Rodgers tries to reassure Leicester players after transfer comments

Leicester City head coach Brendan Rodgers has once again tried to clarify negative transfer comments. This time regarding current players. Here is the news.

Seven games played, one point gained, rock bottom of the Premier League. 22 goals conceded, the worst ever record within seven games. A divided and antagonistic fanbase. A nervous and scared team. Leicester are in a mess.

The question of how the Foxes found themselves in this rut was answered by a beleaguered gaffer as a lack of transfer activity. Later clarifying that not much could be done due to financial sustainability.

The reality is that a combination of poor performances, individual mistakes, and an utterly shambolic lack of confidence contributed to the downfall. So, for Rodgers to narrow in on transfers is an attempt at deflection. That really threw the current – very good for that matter – players under the bus.

Leicester City boss clarifies further

"“Players themselves will tell you they need that freshness… [Alex Ferguson] later in his career that he then started to revitalise his squad”Brendan Rodgers via LeicestershireLive"

On the face of it, what the head coach is trying to say is that freshness – which he spoke much of in the latter end of the 21/22 season – is important. Further, Rodgers claims both players and a well-known world-class manager agreed on that point.

Under the surface, the gaffer is again deflecting. Leicester have a young squad. The King Power’s team is good enough even with a lack of freshness to not be rock bottom.

Dare I also remind the Northern Irishman that Ferguson’s Manchester United side never slumped so low just because they lacked freshness. A drop off from two fifth places, one at eighth, to last is not comparable. Rodgers just wants to reiterate his complaint:

"“Naturally it’s something that you’d look to do in other teams. So it’s not the feel of not being wanted, all of the players, I love all of the players here”"

To be fair, regular refreshment of one or two first team players every season is beneficial and maintains a consistent level of competition for places. However, to then go and throw the existing players under the bus is harsh.

The clarification is that none of the Foxes should feel unwanted by the boss. The reason is because he loves them all. I am most certain Caglar Soyuncu, Dennis Praet, Jannik Vestergaard, and Daniel Iversen do not share in this love. Four good players, none with even a chance.

Deflection after deflection. This is just another. To try and make players feel better about being ignored, he just claims they needed refreshing but he loves them. Rodgers is deflecting the antagonism of the players towards transfers.