Seven days ago I suggested Brendan Rodgers was the manager most in danger of losing his role.
After a last gasp 2-1 defeat away to Crystal Palace yesterday, he has lost his job.
Leicester City took an unexpected lead in the 56th minute of the game, but conceded an own-goal equaliser three minutes later, and then the losing goal in the 4th minute of overtime at the end of the game.
The result, coupled with others elsewhere, dropped Leicester to eighteenth in the table, and into the relegation zone with 25 points from 28 games. West Ham United's 1-0 defeat of Southampton rubbed salt into the wound by taking the fellow strugglers above them, and moving Leicester City down to nineteenth.
Though, by the time that happened, the club website held the following statement:
Leicester City Football Club has reached a mutual agreement with Brendan Rodgers that will see him leave the Club after four years as our Men’s First Team Manager.
Brendan departs King Power Stadium as one of the most successful managers in the Club’s history, having guided us to our long-awaited first FA Cup triumph in 2021, the FA Community Shield in the same year, two of the Club’s three highest Premier League finishes and consecutive European campaigns, including our first European semi-final in 2022.
Assistant Manager Chris Davies and First Team Fitness Coach Glen Driscoll will also be leaving with the Club’s thanks and best wishes for their future careers.
Immediate responsibility for Men’s First Team training and match preparation will be led by the Club’s long-serving First Team Coaches Adam Sadler and Mike Stowell.
Leicester City Chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha said: “The achievements of the team under Brendan’s management speak for themselves – we’ve experienced some of our finest footballing moments under his guidance and will always be grateful to him and his staff for the heights they helped us to reach on the pitch.
“Off the pitch, Brendan embraced the culture of the Club and helped cultivate an outstanding developmental environment, particularly during the transition to Seagrave, and provided strong leadership during the unprecedented challenge of the coronavirus pandemic. His place in Leicester City history is assured.
“However, performances and results during the current season have been below our shared expectations. It had been our belief that continuity and stability would be key to correcting our course, particularly given our previous achievements under Brendan’s management. Regrettably, the desired improvement has not been forthcoming and, with 10 games of the season remaining, the Board is compelled to take alternative action to protect our Premier League status.
“The task ahead of us in our final 10 games is clear. We now need to come together – fans, players and staff – and show the poise, quality and fight to secure our position as a Premier League club.”
In 204 games as manager of Leicester City Brendan Rodgers led the team to 92 victories. These included the 2020/21 season FA Cup, and the 2021 Community Shield where the team defeated Chelsea and Manchester United.
Instead of consolidating and moving forward this season has seen the team struggling all the way through.
After the first two games of February, a 2-4 win at Aston Villa and 4-1 humbling of Tottenham Hotspur, it appeared things may have turned round and a squad with recent trophy pedigree and not too distant league winning history was remembering how to win. It proved to be a false dawn and a solitary point from a draw with Brentford in the next five games has led to the board seeking a short term solution to an immediate problem.
There are managers available, but do any of them have the end of season nous required to drag the team out of the bottom three?
Realistically, it may not need such expertise. The squad have the skills and recent history to survive. At this point they may just require a fresh face to engender a bit of confidence. The clubs run-in is an almost equal mix of fellow strugglers and teams above them. From a personal point of view I hope their current form continues through the next game on Tuesday, the return fixture against Aston Villa.
Will there be any more sackings? The teams have 10-12 games left, a quarter of the season, which would suggest there is still time for more managers to get the chop. Realistically I am not sure there will be any more.
David Moyes at West Ham United will have been relieved that they held on to beat Southampton, and thus move from 19th in the table all the way up to 14th. The team has a tough run in, and also a Europa Conference League quarter final against KAA Gent. If West Ham United areback in the bottom three and out of Europe by the evening of April 20th, the board may be inclined to pull the trigger.
Beyond that I dont see any other managers going this season.
That's not to say there aren't ones in dangerous poitions.
At this point I struggle to see Graham Potter being Chelsea manager come the start of next season, but there is little rationale to jettisoning him now.
Up at Merseyside the only bright spot to Everton's season (apart from the new stadium proceeding apace) is how poorly Liverpool are doing. At this point European competition of any flavour is not nailed on. Jurgen Klopp left both Mainz and Borussia Dortmund in a seventh, disappointing, season. Is history likely to repeat itself?
Logically, no. Fenway Sports Group have invited offers for a share in the club. Terminating a manager who's contract is good through 2026 would incur significant costs. Costs the owners are likely to prefer avoiding. Of course losses in the next two games, against Chelsea and Arsenal, may swing things against the course of logic.
Still, I have a nagging suspicion that the riches generated by playing in the EPL and Champion's League may yet see another firing.
