Rock-bottom Leicester should think twice over sacking Brendan Rodgers

Brendan Rodgers has not become a bad manager overnight and he deserves a chance to ride out Leicester City's poor start.

After two fifth-place finishes, winning the FA Cup and reaching a European semi-final, Rodgers has encountered his first turbulence after three-and-a-half years at the King Power. OK, some people question the value of making the Europa Conference League semis - but Jose Mourinho looked pretty happy when Roma won it.

A sixth consecutive Premier League defeat at Tottenham this weekend will only increase the pressure on Rodgers - but is Leicester's predicament at the bottom of the table all his fault?

He lost his captain and goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel to Nice, Wesley Fofana forced through a £72 million move to Chelsea, and he was only able to recruit one player, the unproven Wout Faes, in the transfer window.

How does that strengthen Rodgers' hand?

Leicester have spent heavily in a new £100 million training ground at Seagrave and they have just been given the go-ahead to expand the King Power stadium, so big money has been available to invest on infrastructure - but not so much on the team.

Unless they are careful, the Foxes will have the nicest training ground and stadium in the Championship next season. But if they are tempted to sack Rodgers, I hope they think twice.

Should Leicester sack Rodgers if they lose to Tottenham? Have your say in the comments below.

Yes, it is a concern that they continue to leak goals from set pieces. Yes, recruitment in the summer of 2021 was poor - none of Jannik Vestergaard, Patson Daka, Boubakary Soumare and Ryan Bertrand made the required impact.

Yes, Jamie Vardy and Jonny Evans - two massive influences on the pitch - are a year older. Yes, sooner or later James Maddison and Youri Tielemans will have to be granted their wish of playing Champions League football.

And, yes, the Premier League table right now looks worrying. But, but, but...

Rodgers has brought in far more money than he has spent in the transfer market. Fofana, Harry Maguire and Ben Chilwell alone were sold for more than £200 million.

He has a proven track record of giving youngsters a chance at first-team level and improving them: James Justin, Harvey Barnes, Luke Thomas and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall are all better players under Rodgers' tutelage.

And although I don't know of any firm offers which may have come his way, Rodgers' name has been linked with several big clubs during his reign at Leicester.

It would be nice if the Foxes showed him the same loyalty.

When Chelsea came calling for Graham Potter, who had done such a good job in three years at Brighton, he took his opportunity, and good luck to him. A few months ago, that could easily have been Rodgers in the frame for a top job - because he's a top coach.

I know there's no such thing as a job for life in football, and the owners are bound to get nervous if the gap at the bottom widens to five or six points. But it's only 16 months since Brendan Rodgers lifted the FA Cup at Wembley for Leicester and I think it would be completely wrong if they sacked him now.

Surely he deserves a chance to pull them out of their first dip since the last days of Claudio Ranieri in 2017.

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