Albion coach Craig Shakespeare is set to join Nigel Pearson’s management team at Leicester after the Foxes were given permission to speak to him.
The move is likely to bring to an end Shakespeare’s nine-year stint as a highly-valued backroom staff man at The Hawthorns.
Sources at Leicester have confirmed Pearson, a former Sheffield Wednesday team mate and a member of Bryan Robson’s management team at Albion, had been given clearance to offer Shakespeare the No.2 role at The Walkers’s Stadium.
It is thought Shakespeare, who also spent three seasons totting up 112 midfield appearances for Albion between 1990-93, is ready to break his ties with the Baggies in order to move a step up the management ladder.
An Albion loyalist through and through, ‘Shakey’ has taken on a number of roles since re-joining the club in 1999 as its Football in the Community Officer.
He moved on to coach at youth, reserve and first team level. He has also operated as a caretaker boss during regime-changes in an often turbulent period for the club.
Shakespseare has been highly regarded by a string of management teams which have come to The Hawthorns and enjoys a strong working bond with current boss Tony Mowbray.
Mowbray is reluctant to stand in Shakespeare’s way, in acknowledgement of his contribution to his own flourishing regime.
It is thought that the agreement could be sorted out quickly to enable Shakespeare to join Pearson this week, as they begin the huge task of raising Leicester from the despair of last season’s relegation to League One under the demanding focus of owner Milan Mandaric.
26 Comments
Good luck Shakespeare.
You’ve got to wish Shakes all the best - many a dark Winter night down at Aggborough with crowds of a couple of hundred - you can see his commitment 24/7. I reckon Shakespeare and Pearson are good enough to bring Leicester back up - just hope they get the chance.
why art thou going, aye boing boing
Shakey has been a superb servant for the club. Good luck at Leicester, unless you play the Albion in the cups!
All the very best Shakey!!!
All the best SHAKEY!!!!
Good luck Craig, sure you’ll be a success.
Good luck Craig. Thanks for the hard work!
All the best to Shakey, will always be remembered fondly by all at West Brom
Shakey has been a great servant to the club as both a player and coach - good luck to him.
all the best shakie
Hopefully Pearson will get the boot and Shakey will take the big job!
Good luck Shakey.
Having had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with him several times over the years, you really can’t help but be sorry that he’s going and wish him every piece of good fortune at Leicester at the same time. He’s a real good man and a gent at that as well. All the very best Shakey, you’ll be sorely missed.
Good ol’ Shakey………go & make a BIG name for yourself. you deserve it!
Good luck Shakey!! Like everyone you have to further your career if a good opportunity arises. I’d put money on you making a return in the future.
Good luck Shakey - Hopefully you can bring another Midlands team up into premiership, so we can get rid of these London clubs that have been dominating the league for so long!!!!
All the best Shakey and hope you do well. Maybe see you back at the Hawthorns some day.
Thanks for all the hard work at the Albion and all you have achieved. Well done!
good luck craig, fair play TM, he can allways come back??? better to leave on good terms………
While regretting his departure, he’s the sort of man you can’t help hoping does well. Good Luck.
the sad saddlers missed a trick.They should of taken a punt on shaky as there boss instead of the car salesman
top man all the very best and many thanks for the years that youve put in…
pearson nad shakes back at the albion when tm leaves i would pu a few quid on it,np was the brains behind robson..good luck fellas
I think he’ll miss us a bit too. He’s been here a long time in football terms and he deserves to get on. I rate Nigel Pearson too as a coach so good luck to both as REAL football men. I wonder if I could sell them a long rope and a gag for Mandaric on match days? To the JP haters…just suppose Mandaric had bought our club. I could have nightmares thinking about that.
shakey, bril for the albion, come on peace get ya cheque book out, or if i was mowbray i’d be off
Good luck Shakey! Anyone remember him scoring on his Albion debut against Oxford?? My god I’m showing my age!!!
Great player and servant for us, all the best mate!
Good luck to shakey you been through the good times and the bad all the best