■ Uefa Champions League: Leicester City v Sevilla, Tuesday, 11.45pm UAE time
Only the name brought a promise of greatness. Craig Shakespeare was one of football’s backroom boys, a face in the background for the first 18 years of his coaching career.
Then, like another Midlander of the same surname did four centuries earlier, he assumed centre stage. After Claudio Ranieri’s dismissal, Leicester City’s assistant manager became caretaker manager. Two 3-1 wins later, relegation fears were eased, Shakespeare was confirmed in charge for the rest of the season.
“A great appointment, a good fit,” midfielder Danny Drinkwater said. “The results speak for themselves.”
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Now, besides becoming the new “Tinkerman”, Shakespeare has the possibility of proving the second Tony Barton, another career coach propelled into the limelight by the departure of a title-winning manager.
Barton remains probably the lowest-profile manager to win the European Cup. Two years after steering Aston Villa to glory in 1982, he was manager of Northampton Town.
If it is safe to say Shakespeare will not follow the same career path, there is the chance, however slim, that the first Midlands club since Villa to become champions of England could emulate them on the continental stage.
But first they have to overcome Sevilla in tonight’s Uefa Champions League second leg. The Spanish side’s hat-trick of consecutive Europa League triumphs gives them ample experience of winning two-legged ties.
Leicester are perhaps fortunate only to be trailing 2-1 after the first leg and are 15th in the Premier League, whereas Sevilla lie third in Spain.
No wonder Drinkwater said: “We know it will be tough. It is a big game for the club. A massive thing for me is hearing the Champions League music. You get a tingle down the spine.”
Calling it a big game was, if anything, an understatement. It could be branded the biggest in Leicester’s history – after all, they clinched the Premier League crown without playing, when Chelsea held Tottenham Hotspur – even if Shakespeare seemed to suggest Saturday’s trip to West Ham United was of more significance.
The sense that too much attention was diverted to the Champions League earlier in the season was underlined when the 53-year-old suggested his priority was “to put some wins on the board and try to move up the table”. It was only after then that he referred to beating Sevilla.
“It excites me, it excites the players,” he added. “It’s a great opportunity for us.”
Leicester’s recent past offers reasons never to say never, but it looks unlikely they will return to the Champions League again soon. This could be a one-off.
And yet a shot to nothing is doubling up as a job interview.
Shakespeare has begun by fielding teams comprised of 10 of Leicester’s title-winning starters, with Wilfred Ndidi in the role of the sold N’Golo Kante. The old guard at the King Power Stadium are supporting one of their own.
“He was huge [last season],” Drinkwater said. “On behalf of all the players, all of us would love to see him get the job longer term.”
Even a flirtation with Champions League success would make his case compelling.
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