Claudio's Assistants: Benetti, Shakespeare, Walsh & Sanders

[Alf Bentley]

I know I'm not the only one wondering what will happen if NP gets another managerial post soon (likely, I imagine). Will Shakespeare & Walsh stay or go?

 

But did you know that we have a third Assistant Manager: Paolo Benetti? I didn't, but maybe others were paying closer attention.

Coaching staff: http://www.lcfc.com/team/coaching_staff/

 

Unless others have more info, the only clues to Benetti's precise role lie in the description of him as a "technical coach" and the fact that he's been Claudio's assistant in every big job (Juve, Roma, Inter, Monaco, Greece)

The "technical coach" bit is interesting, as that's a side of our game that does seem to have improved this season: e.g. passing, ease on the ball in tight situations

 

We know that Walsh mainly oversees scouting/player recruitment, so presumably Benetti & Shakespeare take joint responsibility (with Claudio) for training and match preparation? I wonder how that works?

 

No doubt it was a good decision by Claudio to keep Walsh & Shakespeare, maintaining continuity. It's also one that reflects well on his relaxed self-confidence and ability to adapt, as many managers would insist on "their own staff".

If NP gets another job, would they join him? My guess now is that they'd only do so if they felt uncomfortable in their positions under Claudio. As NP will probably end up at an ambitious Championship club, they'd presumably have to take a large pay cut if they moved and, initially at least, would be handling lesser players / smaller budgets. I hope they stay as the existing regime seems to be working exceptionally well.

 

Jon Sanders is another one I was unaware of - appointed as Player Liaison Officer in Summer 2014 (so, under Pearson). Alongside practical player support, his duties include liaison between players and management, which could be a very important role - particularly under a change of management. 

 

 

 

[Captain...]

I really wish people would stop speculating about the loyalty of Walsh and Shakespeare to the club.

 

They have both been great for this club in both spells and done a brilliant job in helping the  club transition from Pearson to Ranieri.

 

They are not going to jump ship as soon as Pearson gets job,  that relies first on Pearson getting a job, then on Pearson being able to recruit his own back room staff, his new employer agreeing to the wages of Shakespeare and Walsh, which are premier league, and the possibility of having to pay compensation for them, finally on the club being attractive enough for them to leave a club doing well in the top division, largely down to them.

 

They built this team as much as Pearson did over two spells and are continuing in its progress, they may  have some loyalty to Pearson, but they will also have loyalty to a lot of the players and staff and fans here. Why  would they risk  all of that  to follow Pearson, a man who shot himself in the foot and talked his way out of a great job in the summer and they could easily have followed had we recruited a manager who insisted on all his own men. 

[Buzzell]

I can honestly see them both sticking around even if Pearson gets another job.

[Guest MattP]

My head says they will probably go at some point in the near future, Claudio will want his own people and now he has a good idea on what he has the transition is pretty much complete.

I don't think money would be an issue as we'd probably pay up the difference owed if they were to take a lower wage.

Keeping Walsh is absolutely huge though, I've never seen a chief scout have spmany success sstories and so few failures in the market.

[Len Finsbury]

I really wish people would stop speculating about the loyalty of Walsh and Shakespeare to the club.

 

They have both been great for this club in both spells and done a brilliant job in helping the  club transition from Pearson to Ranieri.

 

They are not going to jump ship as soon as Pearson gets job,  that relies first on Pearson getting a job, then on Pearson being able to recruit his own back room staff, his new employer agreeing to the wages of Shakespeare and Walsh, which are premier league, and the possibility of having to pay compensation for them, finally on the club being attractive enough for them to leave a club doing well in the top division, largely down to them.

 

They built this team as much as Pearson did over two spells and are continuing in its progress, they may  have some loyalty to Pearson, but they will also have loyalty to a lot of the players and staff and fans here. Why  would they risk  all of that  to follow Pearson, a man who shot himself in the foot and talked his way out of a great job in the summer and they could easily have followed had we recruited a manager who insisted on all his own men. 

 

I don't think it's unrealistic for people to speculate about them following NP when he does eventually get another job considering history tends to dictate that.

At Leicester we've seen it plenty of times when managers have left for 'better jobs' as running a club seems to have become a team effort rather than that of an individual. So much so that some successful managers find it difficult to replicate their success at another club without their trusty sidekick - think Cloughy without Taylor and MON without Robertson.

 

For all we know, our success last season and so far this season could be more to do with the two assistants than NP and CR. NP, whilst getting the plaudits for the 'the great escape' may well have given in to Shakespeare and Walsh demanding that we try something different, we really don't know. 

 

With any luck, should they decide to leave and join NP at his next job, they would have done the hard work in the transition between the two managers and we can continue to benefit from it. 

 

I certainly don't believe, as some people have suggested in other threads, that they have only been kept on for contractual reasons and that CR doesn't want them here. If that was the case he'd have them nowhere near the first team.

 

Regardless of what may or may not happen to them when NP does get work, we should continue to embrace the work they're doing here and should try to persuade them to stay should any approach be made for them.

[Bayfox]

I get the impression that Walsh is pretty settled in Rothley from what I know and read.

 

People seem to forget Walsh hasn't been with Pearson the whole time, Shakespeare however maybe a different matter, but clearly Claudio has listened to the input he had and even if he left I can't see Claudio changing things overnight, he would have done that initially if had wanted too, he has now seen these players enough to see what he has.

 

Agree with the fact Walsh would be a bigger loss.

[MooseBreath]

If the club wanted to keep them I doubt they'd pay the difference to help them leave.

I think it'll come down to whether or not claudio wants them to stay. They've followed Pearson to Hull and back to Leicester but none of those moves were a big test of loyalty.

Leaving Leicester for someone like Fulham would be lunacy at present and would require an amount of loyalty I seriously doubt exists. They're grown men, successful in their own right, not Pearson's puppets. If they're wanted they'll stay here.

[AKCJ]

Shakey isn't going to leave here to be number 2 again.

 

Can see his next move being his first managerial role.

[lgfualol]

NP will likely go to the championship and they wont step down to that level again, with less money.

[Captain...]

My head says they will probably go at some point in the near future, Claudio will want his own people and now he has a good idea on what he has the transition is pretty much complete.

I don't think money would be an issue as we'd probably pay up the difference owed if they were to take a lower wage.

Keeping Walsh is absolutely huge though, I've never seen a chief scout have spmany success sstories and so few failures in the market.

 

He has his own people here, and he has Shakespeare and Walsh (who he worked with before at  Chelsea), best of both worlds.

 

When they came here, went to Hull, came back they were recruited as a package. If Pearson is looking for a job, he can't include them as part of the package, he is on his own looking for a job, do you think he will turn down a good job if he couldn't bring in CS and SW? Of course not, he needs a job and they don't.

 

If in a couple of years time, Pearson is in work and CS and SW are sacked from Leicester for whatever reason, I am sure he would do everything he could to recruit them, as they  are very good at what they do and they would be available, but Pearson's stock is low at the moment and he is perceived as being a bit of a hot head and difficult to work with. He is not in a position to make demands, if Bolton sack Lennon and ask Pearson to take over and work with the back room staff they have he will most likely agree to that.

 

Maybe after keeping them up and gaining the trust of the Bolton board he can start to make a few requests and sound out Leicester for the availability of Shakespeare and Walsh,  and  start bringing his own people in, but he is not in a position to walk into a club and start demanding they try and poach premier league staff.

[Alf Bentley]

I really wish people would stop speculating about the loyalty of Walsh and Shakespeare to the club.

 

They have both been great for this club in both spells and done a brilliant job in helping the  club transition from Pearson to Ranieri.

 

They are not going to jump ship as soon as Pearson gets job,  that relies first on Pearson getting a job, then on Pearson being able to recruit his own back room staff, his new employer agreeing to the wages of Shakespeare and Walsh, which are premier league, and the possibility of having to pay compensation for them, finally on the club being attractive enough for them to leave a club doing well in the top division, largely down to them.

 

They built this team as much as Pearson did over two spells and are continuing in its progress, they may  have some loyalty to Pearson, but they will also have loyalty to a lot of the players and staff and fans here. Why  would they risk  all of that  to follow Pearson, a man who shot himself in the foot and talked his way out of a great job in the summer and they could easily have followed had we recruited a manager who insisted on all his own men. 

 

 

What a sour and pointless post!

 

Firstly, I wouldn't view it as a lack of "loyalty" if they did leave - any more than if you or I moved to a new job. No doubt a range of factors would come into play (pay/conditions, current job satisfaction, future career prospects, relationship with Claudio, relationship with NP, personal circumstances etc.).

Secondly, fans are bound to speculate about whether players or important coaching staff will stay or go....indeed, having sourly condemned my speculation, you spend the rest of your post speculating yourself!! 

Thirdly, to the extent that I speculated, my speculation (as someone not ITK) was that they'd stay unless they felt uncomfortable working with Claudio (or unless he wanted to replace them, as others have speculated). You clearly have vastly more knowledge about this than I do, as you are quite categorical that they'll stay.

Fourthly, despite not liking speculation about Walsh/Shakespeare, you ignored the other issues that I raised, notably the role of Paolo Benetti. That's entirely your prerogative, but it contributes to my view that.....

Fifthly, now that TPH rarely posts, your are officially the most annoying poster on FoxesTalk! 

[Richard]

Shakespeare and Walsh must be on a fair wage, would another club really want to stump up all that compensation to effectively bring in 2 assistant managers? Pearson himself won't come cheap after what we were paying him and I can't really see a club being able to afford to bring all 3 in whilst also promising transfer budgets etc. unless it's a Premier League club, who all seem to want to stay well away from NP.

 

 

I'd say Walsh and Shakespeare are staying for the foreseeable future.

[Captain...]

What a sour and pointless post!

 

Firstly, I wouldn't view it as a lack of "loyalty" if they did leave - any more than if you or I moved to a new job. No doubt a range of factors would come into play (pay/conditions, current job satisfaction, future career prospects, relationship with Claudio, relationship with NP, personal circumstances etc.).

Secondly, fans are bound to speculate about whether players or important coaching staff will stay or go....indeed, having sourly condemned my speculation, you spend the rest of your post speculating yourself!! 

Thirdly, to the extent that I speculated, my speculation (as someone not ITK) was that they'd stay unless they felt uncomfortable working with Claudio (or unless he wanted to replace them, as others have speculated). You clearly have vastly more knowledge about this than I do, as you are quite categorical that they'll stay.

Fourthly, despite not liking speculation about Walsh/Shakespeare, you ignored the other issues that I raised, notably the role of Paolo Benetti. That's entirely your prerogative, but it contributes to my view that.....

Fifthly, now that TPH rarely posts, your are officially the most annoying poster on FoxesTalk! 

 

So it's fine for you and countless others to question the loyalty (to the club) of 2 people who have done more than anyone to be responsible for the position we are now in, 2 people who should be lauded and praised for everything they have done to put this club where it is and not be constantly questioned. 

 

It has been going on since Pearson left and it is an insult to them, and to start a whole new thread to encourage more speculation is needless as it has been covered countless times.

 

Second, what speculation?

 

I have given the conditions in which they would follow Pearson, Pearson would need  to find a club that would be open to him bringing in his men, and be prepared to pay their wages and compensation, then they would need to be attractive enough for them to uproot and start again. That is not speculation.

 

As for your final point, that's your perogative, if you can't cope with having your views scrutinised don't put them on a public forum.

[fuchsntf]

I really wish people would stop speculating about the loyalty of Walsh and Shakespeare to the club.

 

They have both been great for this club in both spells and done a brilliant job in helping the  club transition from Pearson to Ranieri.

 

They are not going to jump ship as soon as Pearson gets job,  that relies first on Pearson getting a job, then on Pearson being able to recruit his own back room staff, his new employer agreeing to the wages of Shakespeare and Walsh, which are premier league, and the possibility of having to pay compensation for them, finally on the club being attractive enough for them to leave a club doing well in the top division, largely down to them.

 

They built this team as much as Pearson did over two spells and are continuing in its progress, they may  have some loyalty to Pearson, but they will also have loyalty to a lot of the players and staff and fans here. Why  would they risk  all of that  to follow Pearson, a man who shot himself in the foot and talked his way out of a great job in the summer and they could easily have followed had we recruited a manager who insisted on all his own men.

Basically weighs up the situation really, this is more or less how I see it.Good post.

They are now making their own paths and careers.

Like you put it, why should they go from at present a club that is riding the crest of the wave,

but still to be proven ,to an unknown set up.

The one top coaching team job with high potential has gone that was A.Villa.

As much as I like Pearson, and still believe he can do a good job in the PL, it could be that our/his old

staff have outgrown him

[Guest MattP]

He has his own people here, and he has Shakespeare and Walsh (who he worked with before at  Chelsea), best of both worlds.

 

When they came here, went to Hull, came back they were recruited as a package. If Pearson is looking for a job, he can't include them as part of the package, he is on his own looking for a job, do you think he will turn down a good job if he couldn't bring in CS and SW? Of course not, he needs a job and they don't.

 

If in a couple of years time, Pearson is in work and CS and SW are sacked from Leicester for whatever reason, I am sure he would do everything he could to recruit them, as they  are very good at what they do and they would be available, but Pearson's stock is low at the moment and he is perceived as being a bit of a hot head and difficult to work with. He is not in a position to make demands, if Bolton sack Lennon and ask Pearson to take over and work with the back room staff they have he will most likely agree to that.

 

Maybe after keeping them up and gaining the trust of the Bolton board he can start to make a few requests and sound out Leicester for the availability of Shakespeare and Walsh,  and  start bringing his own people in, but he is not in a position to walk into a club and start demanding they try and poach premier league staff.

 

Ranieri would have known little about our squad when he arrived so it was logical they were always going to be kept on, a lot of the time that sort of things happens though and as soon as the transition is made and the new manager feels he knows the new squad well enough they depart, that wouldn't surprise me if it happened here.

 

I don't think Pearson "needs" a job, I think he's quite happy to wait for the right one to come along, I think he's in a pretty good negotiating position as well personally, his last job was a tremendous success, the wages of them will boil down to which club is it, if it's someone like QPR the wages of Walsh and Shakespeare wouldn't be a problem given what they shell out in player contracts, I don't know why you are mentioning Bolton, that's clearly not going to be a job that interests him.

 

I do agree with you that it's more likely Walsh stays at the club than Shakespeare though given the history of them and with someone ready to step into the role of the latter.

[Pasty1]

Truth is..... None of us know.....

 

But I believe Shaky will always stay Loyal to Pearson over anything else.

[Alf Bentley]

So it's fine for you and countless others to question the loyalty (to the club) of 2 people who have done more than anyone to be responsible for the position we are now in, 2 people who should be lauded and praised for everything they have done to put this club where it is and not be constantly questioned. 

 

It has been going on since Pearson left and it is an insult to them, and to start a whole new thread to encourage more speculation is needless as it has been covered countless times.

 

Second, what speculation?

 

I have given the conditions in which they would follow Pearson, Pearson would need  to find a club that would be open to him bringing in his men, and be prepared to pay their wages and compensation, then they would need to be attractive enough for them to uproot and start again. That is not speculation.

 

As for your final point, that's your perogative, if you can't cope with having your views scrutinised don't put them on a public forum.

 

 

- I've already said that I don't accept your suggestion that this is a "loyalty" issue for Walsh & Shakespeare. I hope they stay and tend to believe that they will, but wouldn't condemn them in the least if they chose to go. 

- If, for whatever reason, you changed job (and I think you said that you did so recently), would you be guilty of disloyalty?

- To the limited extent to which I understand LCFC events, I agree that they should be praised highly - but "done more than anyone"?! More than the players, Pearson, Ranieri, the owners.....?! 

- "Constantly questioned"?! I have no delusions that they'll care about my opinions or anyone else's on here, in the unlikely event that they become aware of this "constant questioning"

- I'll start whatever threads I like, thanks, subject to forum admin accepting them.... If you don't like the thread, what the fvck are you doing in here? Plus, I added new elements, I think (I've not seen Benetti & Sanders discussed elsewhere). Plus, issues discussed previously sometimes recur if their relevance is heightened by events: e.g. the distinct prospect that Pearson will get a new job soon (speculation, I know).

- Speculation? "They are not going to jump ship..."; "They will also have a lot of loyalty to players..."; etc. Basically, the 3rd and 4th paragraphs of your original post are nothing but speculation (even if I agree with some of it) - unless you assume that you deal in facts where others deal in opinion/speculation? 

- I can cope fine with having my views scrutinised, thanks. The fact that I'm here arguing with you shows that. If I agree with criticism of my views, I'll say so. If someone criticises me unreasonably, I'll also say so. But I certainly don't see the point in someone, like you, entering a debate that he doesn't want to exist purely to say that the debate shouldn't exist....and then going on to express opinions on one side of that debate, fling about accusations etc. etc.

 

I've wasted enough time on your contribution, so will leave it unless you come up with something new and interesting....or maybe someone else has some inside knowledge about Benetti's role at the club or how Shakespeare & Walsh work with Claudio?

[Lestoh]

- I've already said that I don't accept your suggestion that this is a "loyalty" issue for Walsh & Shakespeare. I hope they stay and tend to believe that they will, but wouldn't condemn them in the least if they chose to go.

- If, for whatever reason, you changed job (and I think you said that you did so recently), would you be guilty of disloyalty?

- To the limited extent to which I understand LCFC events, I agree that they should be praised highly - but "done more than anyone"?! More than the players, Pearson, Ranieri, the owners.....?!

- "Constantly questioned"?! I have no delusions that they'll care about my opinions or anyone else's on here, in the unlikely event that they become aware of this "constant questioning"

- I'll start whatever threads I like, thanks, subject to forum admin accepting them.... If you don't like the thread, what the fvck are you doing in here? Plus, I added new elements, I think (I've not seen Benetti & Sanders discussed elsewhere). Plus, issues discussed previously sometimes recur if their relevance is heightened by events: e.g. the distinct prospect that Pearson will get a new job soon (speculation, I know).

- Speculation? "They are not going to jump ship..."; "They will also have a lot of loyalty to players..."; etc. Basically, the 3rd and 4th paragraphs of your original post are nothing but speculation (even if I agree with some of it) - unless you assume that you deal in facts where others deal in opinion/speculation?

- I can cope fine with having my views scrutinised, thanks. The fact that I'm here arguing with you shows that. If I agree with criticism of my views, I'll say so. If someone criticises me unreasonably, I'll also say so. But I certainly don't see the point in someone, like you, entering a debate that he doesn't want to exist purely to say that the debate shouldn't exist....and then going on to express opinions on one side of that debate, fling about accusations etc. etc.

I've wasted enough time on your contribution, so will leave it unless you come up with something new and interesting....or maybe someone else has some inside knowledge about Benetti's role at the club or how Shakespeare & Walsh work with Claudio?

May I suggest gaps between your points for future reference? Not using them kind of negates the concept of points.

[Captain...]

Ranieri would have known little about our squad when he arrived so it was logical they were always going to be kept on, a lot of the time that sort of things happens though and as soon as the transition is made and the new manager feels he knows the new squad well enough they depart, that wouldn't surprise me if it happened here.

 

I don't think Pearson "needs" a job, I think he's quite happy to wait for the right one to come along, I think he's in a pretty good negotiating position as well personally, his last job was a tremendous success, the wages of them will boil down to which club is it, if it's someone like QPR the wages of Walsh and Shakespeare wouldn't be a problem given what they shell out in player contracts, I don't know why you are mentioning Bolton, that's clearly not going to be a job that interests him.

 

I do agree with you that it's more likely Walsh stays at the club than Shakespeare though given the history of them and with someone ready to step into the role of the latter.

 

It is possible that the club and Claudio initially only intended Walsh and Shakespeare to carry on for a short while to oversee the transition, I hope not as I think they are both great for the club, and I also hope that if that was the case they would change their mind, but that is pure speculation.

 

I think Pearson is in need of a job, that is because the incidents over the summer and the "mystery" over his sacking (I'm sure people within football know why he was sacked) have overshadowed his success, and our continued success in someway diminishes what he achieved.

 

If we were bottom of the table now, there would be a lot of people saying what an amazing job Pearson did do get us where he did.

 

I  think Pearson needs to get back in to football to put the whole thing behind him.

[Alf Bentley]

May I suggest gaps between your points for future reference? Not using them kind of negates the concept of points.

 

 

Fair enough. It makes it look clearer to me that way, but I'm on a PC. I appreciate that others may be on mobiles or other devices and it might be unclear on them.

 

Remind me if I forget in future! 

[Lestoh]

Yes sir, my little mobile screen wasn't able to cope with your otherwise very intuitive post. My thanks for your understanding on this controversial matter.

[RedSoxUK]

I think Steve Walsh is our most important asset right now, more so than Vardy / Mahrez, **** the value - if we can't keep the flow of quality then what's the point?

Perhaps i'm overvaluing Walsh, but he has to be credited partially for our squad's sucsess over the last three seasons, the way we've gone about business has been fantastic.

Our scouts will be employed by LCFC so they are unlikely to jump ship unless offered a higher wage elsewhere; they are just as integral to the process as Walsh, and as integral as the stat checker's, those finding value, and those above Walsh trusting him with the money. Imagine what we could have done with a bigger budget in the Championship the year we signed Knockaert. 

 

I would be very dissapointed if Walsh left to join Pearson; I'd like to think Walsh has built a big enough base here to stay, but I have the feeling Ranieri won't stand in his way, and the lure of Pearson could sway him - though lets be honest given Pearson's past job security, Walsh might feel comfortable here in Leicester, he's older, wiser, has more money at his dispossal and some pretty fantastic owners.

[Alf Bentley]

Yes sir, my little mobile screen wasn't able to cope with your otherwise very intuitive post. My thanks for your understanding on this controversial matter.

 

 

Do I sense a little gentle piss-taking? 

[SecretPro]

One thing I have noticed is the relationship between Ranieri and Shakey on the touchline - they seem to be in constant communication and it looks like they have a decent relationship, always smiling together etc. They seem to work together more closely than Ranieri's own backroom staff. This can only be a good thing.

[Lestoh]

Do I sense a little gentle piss-taking?

Only slightly!

Nah, having had no sleep it was a bit of a difficult read on a mobile, but I was just being pedantic for the hell of it.

With regards to the OP, I was not aware of Benetti. I think it's stupid for people to rule out the idea of the coaching team leaving - it's happened before, and we actually have no idea where their loyalties lie. We're sitting on what is more or less the same team that was rooted to the bottom of the table for most of last season, and we can surely only conclude that it's through the efforts of the management and coaching that we're doing so well now. Losing them could potentially be tragic.