RODGERS URGES PLAYERS TO CREATE AN ‘INCREDIBLE LEGACY’
IT’S NOT ENOUGH TO REACH THE FA CUP FINAL, WE HAVE TO WIN THE FAMOUS TROPHY - RODGERS
THE time has come for Leicester City to create an “incredible legacy” with Brendan Rodgers telling his players not to be satisfied with merely reaching the FA Cup final, writes Jordan Blackwell.
City head to Wembley tomorrow for an occasion the club have waited 52 years for.
While it is undoubtedly an achievement for a club that rarely plays in such momentous fixtures, Rodgers says that feeling needs to be parked if City are to beat Chelsea and lift the famous trophy for the first time.
They may be the underdogs, but they are there to win it.
“We’ve all grown up with it, so to be able to lead Leicester City out for the first time in over 50 years, it’s a privilege for me,” he said in yesterday’s pre-match press conference yesterday.
“I’m so excited. This is a game where you can create an incredible legacy.
“You write your own stories in these games and hopefully that’s what we can do.
“We embrace the expectation of having a chance to win and we believe we can do that. We know we have to play really well against an outstanding team.
“It’s a game we go into and it’s our ambition to win.
“We’ve come so far this season, and now we arrive in a final, and for us and for our mindset, it’s not enough just to arrive there.
“I know everyone thinks it’s great to get to the FA Cup final, but our ambition is to win it.
“We have to do everything we can in order to do that.
“If we do everything and luck goes our way, it gives us the possibility. If we don’t, we’ve given our all and that’s all we can do.”
While it is the club’s biggest match since the final days of the title campaign, Rodgers has tried to keep his preparation as close to normal as possible, so as not to increase the pressure around the game.
He said: “Sometimes when you get to finals, you might not be in good form, you might be sat in mid-table.
“Our team it’s different. We’ve been consistent.
“They’ve been playing well over a period of time, and this is the next step for us.
“I’ve always tried to ensure every game is a big game. We have exactly the same preparation.
“The consequence of the game is greater than some of the other games, but you don’t need to magnify an FA Cup final to raise any levels of pressure or anxiety, it’s a big game.
“We’ve always tried to prepare for that, knowing that when you get to finals, you’re not having to increase your level by so much.
“There’s going to be a natural push to do even more. It’s important to stay calm.”