Rodgers opens up on Leicester City transfer struggles but 'won't go to war' with club

[davieG]

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/leicester-city-brendan-rodgers-transfers-7341949

 

Brendan Rodgers discusses transfers for the first time this summer with City the only club in Premier League yet to sign a player

ByJordan Blackwell
18:36, 16 JUL 2022

No transfer war... Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers.
Leicester City’s transfer business is on hold until the club sell players, manager Brendan Rodgers has admitted, but insists he will “not go to war” with the hierarchy over the lack of activity.

City are the only Premier League club not to make a signing this summer window, even with Rodgers planning five or six transfer as part of a healthy shake-up. He now says his plans will not be completed as fully as he had hoped.

But the manager said he would never criticise the club, and understood the realities of City’s situation as they seek buyers for the players they want to offload in order to give them the financial wiggle room to bring in new recruits. If they cannot do that, Rodgers said they would struggle to compete at the higher end of the table.

 

Asked what he made of City’s lack of activity, Rodgers said after the 3-3 draw with OH Leuven on Saturday: “I trust the club implicitly. It’s a club that has always given me everything they have had since I’ve been here.

“Clearly, we have to do some business out before we can get players in. We just are not in the same position as some of the other clubs. Until that changes, I keep working with the players we have. We try to maximise their abilities and if the club can do something in the market to help the team, we would want that.

“(Selling players) is two-way. Other clubs have to want the players. But it’s also very important that we can’t get too hung up on that.

“Of course I want to improve the squad, I want to develop the squad, I said that midway through last year, but if it’s difficult financially, I really respect the club, so I don’t go to war with them.

“It’s unfortunate. We have to do some work and if we can do that, then hopefully we can affect the squad because if we are going to compete anywhere near where we have been, then we need to be able to do that. If not, then it’s a different expectation.”

While there are more than six weeks left in the transfer window, Rodgers admitted that whatever happens from now, City won’t be able to improve the squad to the level he had hoped. There are three weeks to go until the start of the Premier League season.

He added: “Hopefully we can improve the squad, but my honest opinion is that it’s not going to be the level I would have wanted. But that’s just unfortunate.

“It was also off the field as well. We wanted to reset some of our work off the field and we have started in that process, which is great, but of course I want the strongest squad possible. But if that’s not possible, then I will work with the players I have and we’ll continue to fight and work the very best we can.”

[filthyfox]

So... we will be lucky to be top 10 this year then. 

[davieG]

Just now, filthyfox said:

So... we will be lucky to be top 10 this year then. 

It's the same squad as last year less Lookman and no Europe games so there's no reason why we can't match 8th or better especially if we have less injuries. 

[CosbehFox]

Probably one of his most honest interviews at LCFC. His final quote is telling as the club have being changing things such as medical staff 

[Guest Lcfc82]

Rodgers knew exactly what he was doing when he bought this idea of a squad overhaul up last season. 

Was never going to happen, his excuses are in early.

[Sharpe's Fox]

He can't complain. Half of the players we want to get rid of were brought in on his request.

[honeybradger]

7 minutes ago, filthyfox said:

So... we will be lucky to be top 10 this year then. 

The season is not defined by the transfer window. With our squad at full fitness and no europe we should be aiming for a top 6 finish.

[Guest]

I don't think it tells us anything we didn't already know i.e. the finances aren't ideal, we need to move players on but are struggling to do so, we've not made the progress we were hoping to, but nonetheless it is always nice to hear an honest assessment of where we're at.

 

I look forward to the calm, level-headed responses to it.

[Richard]

He can’t go to war with the club because he won’t win. 
 

Media, supporters and probably the players too would side with Rudkin/Whelan/Khun Top over Brendan

[JimmyC74]

Emphasises the mess we have got into paying premium wages to peripheral players who we can’t persuade anyone else to take.

 

a lot of the blame re contracts and being able to move players we no longer want sits with the DofF.

[Guest Chocolate Teapot]

He won't go to war but yet he's sort of calling them out. Couldn't be brendan...

[alanf0x]

Honestly. What does he expect. You can’t just stock pile players. Fair play to the board for staying strong and wanting players out first. Also if we are stupid enough to put bang average players on £50k + a week, we have ourselves (or the DOF) to blame!! 

Edited 16 July 2022 by alanf0x

[Dusty]

Just now, JimmyC74 said:

Emphasises the mess we have got into paying premium wages to peripheral players who we can’t persuade anyone else to take.

 

a lot of the blame re contracts and being able to move players we no longer want sits with the DofF.

I know we like to talk about high wages a lot, but that shouldn’t really stop clubs coming in for our players if we want them gone. It’s very common for clubs to pay wages to a player that’s left, over several years of their contract at their next club. We can comfortably sell players, and save millions in wages whilst still contributing 15-20k on each one. It’s obviously far from ideal, but I don’t buy that this is the reason we’re not selling our players. I just don’t think many of them are that good for the money we want for them, there’s better options for the buying club. 

[coolhandfox]

He could have said anything, and people will moan.

 

Every football manager wants more players it's the nature of the beast.

[JimmyC74]

We need to focus on what we have including making the best use of Praet and integrating the likes of Braybrooke. 
 

So long as Brendan can get us organised and we stay clear of injuries I can still see us pushing top 7.

[JimmyC74]

3 minutes ago, Dusty said:

I know we like to talk about high wages a lot, but that shouldn’t really stop clubs coming in for our players if we want them gone. It’s very common for clubs to pay wages to a player that’s left, over several years of their contract at their next club. We can comfortably sell players, and save millions in wages whilst still contributing 15-20k on each one. It’s obviously far from ideal, but I don’t buy that this is the reason we’re not selling our players. I just don’t think many of them are that good for the money we want for them, there’s better options for the buying club. 

I could have been clearer. The lack of demand reflects both the wages and level of performances / capabilities.

 

players don’t want to take a pay cut and there aren’t enough clubs interested.

[The Year Of The Fox]

25 minutes ago, davieG said:

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/leicester-city-brendan-rodgers-transfers-7341949

 

Brendan Rodgers discusses transfers for the first time this summer with City the only club in Premier League yet to sign a player

ByJordan Blackwell
18:36, 16 JUL 2022

No transfer war... Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers.
Leicester City’s transfer business is on hold until the club sell players, manager Brendan Rodgers has admitted, but insists he will “not go to war” with the hierarchy over the lack of activity.

City are the only Premier League club not to make a signing this summer window, even with Rodgers planning five or six transfer as part of a healthy shake-up. He now says his plans will not be completed as fully as he had hoped.

But the manager said he would never criticise the club, and understood the realities of City’s situation as they seek buyers for the players they want to offload in order to give them the financial wiggle room to bring in new recruits. If they cannot do that, Rodgers said they would struggle to compete at the higher end of the table.

 

Asked what he made of City’s lack of activity, Rodgers said after the 3-3 draw with OH Leuven on Saturday: “I trust the club implicitly. It’s a club that has always given me everything they have had since I’ve been here.

“Clearly, we have to do some business out before we can get players in. We just are not in the same position as some of the other clubs. Until that changes, I keep working with the players we have. We try to maximise their abilities and if the club can do something in the market to help the team, we would want that.

“(Selling players) is two-way. Other clubs have to want the players. But it’s also very important that we can’t get too hung up on that.

“Of course I want to improve the squad, I want to develop the squad, I said that midway through last year, but if it’s difficult financially, I really respect the club, so I don’t go to war with them.

“It’s unfortunate. We have to do some work and if we can do that, then hopefully we can affect the squad because if we are going to compete anywhere near where we have been, then we need to be able to do that. If not, then it’s a different expectation.”

While there are more than six weeks left in the transfer window, Rodgers admitted that whatever happens from now, City won’t be able to improve the squad to the level he had hoped. There are three weeks to go until the start of the Premier League season.

He added: “Hopefully we can improve the squad, but my honest opinion is that it’s not going to be the level I would have wanted. But that’s just unfortunate.

“It was also off the field as well. We wanted to reset some of our work off the field and we have started in that process, which is great, but of course I want the strongest squad possible. But if that’s not possible, then I will work with the players I have and we’ll continue to fight and work the very best we can.”

Well I feel very reconnected with the club and our values 

[jayfox26]

He can't go to war with the club as its his and Congertons shite recruitment that has left us in this mess. The likes of Vestergaard, Bertrand and Soumare clogging up our wage bill and none of them are anywhere near good enough to be in our squad and surprise surprise, nobody wants them meaning we can't trim our squad and lower our wage bill. He's had 3 years at the club now which is more than enough time for him and his recruitment team to have the squad he wants, yet we are currently a long way off having the squad he wants. Yes we don't have an owner like Villa or Newcastle that will spend hundreds of millions of their own cash but our transfer model we've adopted since we won the league has worked for the most part, signing cheap and selling for huge profit. Seems that model has now come to an end and some of our star players like youri will either be sold for way below their value or leave on frees. The club seems like its in a real mess and I can't help but feel that Rodgers is a large reason for that. 

[Unabomber]

Looks like most are wanting him out. What a mess we are in going in to this season. 

[SemperEadem]

1 minute ago, Unabomber said:

Looks like most are wanting him out. What a mess we are in going in to this season. 

Does feel that way doesn't it. You worry for the atmosphere.

[Dahnsouff]

Brendan does interview.

Brendan haters do Brendan hate.

 

[Unabomber]

Just now, SemperEadem said:

Does feel that way doesn't it. You worry for the atmosphere.

If we start the first few games playing like we did for the majority of last season then it will be grim. Just feel so unenthusiastic going in to a new season, haven’t felt like this in years.

[Dahnsouff]

1 minute ago, SemperEadem said:

Does feel that way doesn't it. You worry for the atmosphere.

How do you come to this conclusion out of interest?

[RobHawk]

I think it's a fair comment tbh and nothing we didn't already know.  I'll be honest and say I expected the futures of both soyuncu and tielemans to be sorted one way or another by now. And that's not even including the other players in the squad we would like to shift. 

 

Id also like to think with some added strength Brendan would have been aiming to disrupt the big 6 again. We won't be too far from that I don't think but the amount of fans wetting themselves over other clubs strengthening, there is an element of that too. 

 

Realistically, when when little Wes got injured last year, with the European games too, we needed an extra CB we hadnt budgeted for. It's that signing of vestry that's really pushed us over the edge this year, what's worse is it's not worked out and it's another player we want rid off. 

 

I dunno why I'm bothering with all this, the haters will hate regardless of what he says

[majaco]

Fair enough.  

 

Good that that has been communicated to the fan base.