Leicester: Are Brendan Rodgers’ Foxes following his Liverpool side?

What a difference a year makes. Rewind 12 months and Leicester were comfortably sitting in the Champions League places, within touching distance of the summit after an emphatic start to the campaign. 

Although the Foxes were unable to stay in the top four, narrowly missing out on Europe’s top table by a point, they brought the curtain down on another promising term under Brendan Rodgers by lifting the FA Cup.

Rodgers’ side had already, understandably, earned plenty of plaudits but with success comes a certain level of expectancy and those expectations were high heading into this season.

Ex-Liverpool and Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers approaches three years in charge of Leicester

Jamie Vardy, Youri Tielemans and Co started the campaign well but Leicester picked up just three league wins in the space of three months and now find themselves just inside the top 10.

While their shock Europa League exit earlier this month added insult to injury, this is the first real test of Rodgers’ King Power tenure.

The former Liverpool and Celtic boss is approaching his three-year anniversary in charge of the Foxes but that isn’t necessarily a cause for celebration.

Rodgers was at Anfield for three years and four months before being given his marching orders and just shy of three years in Scotland before quitting for a return to the Premier League.

Prior to his big move to Merseyside he learned his trade at the Chelsea Academy, Watford, Reading and Swansea but has never spent four seasons at one club.

After coming through the Blues’ ranks under serial winner Jose Mourinho – who’s not one to stick around – Rodgers impressed in his first post at Watford. 

Expectations have been high for Rodgers’ Leicester side and they’ve struggled this campaign

Despite doing more than just keeping them in the Championship, Rodgers swiftly moved on to league rivals Reading but lasted around six months in the job.

‘I made the wrong decision to leave,’ Rodgers recently admitted.

‘At that stage of my career, I was in a hurry. There were some struggles behind the scenes.’ 

Rodgers then made a name for himself in two years at Swansea. He not only took them to the promised land but guided them to an 11th-placed finish in England’s top flight to catch the attention of the big boys. 

Rodgers amassed a 46 per cent win record in his first season in the Liverpool hotseat before hitting 67 per cent the following year as he came agonisingly close to lifting the Premier League title.

The Foxes suffered a surprise Europa League exit earlier this month amid some poor form

His third season failed to live up to those lofty heights as he won just 26 out of 58 games and as he entered his third year, he recorded just a 27 per cent winning rate.

The Reds massively overachieved when they were pipped to glory by Manchester City seven years ago and Rodgers’ side had to play differently following the departure of star striker Luis Suarez and effectively losing injury-stricken Daniel Sturridge.

Nevertheless, the drop-off was alarming with a real lack of identity on show, and the Liverpool hierarchy acted by replacing him with current boss Jurgen Klopp.

Rodgers strengthened his managerial CV by winning seven trophies in his short stint at Celtic Park. He racked up an impressive 78 per cent win record in his first season in charge.

Rodgers’ Liverpool side struggled in his third season after punching above their weight

In the 2017-18 season he guided them to the Double Treble with a win percentage of 64 per cent and won 33 out of 49 games – a rate of 67 per cent – in his final season before returning to England.

After dominating north of the border, Rodgers replaced Claude Puel at Leicester in February 2019 and had his best season at the helm last term. 

In his first full season in charge he achieved a 48 per cent winning rate but that rocketed to 57 per cent in the 2020-21 campaign as Leicester more than punched above their weight.

After thriving last season, the Foxes appear to be going through a blip, like Liverpool in the 2014-15 season, after winning just 10 out of 25 matches.

Rodgers has been linked to the Manchester United hotseat after Ralf Rangnick’s interim spell

Has Rodgers taken them as far as he can? There’s no doubting his ability to alter the course of a team and make an instant impact.

In fact, he turns things around so quickly that when those high standards are not met, questions start to be asked. 

The former Liverpool boss was heavily linked with the Manchester United hotseat following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s sacking and continues to be mooted as the Norwegian’s permanent successor once Ralf Rangnick’s interim spell is over.

His skill of attaining immediate results could sway the Red Devils’ chiefs although the lack of consistency over a longer period may count against him. 

Fast forward 12 months and Rodgers could be prowling the Old Trafford touchline. If not, he may be heading into an unprecedented fourth year as Leicester boss.

But as Rodgers knows only too well, a year is a long time in football.