File photo of Brendan Rodgers
| Photo Credit: Reuters
Leicester City have parted ways with manager Brendan Rodgers by mutual agreement, the Premier League club said on Sunday, with the team 19th in the table and facing potential relegation.
Rodgers’s last game in charge was Saturday’s 2-1 loss to Crystal Palace which left Leicester with 25 points from 28 games. They have not won a game in all competitions since Feb. 11, losing six of their last seven.
Leicester won the Premier League title in 2015-16 against all the odds but are now in danger of the drop after nine seasons in the top flight.
“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,” Leicester chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha said.
“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.”
Rodgers joined Leicester in February, 2019 after a successful stint with Scottish side Celtic where he won the Premiership twice as well as two domestic trebles.
He guided Leicester to their first FA Cup triumph in 2021 when they beat Chelsea in the final as well as consecutive fifth-placed finishes between 2019-2021.
However, Leicester failed to reinforce their squad much in the close season last year after finishing eighth, signing only defender Wout Faes and backup goalkeeper Alex Smithies.
“The achievements of the team under Brendan’s management speak for themselves,” Srivaddhanaprabha added.
“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.
“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.”
Rodgers is the 11th manager to be sacked in the Premier League this season and the 12th managerial departure. The only teams in the bottom half who have not changed their managers are Nottingham Forest and West Ham United.
Assistant manager Chris Davies has also left the club and coaches Adam Sadler and Mike Stowell will take charge of training.
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