Brendan Rodgers is best of bad options for Leicester and can succeed with players where Puel failed
Claude Puel's time was up after the embarrassing defeat on Saturday and it is now time for another new era at Leicester, writes Sun Reporter and King Power regular Joshua Jones
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BRENDAN RODGERS, then. Bring it on, I say.
The writing had been on the wall for Claude Puel since December, unfortunately.
Results were bad but performances at times were even worse.
Beating Chelsea at Stamford Bridge for the first time since September 2000 and then humbling the champions obviously bought him time.
But since Boxing Day, Leicester have managed one win, slipping from seventh and four points behind sixth-placed Manchester United to 12th and eight points from relegation.
Sorry, Claude, but time was up.
Leicester City results since beating Manchester City on Boxing Day
29/12: Lost 0-1 vs Cardiff (h)
01/01: Won 1-0 vs Everton (a)
06/01: Lost 1-2 vs Newport (a)
12/01: Lost 1-2 vs Southampton (h)
19/01: Lost 3-4 vs Wolves (a)
30/01: Drew 1-1 vs Liverpool (a)
03/02: Lost 0-1 vs Man Utd (h)
10/02: Lost 1-3 vs Spurs (a)
23/02: Lost 1-4 vs Crystal Palace (h).
His vision was clear, spending 16 months desperately trying to implement his passing philosophy.
The board backed Puel, spending £89million last summer, but comments from Jamie Vardy and Peter Schmeichel hardly disguise that he never truly won over the old guard.
As for the fans, some of us were keen, could see the vision that first landed him the job and were willing to be patient.
But others - and eventually me too in the end - demanded change. Things were not progressing, the atmosphere became toxic and it was clear the long-term vision was going to remain exactly that: a vision.
Saturday’s embarrassing defeat epitomised his time at the King Power: a positive start but punished then appearing to rescue it before the wheels came off in spectacular fashion.
Now we must look forward. Leicester should beat Brighton tonight.
So, step forward Brendan Rodgers. It looks as though the new era will begin on Sunday at his former club Watford in front of the Sky cameras - let’s hope there is no repeat of Knockaert, Deeney et al…
Leicester fans seem fairly content with the 46-year-old. He would be a good appointment. Not terrible, not sensational, but good. And this is an appointment Leicester simply cannot afford to get wrong.
What is Brendan Rodgers' footballing philosophy?
Speaking to The Boot Room during his time at Swansea, Rodgers opened up on his footballing philosophy.
He said: “The football philosophy is very much about positive football. If you want to define it: we like to play attacking creative football but always with a tactical discipline. The template for all of our work is our organisation.
“It is about defending the principles of our play: which is football. I would much rather do that, than play another way.
"It’s just about reinforcing the philosophy and continually working hard on developing the game.
“I like players who can deal with the ball, players who are technically strong, players who tactically understand the game and players that are learners and who want to learn.
“I place a big demand on players and a big intensity. It’s something that is very important."
He was the best of the bunch with Neil Lennon, Sean Dyche, Sam Allardyce, David Wagner and that man Nigel Pearson all linked. The only one that I maybe would have preferred was Rafa Benitez but that was a tall ask.
So, what can we expect from Rodgers? Well, Rodgers wins football matches, plain and simple.
He did it at Swansea, Liverpool and Celtic. Crucially north of the border that also meant silverware: on course for the Treble Treble until Leicester came calling with their £6m compensation package.
Celtic play good football and you certainly get the impression players want to play for Rodgers, even though the performance level has dropped slightly and the new threat of Steven Gerrard's Rangers across town this season.
Before you scream about it being just Scotland, his relentless and unwillingness to let his standards drop is commendable at worst.
He’s a big enough name with a big enough reputation - you would hope - for the players to buy into what he wants.
Lest we forget, before this season, Liverpool came closest to winning the Premier League under Rodgers’ stewardship.
His team was exciting to watch, something we cannot say of the Foxes in recent months (except against the big boys, of course).
He has shown he can do the possession-based football but used the pace of Raheem Sterling & Co. to great effect at Liverpool.
Leicester City identified Rodgers early and wasted no time in making their move.
Crucially, Rodgers wasted no time in making it happen. He clearly wants the job. And why wouldn’t he?
A young but very talented squad: Ben Chilwell, Demarai Gray, James Maddison, Wilfred Ndidi, Kelechi Iheanacho and Caglar Soyuncu are all 22. Harvey Barnes and Hamza Choudhury are 21.
How should we judge his time as Liverpool manager?
By DAVE FRASER
INCONSISTENT - it's the only way to describe Brendan Rodgers' time at Liverpool.
From the brilliantly bonkers to the agonisingly average, the Northern Irishman never could quite get it right at the Reds.
Everyone remembers Rodgers for his 2013/14 campaign, nearly winning the league while scoring more than 100 Prem goals.
With Steven Gerrard in the team and the lethal "SAS" duo of Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge up top, it was mind-blowingly mad.
The Kop mob regularly scored five in a game that season - including against Arsenal and Tottenham, while playing in some simply staggering games.
Wins over Swansea (4-3) and Cardiff (6-3) in quick succession stick in the mind - with 3-0 victories over Southampton and Man Utd in between. There was even a 5-3 over Stoke around the same time.
It was attack-minded. It was gung-ho. Who am I kidding? It was downright reckless. But boy, it was fun.
However, don't be fooled into believing Rodgers will bring pure joy on the pitch - and the results with it.
After all, 2013/14 aside, Liverpool endured a bang average run under his tenure.
In fact, that season was the only time the Reds finished in the Champions League places under Rodgers.
His tactics were often just wrong while his transfers make for painful viewing.
OK, losing Suarez was always going to be tough to recover from, but how Rodgers chose to reinvest the money was embarrassing.
Adam Lallana and Dejan Lovren were solid, if unspectacular, arrivals - the rest of the list is devastating for Reds fans.
Lazar Markovic, Mario Balotelli, Alberto Moreno, Rickie Lambert and Javier Manquillo were just a few of the names bought that summer.
Meanwhile, the club lost icons including Daniel Agger and Pepe Reina alongside Suarez - even the now-sought-after AC Milan attacker Suso was allowed to leave... for £1million.
So in truth, it's hard to see Rodgers joining Leicester and the red carpet being laid on.
He's a good boss. Really, he is. But you just never know which Rodgers will be turning up. The attack-minded fan-favourite or the worryingly subpar one...
Leicester have high expectations these days - and that's fair enough given their incredible Premier League-winning season of 2015/16.
While I'm not doubting Rodgers would be a step up from Claude Puel - is he really good enough for the 'Fearless Foxes'?
They are hungry and I believe would thrive under Rodgers.
City are not in immediate danger, this is no emergency, it is not a club in crisis or at genuine risk of relegation. That helps.
The timing is interesting. Why not give Puel until the end of the season? Why not just get in an interim for the final 11 games then recruit permanently in the summer?
Because now Rodgers can work out exactly who we wants and doesn't want before the transfer window opens.
This is an exciting job but it needs a big character to lead the dressing room and I’m confident Brendan Rodgers is the man to do that.
So here’s to the new chapter and whatever that may bring with it. Good luck, Brendan!
