RODGERS ERA OFF TO WINNING START
New manager predicts exciting times ahead for Leicester
NEW Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers has promised his players there are “special things on the horizon” after watching them beat Brighton and Hove Albion 2-1 in the Premier League on Tuesday.
Rodgers’ appointment was confirmed an hour before kickoff, with the former Celtic boss replacing Claude Puel, who was sacked on Sunday.
Leicester, who were under the command of Mike Stowell and Adam Sadler on Tuesday, had picked up only one point from the previous 18 available — a run that ended Puel’s tenure.
Rodgers was given a warm reception by Leicester’s fans as he took his seat in the King Power Stadium and watched on from the stands as Demarai Gray and Jamie Vardy both scored for the Foxes.
“He spoke to the lads in the dressing room. He was proud of them and liked the spirit. He promised them there are special things on the horizon,” Stowell told reporters.
“The atmosphere has lifted with a win and with the new manager. I’m sure he’ll bring a lot of good things and he’s got a lot of staff with him. It’s exciting times.”
The timing of Rodgers’ departure has been criticised by Celtic fans and former players such as Chris Sutton, with Celtic eight points clear in the Scottish Premiership but facing a much stronger challenge from Rangers than in Rodgers’ first two seasons in charge.
But the 46-year-old claimed he had taken Celtic as far as he could and chief executive Peter Lawwell stated the club had to respect Rodgers’ desire to pursue the opportunity to join the Premier League club.
Speaking to the Leicester website, Rodgers said: “I was certainly in no hurry to leave Celtic. Celtic is a club that’s a huge club worldwide, a renowned club, and I loved working with the players there.
“We were on a journey of great success over these last years, but, when the opportunity came to talk to Leicester and I was able to analyse it, it allowed me to think that I’d probably achieved and taken the club maybe at Celtic as far as I could at this moment.”
Rodgers, whose contract was due to expire in 2021, leaves having won all seven domestic trophies available during his spell in charge.