A "disappointed" Brendan Rodgers has spoken publicly for the first time since being sacked by Leicester, claiming that he'd have kept the club in the Premier League.
Rodgers, 50, was sacked by the Foxes on Sunday, the day after a dramatic 2-1 defeat away to Crystal Palace in which Leicester conceded in the 94th minute, leaving them second bottom of the table and without a win from their last six league games.
The Northern Irish manager had been in charge at the King Power Stadium for more than four years, achieving back-to-back fifth-place finishes and memorably winning the FA Cup by beating Chelsea at Wembley in 2021.
Reflecting on his time at the club, Rodgers said in a lengthy statement via the League Managers Association: "I am obviously disappointed to depart so close to the end of the season and had every confidence that we would have delivered the results needed to preserve the club's Premier League status.
"I would like to wish everybody at the club the very best of luck as they seek to continue to deliver on this objective. There is a strong infrastructure and environment in place that puts the club on a strong footing to move forward – a world-class training facility, a passionate and unswerving fan base, a group of great players full of ability and character, and special owners."
The former Celtic and Liverpool boss went on to say: "I would like to thank the Leicester City Chairman Mr [Aiyawatt] Srivaddhanaprabha and all of the board for giving me the opportunity to manage Leicester City and make history with this great football club over the past four years. We forged a special relationship and I will always have the utmost respect and affection for them.
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"The players, my staff and I gave it our all every single day and I will always be proud of what we were able to achieve together. Winning against Chelsea at Wembley Stadium in 2021, to deliver a first FA Cup for the club and its supporters, together with securing European qualification in consecutive seasons are moments I will never forget.
"Everything we achieved was with the superb support of the Leicester City fans and I thank them for that. It has been a privilege to be your manager."
As for what comes next for Rodgers, the 50-year-old added: "I'm now looking forward to having a chance to reflect and recharge and get ready for the next opportunity."
His impact at the King Power Stadium will be remembered, with star player James Maddison tweeting: "Thank you gaffer. A top manager and even more importantly a brilliant and caring man. Your impact on my career and life outside of football is something I'll be grateful for forever. Good luck with whatever is next."
