I’ve always liked Brendan Rodgers. I’ve defended him plenty of times down the years, and perhaps through nothing more than blind delusion on a number of occasions. Maybe it’s just the Irish connection, but he seems like one of the most genuine and humble men in football.
I’ve typed out this sentence a few times and erased it, as I’m wary to say it, but it does feel like he’s being a bit of a prick in making the decision to move back south again to Leicester.
What’s that noise? Ah yes, that’s the tyres squealing up the moral high road of modern football. Screeeeee…..
Leaked: Brendan Rodgers negotiating with executives from Leicester City. pic.twitter.com/Jy8Nbq15gD
— David Brent (@DavidBrentMovie) February 26, 2019
One caveat supporters should always keep in mind is that we don’t know all the facts. Until the autobiographies are released and hindsight is freely available, you never know what’s gone on behind closed doors. Having said that, from what is public knowledge, it doesn’t make sense for any of the parties involved.
A chance to complete a historic treble-treble and write himself into Celtic folklore now appears to have vanished. Instead, Rodgers will be remembered as the manager who won everything on offer in a short two-and-a-half-year stay, before heading off for bigger and better things on his own accord.
Leicester’s season is going nowhere. They’re one of four sides in mid-table who are too far from the seventh-place to dream of Europe, and are in absolutely no danger of having Sky Bet advertising all over their kits next season.
Mind you, one of those sides is Everton, and they have their biggest game since the 1984 cup final on Sunday.
Going in the summer surely was the obvious deal to make.
The difference made in heading to the King Power Stadium three months earlier must surely be next to none, and an attempt to secure an early pay rise would be nothing more than petty.
Brendan Rodgers' first team talk at Leicester pic.twitter.com/cr9PzlnbNo
— RF9 ?? (@SambaRole) February 26, 2019
It’s the fact that Rodgers is such a dignified manager that makes it feel like there’s more going on here than meets the eye. Perhaps the former Liverpool boss has started to have some conflicting feelings as of late. What if he’s beginning to feel a little bit Protestant?
From not retching at the idea of having the living room painted orange to arriving at the realisation that transubstantiation might be a load of bollocks. These are surely the thoughts that have been rocketing through Brendan Rodgers’ mind in the last few weeks.
Maybe it’s all the screen time Arlene Foster has been getting as of late with this Brexit commotion. Perhaps, he’s looked over to Ibrox and seen what a wonderful time young Jon Flanagan is having with Rangers. Either way, there’s no denying that Brendan Rodgers is, at the very least, Protestant-curious.
I’ve had a look at a few Leicester City forums to gauge public opinion on the appointment. It’s fair to say the reaction is mixed. There’s plenty of fans who seem happy with the move, clearly aware of Leicester City’s current situation and understanding of basic logical realism which would indicate that getting Mourinho as their manager is highly improbable.
Then there’s also a bunch of lads saying he single-handedly bottled the title in 2014, and that seven trophies in under three seasons at Celtic is no real achievement. Good to see those who voted for Brexit are keeping the flag flying.
For Rodgers, it’s also hard to see what success looks like at Leicester. Playing brilliant football and finishing seventh is as good as the Foxes can hope for without any major drama among the top six occurring, and so the best case scenario for the Antrim-native may only keep supporters on side for so long.
Brendan Rodgers, 2016: “I don’t see it as a stepping stone. For me, I'm living the dream being the manager of Celtic.”
Brendan Rodgers as soon as a mid-table PL club comes calling: pic.twitter.com/YZqRILWP3m
— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) February 26, 2019
As the two domestic cups depreciate in value year-after-year, it’s hard to see any situation where the 46-year old walks away from the job in five years’ time and can point to any silverware or visible signs of significant progress.
I said the same thing when he went to Celtic though. As he departs Glasgow, Celtic fans will view him as a success even if there’ll be a lasting bitter taste left in the wake of his departure. When he joined the Bhoys in 2016, the only way that seemed possible was for his side’s record to be perfect, or as good as.
In the same way that another ex-Liverpool manager seems intent on going to every major club in Europe with a crazy, power-hungry and dictator-like owner, it looks like Brendan Rodgers is setting himself the hardest tasks possible.
Maybe he’s a prick, maybe he’s a Protestant. Either way, it could be worse. Imagine being Puel. Imagine being that good a manager and continuously getting sacked for no apparent reason.
