ROUGH ’N’ HUMBLE
Rodgers brought back down to earth by real ‘suffering’ of families during hospice visit
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LEICESTER:
BRENDAN RODGERS has revealed how a visit to a children’s hospice during the international break helped him to put Leicester’s shocking start into perspective.
The former Celtic manager is an ambassador for the Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice and Northern Ireland Hospice back home.
And he pledged his personal support in Ulster again on the back of six straight defeats, which have left the Foxes propping up the Premier League.
Ahead of Nottingham Forest’s visit tomorrow night, Foxes boss Rodgers (left) said: “I think what is key is it is always perspective for me.
“I went to a children’s hospice in Northern Ireland during the international break to do my work with the hospice there.
“It brings you back down to earth again. Life is put in perspective there. You see kids suffering and families suffering.
“We don’t really suffer in football. You can lose games of football – but, in the real world, it is not really suffering.
“But, as managers, of course, we want to get results and make our supporters happy. With that comes pressure and you have to deal with that.
“You think you suffer in football and you do in terms of results, but some things are much bigger than that.”
Rodgers’ late father Malachy received hospice care while suffering from cancer and his mum Christina, who passed away in 2010, was a strong believer in supporting charity.
In 2016, Rodgers donated the sale of his parents’ home to the cause.
While Parkhead boss, he also donated proceeds of his autobiography to NI Children’s Hospice and Celtic gave the proceeds of a 2017-18 season review DVD to the Belfast-based charity.
Before heading home to Northern Ireland last month, Rodgers took Leicester’s first-team staff to Loch Lomond for a break at the exclusive golf club, following the strains of a tough start to the season, including a 6-2 defeat at Spurs last time out.
Rodgers explained: “We went to reflect, talk and play a bit of golf.
“I took them to Loch Lomond and played a couple of days there, which was very nice. I enjoyed that and it breaks the cycle.
“It is also key, as I know, that you can’t isolate yourself.
“We all have bad moments in whatever it is, but the key is to not go and be on your own. It is so important.
“We had a nice couple of days there and were back in here for some work.”
Leicester host local rivals Forest off the back of that thrashing at Tottenham and a 5-2 defeat at Brighton.
But Rodgers is confident he can turn the club’s plight around and insists he maintains the support of the King Power hierarchy.
He said: “What you have to do is keep encouraging and keep being supportive to the players and keep looking to help them get over the situation.
“I’ve looked at the Tottenham game and reflected on some of the real positive aspects and areas where we need to be better in our next game.”