Leicester appoint Dean Smith as manager until end of season

LONDON: Dean Smith insisted that Leicester can avoid relegation after the Premier League strugglers hired him as their manager until the end of the season on Monday. Former Aston Villa and Norwich boss Smith replaces Brendan Rodgers, who was sacked on April 2 after his side’s slump into relegation trouble. Smith will take charge for Leicester’s last eight games of the campaign as they battle to avoid dropping into the Championship for the first time since 2014.

The Foxes sit second bottom of the table and are two points from safety after Saturday’s damaging 1-0 home defeat against fellow strugglers Bournemouth. “I’m really happy to have the opportunity to lead the team during these final weeks of the season,” Smith said. “The challenge in front of us is clear, but it’s one myself and my coaching team have experienced before and, with the quality in this squad and the number of games remaining, it’s very much achievable.

“Our first job is to rebuild confidence and instil belief in the team and I’m looking forward to getting to work with the players this week.” Leicester have lost both matches since Rodgers was sacked, with first-team coaches Adam Sadler and Mike Stowell taking charge on an interim basis prior to Smith’s appointment. Smith’s backroom staff will include former Chelsea and England captain John Terry, who previously worked for him as an assistant coach at Villa. Craig Shakespeare also returns to the King Power Stadium as Smith’s assistant manager.