Rodgers: I´d taken Celtic as far as I could

Brendan Rodgers feels he took Celtic as far as he could after he was confirmed as Leicester City’s new manager.

Rodgers left the Scottish Premiership champions to take up the role as successor to Claude Puel, who was sacked on Sunday, having led them to seven domestic trophies during his tenure.

The Northern Irishman has signed a contract until 2022 but insists he was in no rush to depart Celtic Park.

“It feels great, it’s obviously come very quickly and obviously, of course, over the last few days, but I know I’m joining a fantastic club that has grown so quickly over these last few years,” Rodgers told LCFC TV.

“I’m just delighted to be here. I think there was a number of reasons [why I joined]. I was certainly in no hurry to leave Celtic. Celtic is a club that’s a huge club worldwide, a renowned club, and I loved working with the players there.

“We were on a journey of great success over these last years but when the opportunity came to talk to Leicester and I was able to analyse it, it allowed me to think that I’d probably achieved and taken the club maybe at Celtic as far as I could at this moment.

“The opportunity to speak with Leicester and find out their ambitions and where we can grow the club and the training facility. Of course, the big attraction for me is working with the players.

“It’s a young squad, a very dynamic squad, it’s got huge potential and you’ve got some of the players with good experience also. There was a number of factors in being here and, like I say, I’m absolutely delighted.”

Brendan Rodgers will be at King Power Stadium for tonight’s Premier League visit of Brighton. He will take charge of the squad for the first time ahead of Sunday’s trip to Watford. #WelcomeBrendan pic.twitter.com/nFoiN81FLs

— Leicester City (@LCFC) February 26, 2019

Rodgers added that he would use the remaining matches of the season to assess his squad ahead of the 2019-20 campaign, while he also alluded to the emotion that remains at the club following the death of chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha in a helicopter crash in October.

“Coming into the club at this point of the season, it’s never normally ideal, but it gives me the chance to observe and analyse the players over this last period of games,” he said.

“I know it’s been a really difficult season for the club on and off the pitch. It’s been really emotional in many ways.

“For me it’s the case of just trying to stabilise the emotion of everything that’s happened this season and looking to inspire the players so that they can then inspire the supporters.

“Myself and my staff will come in and we’ll look to immediately put in place our philosophy and that identity that my teams normally play with and hopefully then over the course of time, the supporters will recognise that and they’ll come to enjoy it.”