Brendan Rodgers' Leicester hopes and why he is still a modern coach

[davieG]

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11712/11783664/brendan-rodgers-leicester-hopes-and-why-he-is-still-a-modern-coach

 

Last Updated: 15/08/19 7:45am

 

Brendan Rodgers has brought the buzz back to Leicester City and ambitions are high. Ahead of his return to Chelsea, he reflects on his coaching journey, how the game has changed, the challenge of staying modern, and what he can really achieve with the Foxes.

Leicester's goalless draw with Wolves on the opening weekend made for a low-key start but it has done nothing to shake Brendan Rodgers' optimism. Only Manchester City and Liverpool have won more Premier League games since his arrival, and he has assembled a young squad of vast potential. Excitement is in the East Midlands air.

Having inherited the role of Leicester City chairman from his late father, Aiyawatt 'Top' Srivaddhanaprabha has renewed his family's commitment to the club. A new training facility is imminent. Player investment continues with the statement signing of Youri Tielemans. But much of the mood change can be attributed to the appointment of Rodgers in February.

Suited up on a sweltering summer's day at the club's Belvoir Drive training ground, Rodgers is quick to address that controversial decision to leave title-bound Celtic mid-season and, in particular, the thinking behind it. "It is never easy leaving a great club like Celtic and it was always going to be difficult whenever I left," he tells Sky Sports.

"The benefit of coming in when I did, which was the plan, is that I had the chance to see the players working under pressure last season. I had the chance to find out a bit more about them and then make the decisions in the summer. It worked out well because we finished the season in a good place and that gave us something to build on into this season."

While most of the Premier League's top teams spent their summer traipsing around the globe fulfilling their commercial commitments, Leicester's pre-season was more pragmatic. Aside from a brief break in France, it was spent inside their own training ground. The only away trips were to Scunthorpe, Cheltenham, Cambridge, Rotherham and Stoke.

"We spoke about staying as close to home as we could so that we could get as much work in as we could," explains Rodgers. "I have been involved in the commitments when you travel and there are a lot of commercial demands. For our first pre-season together, I felt it was very important that we lock ourselves down in the training facility as much as we could."

That training ground work continues to set Rodgers apart from many of his peers. He is the quintessential coach - happiest when improving players - but his man-management skills are impressive too. Tielemans was determined to stay after working with him, despite interest from big clubs. Jamie Vardy was soon reassured and producing his best form.

Kasper Schmeichel summed it up well when he described Rodgers as a 'modern leader' but this is a coach who, despite being only 46, has been working for almost a quarter of a century now. In Scotland, he was up against Steven Gerrard, his old captain at Liverpool. On Sunday, he will face Frank Lampard, a player during Rodgers' own days on the Chelsea staff.

How does he manage still to be seen as modern? "My principles remain very much the same, there is no compromise with that," he says. "But I have had to evolve because the management of players now is totally different from what it was even a decade ago. There is more transparency in the world now. Everything needs to be out there.

"So you have to be open with the players. If you look at the great managers, they have always been able to embrace that and I have always felt that you need to work closely with the players. Of course, there always has to be a professional line and an edge that they need to feel, but I love working with players, helping them and improving them.

You are working with players from the age of 16 to around 35. And each year you move away from that. I think the trick is to stay in touch without making an idiot of yourself.
Brendan Rodgers

"If you think about it, each year of your life you are moving away from the age band that you will always work in. As a senior football coach, you are working with players from the age of 16 to around 35. That will always be the case. And each year you move away from that. I think the trick is to stay in touch without making an idiot of yourself. That's the key.

"I was very quickly onto the scene in management and had some good experiences and some bad experiences, but it's all learning and you do get better. Yes, I have been coaching for almost 25 years but I still have another 20 odd years left in me. It's nice to know and it's the advantage of starting young. You have the time to learn, to develop and to improve."

Rodgers' principles might remain the same but he returns to the Premier League with a slightly different status after his achievements with Celtic. At Swansea and Liverpool, he produced exciting football but, famously, could not quite get over the line with the latter in 2014. In Glasgow, there were back-to-back trebles. It has lent a different perspective.

"I am as focused as ever but it does relax you a little more," Rodgers admits. "Becoming a winner does give you something just as working with big clubs helps too. You develop players, you improve and you try to get the best results that you can but when you get the chance to win trophies then it just gives you that extra feeling of wanting it more.

"The Premier League is the most competitive league in the world so it is going to be very difficult for a club like ourselves but it's a great driving force knowing that you can achieve it. We know it will be difficult but once you've had a sense of it you do want to feel it again."

If Rodgers has changed, the Premier League has changed too. At the start of the decade, Swansea's commitment to possession football as a promoted club was regarded as unusual - even reckless - but it worked. Now, there is an expectation among the top six and beyond that there is an obligation to entertain. Again, Rodgers seems like a man ahead of his time.

"Today, it is not just about winning," he says. "Teams want to win in a certain way and owners want their teams to win in a certain way with an identity there. Hopefully, it is something that I have always had. When I was a young coach, it was always stressed to me that the game had evolved. You just find different ways and better ways to make it work."

Expectation at Leicester is an interesting concept. Logic dictates seventh would be a fine achievement given the resources of last season's top six and the ambitions of Everton, West Ham and Wolves. But, at this of all clubs, it is difficult to put a limit on what can be accomplished. The Foxes remain fearless and Rodgers would not want it any other way.

"I am fortunate here because I have a really fantastic group with a good mix," he says. "There is a lot of young talent that hopefully we can develop and improve, and the senior players have been fantastic since I came in because they have really taken on board how I want to work. That's been very important in terms of the leadership in the dressing room.

"Improvement can happen at any age whether it's 22 or 32. Thankfully, we have a squad here that constantly wants to improve. They are players that are coachable and are hungry. That is so important to me and I have loved seeing it. And next year we go to a new training facility that will allow us to develop players further. So it's an exciting time.

"Our motto here forever and a day will be that the impossible is possible. But I think there is a realism here too. Everyone knows how difficult it will be to break into that top six. For us, the aim is to be in the group in behind who are challenging that. We will embrace it. We will play with no fear. We will go and enjoy it and hopefully entertain our supporters.

"Let's see where it takes us."

[Guest An Sionnach]

Winning is 98% , Entertainment 2%....It doesn't matter how , just win.....

[Babylon]

27 minutes ago, davieG said:

"Our motto here forever and a day will be that the impossible is possible. But I think there is a realism here too. Everyone knows how difficult it will be to break into that top six. For us, the aim is to be in the group in behind who are challenging that. We will embrace it. We will play with no fear. We will go and enjoy it and hopefully entertain our supporters.

"Let's see where it takes us."

You've not read this forum have you mate. 

[That_Dude]

" "Our motto here forever and a day will be that the impossible is possible. But I think there is a realism here too. Everyone knows how difficult it will be to break into that top six. For us, the aim is to be in the group in behind who are challenging that. "

 

Glaring lack of ambition.

[Babylon]

12 minutes ago, That_Dude said:

" "Our motto here forever and a day will be that the impossible is possible. But I think there is a realism here too. Everyone knows how difficult it will be to break into that top six. For us, the aim is to be in the group in behind who are challenging that. "

 

Glaring lack of ambition.

Shocking, like having Puel back. 

[ftfagos]

But, at this of all clubs, it is difficult to put a limit on what can be accomplished.

[ThaiFox]

4 hours ago, That_Dude said:

" "Our motto here forever and a day will be that the impossible is possible. But I think there is a realism here too. Everyone knows how difficult it will be to break into that top six. For us, the aim is to be in the group in behind who are challenging that. "

 

Glaring lack of ambition.

This season it should certainly be the aim for top 6.

 

I see it as a great opportunity, with Chelsea, Arsenal and Man Utd going through transition periods.

 

However, if we play like we did against Wolves last Sunday I can't see us anywhere near the top 6. Fingers crossed the tempo is very different from now on. 70% slow possession is pointless if you don't score, or the first, and only, shot on target is in the 80th odd minute. Puel would have been slaughtered on here if we'd turned in a performance like that.

 

As for entertainment....of course we all want us to play well and win, but I'd take an ugly win any day of the week over a losing, but great display. 

[Muzzy_Larsson]

54 minutes ago, ThaiFox said:

This season it should certainly be the aim for top 6.

 

I see it as a great opportunity, with Chelsea, Arsenal and Man Utd going through transition periods.

 

However, if we play like we did against Wolves last Sunday I can't see us anywhere near the top 6. Fingers crossed the tempo is very different from now on. 70% slow possession is pointless if you don't score, or the first, and only, shot on target is in the 80th odd minute. Puel would have been slaughtered on here if we'd turned in a performance like that.

 

As for entertainment....of course we all want us to play well and win, but I'd take an ugly win any day of the week over a losing, but great display. 

As good a manager as Rodgers is on days when it doesn't go to plan that's generally how it goes.  Seen it at Celtic and it became more frequent latterly.  That's not in any way a criticism because on the days it does go to plan, of which there were tons we got served up some enthralling performances.

 

The only part where there would be constructive criticism would be that on the bad days, when it's plainly obvious that you could play and pass side to side all day without breaking the opposition down he seems too stubborn with his principles to adapt and try a different approach, perhaps something a bit more direct.

[KingsX]

7 hours ago, davieG said:

Brendan Rodgers has brought the buzz back to Leicester City and ambitions are high. Ahead of his return to Chelsea, he reflects

 

     That reads like a journalistic Freudian slip to me.

[LC/FC]

36 minutes ago, henrik_62 said:

As good a manager as Rodgers is on days when it doesn't go to plan that's generally how it goes.  Seen it at Celtic and it became more frequent latterly.  That's not in any way a criticism because on the days it does go to plan, of which there were tons we got served up some enthralling performances.

 

The only part where there would be constructive criticism would be that on the bad days, when it's plainly obvious that you could play and pass side to side all day without breaking the opposition down he seems too stubborn with his principles to adapt and try a different approach, perhaps something a bit more direct.

So you're saying that, if plan A doesn't work, he has no plan B. Tbf that was his problem at Swansea. 

[Muzzy_Larsson]

8 minutes ago, LC/FC said:

So you're saying that, if plan A doesn't work, he has no plan B. Tbf that was his problem at Swansea. 

Yeah that's pretty much it, thanks for saying that far more succinctly than I did lol!

[ThaiFox]

20 hours ago, henrik_62 said:

As good a manager as Rodgers is on days when it doesn't go to plan that's generally how it goes.  Seen it at Celtic and it became more frequent latterly.  That's not in any way a criticism because on the days it does go to plan, of which there were tons we got served up some enthralling performances.

 

The only part where there would be constructive criticism would be that on the bad days, when it's plainly obvious that you could play and pass side to side all day without breaking the opposition down he seems too stubborn with his principles to adapt and try a different approach, perhaps something a bit more direct.

I agree. At Celtic, in a piss poor, tin pot league, he could get away with poor, even dire, performances. Once a 'tough' match against a second rate Hearts is over, next is a match against a bunch of third or forth rate players.

 

In the P/L it's unforgiving and teams need to be much more flexible. There are few, if any, easy wins.

 

And even thought BR has good experience of the P/L, I hope the experience of the Scottish League hasn't softened him too much, because it's very different in the P/L. 

[Muzzy_Larsson]

5 minutes ago, ThaiFox said:

I agree. At Celtic, in a piss poor, tin pot league, he could get away with poor, even dire, performances. Once a 'tough' match against a second rate Hearts is over, next is a match against a bunch of third or forth rate players.

 

In the P/L it's unforgiving and teams need to be much more flexible. There are few, if any, easy wins.

 

And even thought BR has good experience of the P/L, I hope the experience of the Scottish League hasn't softened him too much, because it's very different in the P/L. 

If you have followed Rodgers as a coach then you’d realise this has feck all to do with the SPFL. He was guilty of the same at Swansea and Liverpool as others have pointed out on this thread.

 

For what it’s worth he didn’t get away with said performances either, in fact he got some unwarranted criticism after such games as despite being in a poor league there is an unrealistic expectation up here that even a draw is a disaster and we should be winning every game 5-0 and the likes. 

[That_Dude]

21 hours ago, ThaiFox said:

This season it should certainly be the aim for top 6.

 

I see it as a great opportunity, with Chelsea, Arsenal and Man Utd going through transition periods.

 

However, if we play like we did against Wolves last Sunday I can't see us anywhere near the top 6. Fingers crossed the tempo is very different from now on. 70% slow possession is pointless if you don't score, or the first, and only, shot on target is in the 80th odd minute. Puel would have been slaughtered on here if we'd turned in a performance like that.

 

As for entertainment....of course we all want us to play well and win, but I'd take an ugly win any day of the week over a losing, but great display. 

I think that the top 6 is only reachable if OGS and Lampard dramatically fail and we should have our sights set on Everton and the Wolves who are our real opponents. I'm fully with Rodgers when he said " For us, the aim is to be in the group in behind who are challenging that. ".

 

Funnily enough it's basically what Puel said last season and I'm quite astonished by the lack of outrage reactions on this forum. I guess it always depends on who says it.

[NaijaFox]

21 hours ago, ThaiFox said:

This season it should certainly be the aim for top 6.

 

I see it as a great opportunity, with Chelsea, Arsenal and Man Utd going through transition periods.

 

However, if we play like we did against Wolves last Sunday I can't see us anywhere near the top 6. Fingers crossed the tempo is very different from now on. 70% slow possession is pointless if you don't score, or the first, and only, shot on target is in the 80th odd minute. Puel would have been slaughtered on here if we'd turned in a performance like that.

 

As for entertainment....of course we all want us to play well and win, but I'd take an ugly win any day of the week over a losing, but great display. 

Enough with Puel already! 

 

Claude would probably have thought last Sunday’s display was “qualitee” while at least BR seemed actually a bit disappointed. Over the course of the season we are going to suffer through some pedestrian (and even poor) performances under BR, but the best of BR would almost certainly better than the gruel largely served up by Puel. He did some good things while he was here, particularly with many of our youngsters, but that chapter is closed and it’s time to move on.

 

[ThaiFox]

4 minutes ago, That_Dude said:

I think that the top 6 is only reachable if OGS and Lampard dramatically fail and we should have our sights set on Everton and the Wolves who are our real opponents. I'm fully with Rodgers when he said " For us, the aim is to be in the group in behind who are challenging that. ".

 

Funnily enough it's basically what Puel said last season and I'm quite astonished by the lack of outrage reactions on this forum. I guess it always depends on who says it.

Totally agree about the Puel reaction on here.

 

I said the same in the match ratings, and the post match Wolves thread, that if we'd played v Wolves like that under Puel he would have been slaughtered on here for that performance and his approval rating would have been around 10%.

 

I suppose it's because BR is still in a honeymoon period coupled with the relief on here that Puel has gone. But BR must up the tempo or his ratings will quickly fall. 

 

As for the top 6, I absolutely think we should be challenging for that. I see this season as a huge opportunity. Man Utd, Arsenal & Chelsea are all in transition. But we've no earthly chance if we're going to play like we did last Sunday. However, Everton, Wolves, West Ham will all be striving for that too.

 

I see the league in 4 parts. Man City & Liverpool, then it's Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal, Spuds, Us, Everton, Wolves, West Ham, then 5 of the rest, then 5 fighting relegation. 

 

[Fosse93]

19 minutes ago, That_Dude said:

I think that the top 6 is only reachable if OGS and Lampard dramatically fail and we should have our sights set on Everton and the Wolves who are our real opponents. I'm fully with Rodgers when he said " For us, the aim is to be in the group in behind who are challenging that. ".

 

Funnily enough it's basically what Puel said last season and I'm quite astonished by the lack of outrage reactions on this forum. I guess it always depends on who says it.

Rodgers has consistently said it's our aim to bring European football back to the club.

 

Puel said we couldn't compete with Wolves.

[That_Dude]

1 minute ago, Fosse93 said:

Rodgers has consistently said it's our aim to bring European football back to the club.

 

Puel said we couldn't compete with Wolves.

Financially.

[ThaiFox]

Just now, NaijaFox said:

Enough with Puel already! 

 

Claude would probably have thought last Sunday’s display was “qualitee” while at least BR seemed actually a bit disappointed. Over the course of the season we are going to suffer through some pedestrian (and even poor) performances under BR, but the best of BR would almost certainly better than the gruel largely served up by Puel. He did some good things while he was here, particularly with many of our youngsters, but that chapter is closed and it’s time to move on.

 

Yes, Puel has gone. And we've replaced him with an almost identically tactical manager, although he comes over much better in interviews.

 

But if you thought that performance v Wolves was anything better than the 'gruel' served up from Puel, I suggest you watch the match again!

 

In the after match interviews I've seen with Rodgers, he mainly talked about being so happy with VAR. I bet he was, because it got him off the hook.

[Fosse93]

1 minute ago, ThaiFox said:

Totally agree about the Puel reaction on here.

 

I said the same in the match ratings, and the post match Wolves thread, that if we'd played v Wolves like that under Puel he would have been slaughtered on here for that performance and his approval rating would have been around 10%.

 

I suppose it's because BR is still in a honeymoon period coupled with the relief on here that Puel has gone. But BR must up the tempo or his ratings will quickly fall. 

It's not just about the one game in isolation though is it?

 

Performances like the Wolves one were happening far too often under Puel, against lesser teams.

 

I think fans can realise we've got a new manager, with a new system, new backroom staff etc. These things take time.

[Fosse93]

8 minutes ago, That_Dude said:

Financially.

Yes, but it's a complete contrast in tone to what Rodgers is saying here.

 

He's basically saying the same thing, but Rodgers also says the impossible is possible, whilst Puel used to say if we're not happy with 8th then we're crazy.

 

Just two completely different personalities.

 

For the record I'd be happy enough with 8th!

[ThaiFox]

2 minutes ago, Fosse93 said:

It's not just about the one game in isolation though is it?

 

Performances like the Wolves one were happening far too often under Puel, against lesser teams.

 

I think fans can realise we've got a new manager, with a new system, new backroom staff etc. These things take time.

I think fans were just happy to be rid of Puel!

 

I agree things take time......if he's allowed time. Few managers are, and it certainly wasn't given to Ranieri, Shakey, or Puel.

 

I remember some really decent performances under Puel, as well as several dire ones. But as I said in my previous post, it's almost like we've replaced him with a tactically identical manager.

 

Don't get me wrong, I loathe changing managers and would love some real stability at the club. I really hope BR fits for us and stays a long time. 

[That_Dude]

30 minutes ago, ThaiFox said:

Totally agree about the Puel reaction on here.

 

I said the same in the match ratings, and the post match Wolves thread, that if we'd played v Wolves like that under Puel he would have been slaughtered on here for that performance and his approval rating would have been around 10%.

 

I suppose it's because BR is still in a honeymoon period coupled with the relief on here that Puel has gone. But BR must up the tempo or his ratings will quickly fall. 

 

As for the top 6, I absolutely think we should be challenging for that. I see this season as a huge opportunity. Man Utd, Arsenal & Chelsea are all in transition. But we've no earthly chance if we're going to play like we did last Sunday. However, Everton, Wolves, West Ham will all be striving for that too.

 

I see the league in 4 parts. Man City & Liverpool, then it's Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal, Spuds, Us, Everton, Wolves, West Ham, then 5 of the rest, then 5 fighting relegation. 

 

I'm a patient man, not fussed about the result against Wolverhampton and much prepared to give him time, because he's going to need it.

 

I get what you're saying, it would be more an opportunistic 6th place rather than an effective one. I'm trying to keep my expectations in check. As long as there is a clear direction, tangible progress and (occasionally) good football, I'd call myself satisfied and wouldn't look too much at the table.

 

Arsenal are a definite contender fort the top 4 imo and it's only a matter of (fortunate) circumstances that we're somewhat in competition with United and Chelsea them this season. it's still not clear where both of them are going to land at the end of the season. We'll know mor after the next 8 games or so. The quality of their team and bench is still above ours and they're streets ahead financially. Their misfortune won't last very long though and if we don't up our game financially, we won't able to challenge them.

[That_Dude]

3 minutes ago, Fosse93 said:

Yes, but it's a complete contrast in tone to what Rodgers is saying here.

 

He's basically saying the same thing, but Rodgers also says the impossible is possible, whilst Puel used to say if we're not happy with 8th then we're crazy.

 

Just two completely different personalities.

 

For the record I'd be happy enough with 8th!

BR just sugar-coated it but the reasonment is the same and he's not wrong. You should also remember that English isn't Puels mother tongue.

 

People had an axe to grind with Puel and were searching for the smallest excuse to go for his throat.

 

I'd be over the moon if we get that 6th place but would also be happy with the 8th, as long as I previously said, we're going in the right direction

[jayfox26]

I think there is definitely a balance we need to find, as the Wolves game was too slow with little quality in the final 3rd but on the flip side of that, Wolves, a team who are meant to be as good as if not better than us according to some, played Burnley style tactics. Whilst that worked for them a few times with long knocks over the top for Raul and Jota, I'd be pissed if we ever played a full 90 using them tactics unless we're playing Man City or Liverpool.  I think the key is that we need to start games at really fast pace and try and get a goal as early as possible. If we get an early goal, park the bus teams won't be able to park the bus anymore and will be brought out creating more space for JV and our attackers. It's pretty much a case of, if we haven't scored by the 60th minute, the chances are we ain't scoring as the longer games go on the opposition just pack their own penalty area.