Rewind one year, nobody could have quite predicted the happenings at the King Power Stadium. Claudio Ranieri has been sacked with Leicester sitting in the relegation zone. Craig Shakespeare has stepped into the boots and revitalised a team that looked as bleak as a Sunday afternoon. Now, 2 wins on the trot, Leicester have pulled clear of the relegation zone and are preparing themselves for a crucial Last 16 Champions League tie.
It’s not too far from the story of Othello in a Shakespearian play.
Craig Shakespeare playing the role of deceiving Lago, Ranieri the honest Othello and Vichai, the Thai owner, the non-suspecting wife. If you are not familiar with Othello, the story completes with Lago holding the main seat in the kingdom, Othello striking himself and his wife out.
Craig Shakespeare must have studied the book well. He has executed his plan to perfection. The fairy tale story of 2016 has long been forgotten. There is now solid talk of Shakespeare being offered a long term contract if he manages to maintain this late momentum. Ranieri must be kicking himself silly knowing the man who assisted him through the glorious 2016 has now comfortably assisted himself to the managerial seat.
And, he seems to have no qualms about it. Shakespeare was clear from the offset. n his very first interview, he put himself forward for the job. “I’m not fazed by the opportunity”. There was no mention of Claudio. There was not even a “thank you” offered. In the past, we have seen assistant managers thank and tribute games to previous managers. To date, Shakespeare has done none of the above.
If anything, he’s used the occasion to highlight issues with Claudio’s approach. “I’ve asked the players to go back to doing what they do best. Play simple football – a tongue in cheek reference to Claudio’s change of formation in 2017. If that was the case, you can’t help but feel that perhaps those words should have been said to Claudio during his time there and not the media on his very first interview.
Claudio will always be a legend at Leicester City. Even if Shakespeare does the miraculous and secure them 3 titles in a row, it will always be Claudio who started that feat, that possibility and achieved the impossible. The problem I fear for Craig is, he’s stepped into very big boots. Claudio is loved at Leicester. His ending may have been something of a Shakespearian scene but he is no doubt the still much loved Othello. He has respect. He has dignity. He has support.
Craig may feel the roller coaster ride has started off quite mellow and easy so far but the tough part is yet to come. Tuesday’s Champions League tie is a double edged sword. If Leicester make it through, Craig will win the credit but will in-turn have to prepare his side for major quarter final clashes. However, if Leicester do not make it through – the pendulum will have swung. Craig will have to prove very fast that he is the right man for the job and can keep up the momentum.
If not, we could find Lago suffering a similar fate to Othello in a much shorter period of time… Nubaid Haroon – Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCtMg-fWm7awR41vM1GhVOkA Twitter: twitter.com/rambofyi
The post Craig Shakespeare: Leicester’s Own Othello? appeared first on Felix Magazine.
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