolves (H) – Premier League, kick-off at 3 pm

April 25: Leeds (H) – Premier League, kick-off 8 pm

May 1: Everton (H) – Premier League, kick-off 8 pm, live on Sky Sports

May 8: Fulham (A) – Premier League, kick-off at 3 pm

May 13: Liverpool (H) – Premier League, kick-off at 3 pm

May 20: Newcastle (A) – Premier League, kick-off at 3 pm

May 28: West Ham (H) – Premier League, kick-off 4.30 pm