Brendan Rodgers

Brendan Rodgers

Brendan Rodgers is a Northern Irish professional football manager and former player. He is currently the manager of Premier League club Leicester City. Rodgers began his career as a defender at Ballymena United, before joining Reading at the age of 18. His professional playing career was ended at age 20 due to a genetic knee condition. He spent several years playing in non-league football for Newport, Witney Town and Newbury Town, while remaining as a youth coach at Reading. He was invited by José Mourinho to join Chelsea as youth manager in 2004, later being promoted to reserve manager in 2006. In 2008, he was appointed manager of Watford, where he remained until he accepted an offer to become manager of his former club Reading in 2009.

About Brendan Rodgers in brief

Summary Brendan RodgersBrendan Rodgers is a Northern Irish professional football manager and former player. He is currently the manager of Premier League club Leicester City. Rodgers began his career as a defender at Ballymena United, before joining Reading at the age of 18. His professional playing career was ended at age 20 due to a genetic knee condition. He spent several years playing in non-league football for Newport, Witney Town and Newbury Town, while remaining as a youth coach at Reading. He was invited by José Mourinho to join Chelsea as youth manager in 2004, later being promoted to reserve manager in 2006. In 2008, he was appointed manager of Watford, where he remained until he accepted an offer to become manager of his former club Reading in 2009. He left the club by mutual consent after some disappointing results six months later. He returned to management with Swansea City in 2010, leading the club to promotion to the Premier League, the first Welsh team ever to do so, before guiding them to finish 11th the following season. On 1 June 2012, Rodgers accepted a deal to become the new manager of Liverpool, whom he led to runners-up position in the league in the 2013–14 season before his dismissal in October 2015. He became manager of Celtic in May 2016 and led Celtic to an undefeated domestic season in his first year, and trebles in both of his first two seasons. Rodgers left Celtic for Leicester City in February 2019. He grew up as a supporter of Sheffield Wednesday and Celtic. His father Malachy was a painter and decorator, while his mother Christina was a volunteer for the Irish charity, Trócaire. Rodgers is the eldest of five boys.

His younger brother Malachy became a well-known country and western singer locally and is now pursuing a career in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. He attended St John’s Catholic Primary School in Carnlough, and then moved on to St Patrick’s College in Ballymana until the ageof 16. He also represented the Republic of Ireland at schoolboy level, notably playing against Brazil in 1988. In 2010, Rodgers’ mother died at the aged of 53, and in September 2011 he was by his father’s side when he died of cancer, aged 59. Rodgers was brought up a Catholic and attended StJohn’s Catholic primary school in Carn lough, Northern Ireland. He then moved onto St Patrick’s College in Bally mena until he played in the reserves. He played for Newport until he was 18, before moving on to Reading three years later at age 18. In 2004, Rodgers was invited to leave Reading and join the Chelsea Academy as their head youth coach in 2004 after a recommendation by Mourinho’s assistant and future Premier League manager Steve Clarke. He remained at Reading as a coach and then academy director, and continued to play non- League football for several years. On 24 November 2008, Rodgers left Chelsea to become manager of Championship side Watford. Rodgers won only two of his initial ten league games as manager, leaving Watford in the relegation zone by January, but he was able to guide them to finished 13th, avoiding relegation. Weeks after guaranteeing Watford’s survival, and following the resignation of Steve Coppell as Reading manager, Rodgers quickly became the favourite to succeed him and rejoin his old club.