Leicester City has appointed former Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce till the end of the season as they strive to avoid relegation.
Smith, who has been out of work since leaving Norwich earlier this season, will oversee the next eight games of the season after Brendan Rodgers was fired last week.
The Foxes have lost both games since Rodgers’ departure, putting them second-bottom and in real danger of relegation.
They turned to the 52-year-old having seen a move for former Leeds boss Jesse Marsch collapse over the weekend and Smith will be assisted by Craig Shakespeare and John Terry.
Smith, who will begin training on Tuesday in preparation for the weekend trip to Manchester City, stated, “I’m really excited to have the opportunity to lead the team during these final weeks of the season.”
“The challenge ahead of us is clear, but it’s one that myself and my coaching staff have faced before, and with the quality in this squad and the number of games remaining, it’s very much within our grasp.”
“Our first task is to restore confidence and instill belief in the team, and I’m excited to begin working with the players this week.”
The new team behind the team at #lcfc 🤝
— Leicester City (@LCFC) April 10, 2023
“If it had been something I thought was insurmountable, I wouldn’t have come, and neither would Shakey or JT.”
“We’re looking forward to the challenge, but we know it’ll be difficult.”
“We’ll make demands on the players and ourselves.” We’ll be working hard every minute of every day to maintain this football club in the Premier League.”
Smith kept Villa up in their first season back in the Premier League, and he did it in similar circumstances over a short amount of time when the 2019/20 season resumed following the coronavirus lockdown.
Leicester chief hails Smith qualities
And chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha is looking for a similar outcome.
“His leadership, coaching, and motivational qualities will be vital assets for us in the next eight games as we fight to maintain our Premier League status,” he said.
“We’ve had a difficult season, but I have no doubt that we have the talent in our squad to win this fight.”
“Dean’s experience will be critical in unlocking that potential, helping the team rediscover its confidence and channeling the support of our fans, which will be critical during these final eight games.”
Smith and Shakespeare worked together at Carrow Road and Villa Park, and Shakespeare had a brief stint as manager at the King Power Stadium in 2017, after serving as an assistant to Claudio Ranieri when Leicester City won the Premier League in 2016.
Terry worked in Smith’s backroom at Villa.
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