Let’s have another ‘peak’ at Europe...
RODGERS: FOXES MUST RISE ABOVE BUDGET AGAIN
BRENDAN RODGERS has warned that Leicester City may have peaked – but he still expects a crack at qualifying for Europe.
The Foxes chief delivered a blunt assessment of what his club can achieve this season as he rallied his troops following the midweek collapse against Tottenham.
He has had to contend with a raft of injuries, Covid and squad withdrawals due to the Africa Cup of Nations.
That has led to inconsistent results, but, given two fifth-placed finishes and an FA Cup triumph, there is little question the Northern Irishman has overachieved since arriving at the club.
Rodgers said: “What happens, if you have a bit of success and you have these finishes and you qualify for European football, is that people think you have created a foundation for success.
“For a club like ours, it may be the pinnacle, because of the resources, and where others are at.
“It’s very difficult. We’re not taking one of the biggest clubs in the country into the top five and then being given massive resources to push it on.
“These players have been brilliant for the past couple of seasons.
“But now we are missing players and I would say we are about ‘par’, as such.
“In terms of budget, we’re not too far away in the Premier League table from where our budget is.
“That’s the reality. I said, when I arrived, that we wanted to disrupt the market. We have done that. We have won things, that’s great. Progress has been hampered a little bit this season. But I’m still excited by the challenge – and that’s qualifying for European football again.
“My job is to elevate us beyond where we are, win things, play good football and bring young players through. That’s the vision.
“Whether that’s success or failure, it’s all about the narrative.
“I know where we have been and where we are taking the club. If expectation is there, that’s great, it means we are doing things right.”
There is some light at the end of the tunnel. Rodgers welcomed back James Justin off the substitutes bench before the late horror show against Spurs.
Highly-rated centre-back Wesley Fofana is back on the training pitch after breaking his leg and damaging ankle ligaments six months ago, and is pencilled in for a return next month. Leicester’s players had a day off on Thursday to clear their minds after Steven Bergwijn’s late double floored them 3-2 against Antonio Conte’s men on Wednesday night.
Rodgers added: “It was painful. It was such a big blow for us. We did suffer.
“We said to the players, football is the university of adversity. You learn to pick yourself up – if you don’t, you’re never going to push on.
“That goes for managers, coaches and players. In this game, you know you are but one curveball away, and you learn that when pain and suffering comes, you react the right way.
“That’s why I’m here. To pick the players up. It does hurt, but that’s the job. When we have suffered, we have got up to fight again. That’s important.”