Is Appleton taking a risk by swapping Oxford job for Leicester role?

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Craig Shakespeare has succeeded in enticing Oxford’s manager to come and join him in the Premier League as Leicester City’s new assistant manager.

Oxford United manager Michael Appleton has jumped at the chance to move to Leicester City

At first, it may seem like a strange idea for Michael Appleton to join Leicester City considering how well he has been doing with Oxford United. He took the U’s to eighth in the League One table in 2016/17. That was just four points off the play-offs and with a bit more luck and investment it would not be unreasonable for the U’s to be promotion contenders soon, but this week Michael Appleton decided to join Leicester City as their assistant manager, as SkySports reports.

A risk or an golden opportunity?
Having won a promotion with Oxford United, Appleton might have felt that was as far as he could go with them. In that respect, he probably saw the Leicester City job as a number two as a golden opportunity.

Appleton will now be working with better quality players at Leicester City, and will be working with a man who is desperate to succeed. His long term prospects will also be bettered – if Leicester City can regain something like the form that took them to be title winners. Number two’s are not so much in the spotlight, but Appleton will be privy to getting all the tactics right and expressing his opinion on matters on the training field as well as on match days. It’s doubtful this would line him up for a Premier League job in a year or two’s time – but a move to a Championship club would be more likely.

Leicester City manager Craig Shakespeare during training

If the club manages to keep some of its star names we could well see the new management duo doing well, but their test will come when they experience difficult runs. Being friends will be a help and yet that will also be tested.

Leicester City’s Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy will be targets for other clubs

Whenever you associate Appleton with a club you have to admire his bravery to jump into challenging jobs – he did so at Portsmouth, at Blackpool and during a short spell at Blackburn Rovers.

Leicester fans will be hoping it is a longer and more stable connection to their club, and that Shakespeare and Appleton’s renewed partnership can push the side upwards again.