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Well done Foxes – Leicester’s new long-term deal for key figure is a sign of big ambition

Why Leicester’s new deal for Brendan Rodgers is a sign of ambition

According to Guardian, Brendan Rodgers has committed his future to Leicester City after signing a new contract until 2025, amidst interest from Arsenal.

After sacking Unai Emery, Arsenal were said to have an interest in the Northern Irishman and were keen to appoint him as their manager. But Rodgers has dismissed all the speculations after agreeing to a new deal with the Foxes.

Brendan Rodgers (Getty Images)
Brendan Rodgers (Getty Images)

He led Liverpool to a 2nd-place finish in the league in the 2013/14 season before being dismissed in 2015. He then became the manager of Celtic in 2016 and led the Hoops to an undefeated domestic season in his first term and trebles in both of his first two seasons.

With an immense amount of experience under his belt, Rodgers was appointed as the manager of Leicester City in February 2019 after the club sacked Claude Puel.

Since their fairy tale Premier League title-winning campaign in 2016, Leicester have finished outside the top six in the league. The players looked to be far from their best and lost track in between, making them a one-season wonder.

They were also without their star men N’Golo Kante and Riyad Mahrez who departed to Chelsea and Manchester City respectively after their exuberant performances in Leicester colours. Jamie Vardy was the only big name left in the squad.

Jamie Vardy (Getty Images)
Jamie Vardy (Getty Images)

When everything seemed to go out of their way, Rodgers’ appointment at the end of last season has made them powerful once again. Though Rodgers took time to settle with the Foxes last year, he has revolutionized their approach of the game this year.

In just eight months, Rodgers has brought the club from mid-table to Champions League hopeful and the turnaround is remarkable. He has helped Leicester City rediscover their value at a crucial juncture of the club’s history.

Despite losing Harry Maguire in the summer, Rodgers has tightened the backline by introducing Caglar Soyuncu, who was the third-choice centre-back last season. Along with the experienced Jonny Evans, the defensive duo has kept the highest number of clean sheets (7) this season in the league.

Jamie Vardy has been clinical since his arrival and the striker has returned to his goalscoring prowess, leading the chart at this point. Inclusion of Ayoze Perez and Youri Tielemans has shown Rodgers’ intention to attack. They are both capable of making defence-splitting passes to help the strikers.

Brendan Rodgers (Getty Images)
Brendan Rodgers (Getty Images)

He has also helped in the improvement of Wilfred Ndidi’s game. The Nigerian is now the key in midfield for the Foxes. A lot of tactical changes have proved vital in Rodgers taking the team to greater heights.

As of now, Leicester are 11 points behind league leaders Liverpool with a game in hand, but they seem to be putting in the hard work to close the gap between them and the Reds. Rodgers would be aiming for glory with Leicester and make them a force to reckon with in the future.

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Leicester City (Getty Images)
Leicester City (Getty Images)

Verdict

The manager’s implementation of strategy this season has been modern and transparent. A bold approach has made Leicester look focused and refreshed, which seems to be recognized by the fans.

Therefore, it was the right decision by the board to hand Rodgers a new deal and he is capable of being their mastermind in becoming a powerhouse in the league if everything goes on according to the plan.