Craig Shakespeare, the former manager of Leicester City and a well-respected figure in English football, has died at the age of 60. His family confirmed his passing on Thursday, noting that he died peacefully surrounded by loved ones after a battle with cancer.
Shakespeare’s career is most famously associated with Leicester City, where he served as assistant manager to Claudio Ranieri during the club’s extraordinary Premier League title-winning season in 2015-16. Following Ranieri’s departure, Shakespeare took over as manager in early 2017, leading Leicester to a memorable victory over Sevilla in the Champions League, advancing to the quarter-finals in their first-ever campaign. Despite this success, he was dismissed later that year due to a poor start to the season.
After his tenure at Leicester, Shakespeare held several prominent assistant manager roles, including stints at Everton, Watford, Aston Villa, and Norwich. He also worked as an assistant to Sam Allardyce during his brief tenure as England manager. Most recently, Shakespeare returned to Leicester City as an assistant head coach under Dean Smith in April 2023, though his contract was not renewed after the club’s relegation from the Premier League.
Shakespeare’s contributions to football were not limited to coaching. As a player, he made over 350 appearances for Walsall and also played for Sheffield Wednesday, West Bromwich Albion, and Grimsby Town. Post-retirement, he returned to West Brom as a community officer and academy coach, nurturing the next generation of football talent.
Tributes have flooded in from the football community, with many expressing their admiration for Shakespeare’s professional achievements and personal qualities. Nigel Pearson, who worked with Shakespeare during Leicester’s dramatic “Great Escape” in 2015, described him as “one of the most wonderfully talented, emotionally understanding, calm, balanced, and outrageously funny people I’ve had the privilege of calling my friend.”
Kasper Schmeichel, former Leicester City goalkeeper, paid tribute on Instagram, writing, “Devastated beyond words. An absolutely fantastic coach, one of the best I have ever seen, but more importantly, an incredible human being. He taught me so much, and I am just thankful to have worked with and known him.”
Martin O’Neill, chairman of the League Managers Association, highlighted Shakespeare’s significant impact on the footballing community: “Craig’s knowledge of football and coaching was exceptional, but it was his personality and warmth that made him truly special. His role in Leicester City’s unbelievable Premier League-winning season and other successes should be celebrated.”
Shakespeare’s family expressed their pride in his footballing achievements while emphasizing that he was primarily a loving husband, father, son, brother, and uncle. They requested privacy as they mourn his loss.
Craig Shakespeare’s legacy in football is profound, marked by his contributions to one of the sport’s most remarkable underdog stories and his dedication to nurturing talent. He will be remembered not only for his professional accomplishments but also for his kindness and the positive impact he had on those who knew him.
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