Rodgers set the bar too high with FA Cup triumph

Srivaddhanaprabha said: “The achievements of the team under Brendan’s management speak for themselves — we’ve experienced some of our finest footballing moments under his guidance and will always be grateful to him and his staff for the heights they helped us to reach on the pitch.

“Off the pitch, Brendan embraced the culture of the Club and helped cultivate an outstanding developmental environment, particularly during the transition to Seagrave, and provided strong leadership during the unprecedented challenge of the coronavirus pandemic. His place in Leicester City history is assured.”

If his achievements speak for themselves then why is he getting rid of the man who brought the club so much previous success? Why lose the trust?

For Irish football this is a big blow.

Although Rodgers has never been someone who has signed a plethora of Irish players, his presence in the dugout, his familiar Ulster accent on Match of the Day interviews offered hope to aspiring Irish managers.

He was the first Irish manager to win the FA Cup since Terry Neill in 1979 and just the second in all. We just don’t have the tradition of supplying managers to the top flight in England like the Scots do.

And the downside to that will be felt by the international side.

Under Neill, a de facto Irish team made it to the 1980 Cup

Winners Cup final, including four Dubliners — David O’Leary, John Devine, Frank Stapleton and Liam Brady — as well as three from the North.

That was an early example of footballers from the same nation following their manager to a club.

It happened at Wolves with Portuguese boss Nuno Espirito Santo. Little Lisbon became the new nickname for Molineaux.

Before that there was Mick McCarthy at the club — and Stephen Ward, Kevin Foley, Kevin Doyle, Matt Doherty and Stephen Hunt followed him there.

Promoted

Leeds’ Dave O’Leary era saw Robbie Keane get signed, and youngsters Stephen McPhail and Alan Maybury promoted, to join club stalwarts Ian Harte and Gary Kelly.

It is a natural thing — managers going to what they know.

So even though Rodgers wasn’t the greatest shopper for Irish talent, he was still an unusual presence, an Irishman in charge of a Premier League club.

Now he is gone, where will the next one come from?

You get David Moyes becoming Manchester United manager because the previous Scottish appointment worked out alright.

But Ireland has provided a trickle whereas the Scots produced a flood.

Now Rodgers has gone, the river has run dry. Ireland will suffer. And so will Leicester.