Dean Smith will serve as interim manager for Leicester City for the end of the current campaign, the club has announced.
Smith, who previously worked with both assistants at Aston Villa, Craig Shakespeare and John Terry, arrives at the King Power Stadium with the mission of assisting the team in avoiding relegation.
The Foxes fired Brendan Rodgers on April 1 after their 2-1 loss to Crystal Palace. The team is currently in 19th place in the standings, two points outside of safety.
"I'm incredibly excited to get the chance to serve as the team's captain over these last few weeks of the season," "Smith spoke to Leicester's official website after taking over a team that had only collected one point out of the previous 24 opportunities.
"The task before us is obvious, but my coaching staff and I have faced similar challenges before, and with the caliber of this team and the amount of games left to play, we are certain that we can successfully complete it.
"Our first task is to restore the team's faith in itself, and I'm eager to begin working with the players this week. It will be a tough challenge on Saturday, but it will also serve as a good reminder of what it means to be a Premier League team, fighting against the finest players in the world on the grandest stages. I'm confident that our intrepid supporters will be quite helpful. We must make a connection with them and provide a performance they will be pleased with. We arrive there optimistic and seeking advantages.
In two games as caretaker managers, first-team coaches Adam Sadler and Mike Stowell oversaw defeats to Villa and Bournemouth. Both will stay at the club as a member of Smith's coaching staff.
Smith's contract is now up at the end of the current campaign, but 90min reported earlier on Monday that should Leicester be pleased with the performance of the former Norwich City manager and his coaching team, an extension will be addressed in the summer.
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