POP icon Rod Stewart was among the Celtic fans who was left outraged by Brendan Rodgers’ opportunistic move to Thailand-owned Leicester City this week.
The former Liverpool boss won seven domestic trophies after becoming Celtic manager in May 2016. But he leaves the Scottish club less than three months before the end of the season, as they chase another silverware treble.
The 46-year-old Rodgers painted himself as a Celtic fan first. But the decision to turn his back on the Glasgow side for a return to the Premier League paints him as a career manager, putting cold ambition ahead of sentiment.
“It’s like me giving up halfway through a [concert]tour. It’s disappointing people,” Stewart told talkSPORT.
“I think there might be a lot of ill-feeling at Celtic now, with the fans, with him leaving us in the lurch.”
Brendan Rodgers
Rodgers watched from the King Power Stadium stands as Leicester beat Brighton 2-1 on Tuesday night in their first match after the sacking of Claude Puel.
Puel was shown the door after losing 4-1 at home to Crystal Palace on Saturday for their sixth defeat in their last seven matches.
During the run, they were knocked out of the FA Cup by fourth-tier Newport, and dropped to 12th on the Premier League table, eight points above the relegation zone.
Just three years ago, the Foxes were crowned Premier League champions under Italian Claudio Ranieri.
Rodgers’ appointment, and the departure of Puel after less than a year-and-a-half in charge, is the latest twist in a dramatic four months for the club.
On October 27 last year, Leicester lost their Thai owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha in an horrific helicopter crash at King Power Stadium. Puel graciously paid tribute to the late billionaire who was owner and CEO of Bangkok-based King Power Duty Free.
“It was my honour to work for the late and much-loved Khun Vichai, who gave me the fantastic opportunity to manager his club, and share some great moments with him,” Puel said.
“My mission at Leicester City Football Club ends here, but I will continue to follow the performances of the team.”
Leicester City vice chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha responded with some gracious comments about the 57-year-old Frenchman, who won only 23 of 67 games in all competitions.
“Claude’s faith and willingness to give opportunities to young talent during a time of transition for the club has helped us to develop an exciting young group of players that I’m sure will have a big role in the club’s future,” Aiyawatt wrote in the programme ahead of Tuesday’s game against Brighton.
“He has also been a good man and a strong leader during some difficult times, showing dignity, compassion and an understanding of the family ethos we have at Leicester City, which will not be forgotten by anyone here.”
Rodgers arrives at Leicester with his old employers, Celtic, receiving a reported £6 million in compensation. His former Liverpool defender Kolo Toure will be his assistant.
It is almost five years since Rodgers almost guided Liverpool to Premier League success, with the explosive trio of Luis Suarez, Daniel Sturridge and Raheem Sterling helping them score 101 league goals in the 2013-14 season.
But, after winning 11 games in succession to top the table in the penultimate month of the campaign, they lost 2-0 at home to Chelsea before blowing a three-goal lead to draw 3-3 away to Crystal Palace to allow Manchester City to overhaul them for the title.
The expectations for Rodgers at Leicester won’t be as high as during his three-year stint at Anfield.
He was sacked after Liverpool drew 1-1 in the Merseyside derby to fall to 10th on the table after eight matches of the 2015-16 season.
That was the same Premier League campaign when 5,000-1 outsiders Leicester defied the odds to create one of the greatest upsets in modern sport.
Finishing 10th with a struggling Leicester before overseeing a further improvement in 2019-20 would be a satisfactory outcome for Rodgers.
He’s the club’s fourth manager in less than two years after Ranieri, Puel and Craig Shakespeare.
But Rodgers is unlikely to keep any friends among the Celtic Park faithful, despite his incredible record of success in less than three years in the Scottish Premiership.
As Rod Stewart once sang: “I don’t want to talk about it… how you broke my heart.”
Jason Dasey is CEO of Singapore-based Cockatoo Media and host of corporate events in Borneo.