Brendan Rodgers facts for kids
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Rodgers as Leicester City manager in 2021
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Brendan Rodgers | ||
| Date of birth | 26 January 1973 | ||
| Place of birth | Carnlough, Northern Ireland | ||
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
|
Current team
|
Celtic (manager) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1984–1987 | Ballymena United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1987–1990 | Ballymena United | ||
| 1990–1993 | Reading | 0 | (0) |
| 1993–1994 | Newport (Isle of Wight) | ||
| 1994–1995 | Witney Town | ||
| 1995–1996 | Newbury Town | ||
| International career | |||
| 1988 | Northern Ireland Schools | 7 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2006–2008 | Chelsea Reserves | ||
| 2008–2009 | Watford | ||
| 2009 | Reading | ||
| 2010–2012 | Swansea City | ||
| 2012–2015 | Liverpool | ||
| 2016–2019 | Celtic | ||
| 2019–2023 | Leicester City | ||
| 2023– | Celtic | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Brendan Rodgers (born 26 January 1973) is a football manager from Northern Ireland. He used to be a player and is now the manager of Celtic, a club in the Scottish Premiership.
Rodgers started his football journey as a defender at Ballymena United. At 18, he joined Reading. Sadly, a knee problem made him stop playing professionally at age 20. He then became a coach at Reading. He also played non-league football for a few more years.
After studying coaching in Spain, José Mourinho invited him to join Chelsea in 2004. He started as a youth manager and later became the reserve team manager. In 2008, he became the manager of Watford. He then moved to manage his old club, Reading, in 2009.
Rodgers took over Swansea City in 2010. He led them to the Premier League, making them the first Welsh team to do so. In 2012, he became the manager of Liverpool. He guided them to second place in the league in the 2013–14 season.
In May 2016, Rodgers joined Celtic. In his first two seasons, his team won many trophies, including two trebles. He moved to Leicester City in February 2019. There, he won the FA Cup in 2021. He returned to Celtic in June 2023 and won his third Scottish league title in his first season back.
Contents
Brendan's Early Life
Brendan Rodgers was born in a small village called Carnlough in Northern Ireland. His dad, Malachy, was a painter, and his mom, Christina, volunteered for a charity. Brendan is the oldest of five brothers. His younger brother, Malachy, became a country singer.
Brendan grew up supporting two football clubs: Sheffield Wednesday and Celtic. He went to Catholic schools in Carnlough and Ballymena. Sadly, both his parents passed away when he was in his late 30s.
Playing Football
As a teenager, Brendan played football for Northern Ireland's schoolboy team. He even played against Brazil in 1988. He started his senior career as a defender for his local team, Ballymena United, in 1987.
At 18, he joined Reading. However, a knee problem forced him to stop playing professionally at age 20. After that, he played for non-league teams like Newport (IOW), Witney Town, and Newbury Town. During this time, he also worked as a youth coach at Reading and at John Lewis to support his family.
Becoming a Coach
Brendan spent a lot of time in Spain. He wanted to learn different coaching styles. In 2004, José Mourinho, a famous manager, invited him to join the Chelsea Academy. He became their head youth coach. Mourinho's assistant, Steve Clarke, recommended him.
Two years later, Brendan was promoted to manager of Chelsea's reserve team. He kept this job even when new managers like Avram Grant and Luiz Felipe Scolari took over Chelsea.
Managing Football Teams
Watford FC Manager
On 24 November 2008, Brendan left Chelsea to become the manager of Watford. Watford was a club in the Championship league. In his first ten games, Watford only won two, and they were in the relegation zone.
But Watford's performance got much better. Brendan helped them finish 13th in the league, avoiding relegation.
Reading FC Manager
After helping Watford stay in the league, Brendan became the top choice to manage his old club, Reading. He joined Reading on 5 June 2009. Watford received money for his move. Some Watford fans were upset, but they still thanked him for his work.
On 11 August, Brendan got his first win as Reading manager. They beat Burton Albion 5–1 in the League Cup. Despite a good start in the league, results became disappointing. Brendan left Reading by mutual agreement on 16 December, just six months after joining. Reading was close to the relegation zone at that time.
Swansea City Manager
Brendan became the manager of Swansea City on 16 July 2010. He had also been asked to join Manchester City's coaching staff, but he chose Swansea. His start at Swansea was very successful. He was named the Championship Manager of the Month for February 2011.
On 25 April 2011, Swansea secured a spot in the Championship Play-Offs. They won 4–1 against Ipswich Town. On 16 May 2011, Brendan led Swansea to the Play-Off final. They faced his old club, Reading, at Wembley Stadium on 30 May 2011. Swansea won 4–2, with Scott Sinclair scoring three goals. This meant Swansea became the first Welsh team to reach the Premier League. People praised Brendan for comforting the Reading manager and owner after the game.
Brendan's first Premier League win was on 17 September 2011. Swansea beat West Bromwich Albion 3–0. Many thought Swansea would be relegated, but they had a great first season. They earned points against strong teams like Liverpool and Chelsea. In January 2012, Swansea won their first away game against Aston Villa. They also beat Arsenal 3–2 at home. This earned Brendan his first Premier League Manager of the Month award. In February, he signed a new contract to stay at Swansea until 2015.
Liverpool FC Manager
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On 1 June 2012, Brendan Rodgers became the new manager of Liverpool. He signed a three-year contract. José Mourinho supported his appointment. In July 2012, Brendan wrote a letter to Swansea fans, thanking them.
On 2 August 2012, Brendan managed his first competitive game for Liverpool. They won 1–0 against Gomel in the Europa League. His first league game was on 18 August, a 3–0 loss to West Brom. His first league win was 5–2 against Norwich City. On 31 October, Liverpool lost 3–1 to his former club Swansea in the League Cup. On 6 December, Liverpool beat Udinese 1–0 away in the Europa League. They finished first in their group.
On 27 January 2013, Liverpool lost 3–2 to Oldham Athletic in the FA Cup. Liverpool finished seventh in the Premier League in his first season. This was one spot higher than the season before.
Chasing the Premier League Title
At the start of the 2013–14 season, Brendan was named Premier League Manager of the Month for August 2013. Liverpool won their first three league games. In January 2014, he was fined for comments about a referee after a loss to Manchester City. He won Manager of the Month again in March 2014. Liverpool won all five of their games that month and went to the top of the Premier League.
Liverpool won 11 games in a row, putting them five points clear at the top. But then they lost 2–0 at home to Chelsea on 27 April. This gave Manchester City the advantage. In their next game against Crystal Palace on 5 May, Liverpool led 3–0 but the game ended 3–3. Liverpool finished the season as Premier League runners-up, two points behind Manchester City.
Liverpool scored 101 league goals that season. This was their most since the 1895–96 season. Brendan was named the LMA Manager of the Year. He was the first Liverpool manager to win this award. On 26 May 2014, he signed a new four-year contract with Liverpool.
Later Seasons at Liverpool
In the 2014–15 Champions League, Liverpool were knocked out in the group stage. They then dropped into the Europa League. They were knocked out of the Europa League by Beşiktaş after a penalty shootout. On 19 April 2015, Liverpool lost to Aston Villa in the FA Cup semi-final. Liverpool finished sixth in the Premier League after a 6–1 loss to Stoke City. This meant Brendan was the first Liverpool manager since the 1950s not to win a trophy in three seasons.
On 4 October 2015, Liverpool drew 1–1 with Everton. This was their fifth 1–1 draw in six games. They had only won one of their last nine games. An hour after the game, Brendan was sacked. Liverpool was in tenth place. He later said it was an "honour and a privilege" to manage Liverpool.
Celtic FC Manager
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Brendan Rodgers became manager of Scottish Premiership champions Celtic on 20 May 2016. He signed a 12-month rolling contract. He spoke about his respect for Tommy Burns, a former Celtic player and manager.
On 12 July, in his first game, Celtic lost 1–0 to Lincoln Red Imps from Gibraltar. Celtic won the second leg 3–0 at Celtic Park. On 23 August 2016, Celtic qualified for the Champions League group stage. This was their first time in three years. In their first group game, on 13 September 2016, Celtic lost 7–0 to Barcelona. This was Brendan's heaviest defeat and Celtic's worst European result.
On 27 November 2016, Brendan won his first trophy as a manager. Celtic beat Aberdeen 3–0 in the Scottish League Cup final. This win was Celtic's 100th major trophy.
On 31 December 2016, Brendan became the first Celtic manager to win his first three games against Rangers. This win put Celtic 19 points clear in the league. It also meant they had won 58 out of a possible 60 points. Their unbeaten run in domestic football reached 24 games.
On 2 April 2017, Celtic beat Hearts 5–0 to win their sixth league title in a row. They won with eight games left to play. Five days later, Brendan signed a new four-year contract.
Celtic's unbeaten domestic run continued. They beat Rangers 5–1 on 29 April. Celtic's 2–0 win over Hearts on 21 May meant they finished 30 points ahead of Aberdeen. They set a record of 106 points. They also became the first Scottish team since 1899 to finish a top-flight season undefeated. On 27 May 2017, Celtic beat Aberdeen 2–1 to win the Scottish Cup. This completed a domestic treble for Celtic, meaning they won all three major domestic trophies. They finished the 2016–17 season unbeaten in all domestic competitions.
More Success at Celtic
On 4 November 2017, Brendan led Celtic to a 4–0 win over St Johnstone. This meant Celtic were unbeaten for 63 domestic games. They broke a 100-year British record for consecutive unbeaten domestic games. On 26 November 2017, Brendan won his fourth trophy in a row. Celtic beat Motherwell 2–0 in the Scottish League Cup final. He became the first manager in Celtic's history to win his first four domestic trophies. The unbeaten run reached 69 games before ending with a 4–0 loss to Hearts.
On 29 April 2018, Brendan secured his second league title with Celtic. They beat Rangers 5–0 at Celtic Park. This win also extended Celtic's unbeaten run against Rangers to 12 games. The season ended with Brendan winning the first 'Double Treble' in Scottish football history. This means they won the treble in two seasons in a row. They beat Motherwell 2–0 in the Scottish Cup Final on 19 May 2018.
Leaving Celtic for Leicester
Brendan said he turned down an offer from a Chinese club in the summer of 2018. He said he was happy at Celtic. After not qualifying for the Champions League, Celtic finished second in their Europa League group. They were knocked out by Valencia. Celtic won the Scottish League Cup in December 2018. This was Brendan's seventh trophy in a row with the club. In February 2019, with Celtic leading the league by eight points, Brendan left. He joined English Premier League club Leicester City.
Leicester City Manager
First Season at Leicester
In February 2019, Brendan Rodgers became manager of Leicester City. His first game was on 3 March 2019, an away match against his former club Watford. Leicester lost 2–1. In his first home game, Leicester won 3–1 against Fulham. Striker Jamie Vardy scored his 100th goal for the club in that match.
Leading Leicester to Europe
On 6 December 2019, Brendan signed a contract extension until 2025. At that time, his team had won 7 games in a row. They were second in the Premier League after 15 games. In his first full season, Brendan led Leicester to fifth place. This meant they qualified for the UEFA Europa League.
FA Cup Glory
Leicester beat Manchester City 5–2 away from home on 27 September 2020. Brendan became the first manager whose team scored five goals against a team managed by Pep Guardiola. In the Europa League, Leicester won their group. But they were knocked out in the round of 16 by Slavia Prague.
On 15 May 2021, Brendan led Leicester City to win their first ever FA Cup title. They beat Chelsea 1–0 in the final. At the end of the season, Leicester, Chelsea, and Liverpool were fighting for Champions League spots. Leicester finished fifth again, qualifying for the Europa League.
European Semi-Finals and Departure
In the Europa League, Leicester finished third in their group. They then moved to the UEFA Europa Conference League. They reached their first ever European semi-final. They lost 2–1 on aggregate to Roma, who were managed by José Mourinho.
Leicester started the 2022–23 season with seven losses in their first 10 Premier League games. They were at the bottom of the table. They improved with four wins in five games before the 2022 World Cup break. But they continued to struggle after the break. Brendan left Leicester by mutual agreement on 2 April 2023, after a 2–1 loss to Crystal Palace. Leicester was later relegated at the end of the season.
Return to Celtic
On 19 June 2023, Brendan Rodgers returned to Celtic. He signed a three-year contract. He said he was very happy to come back. He also promised to stay for the whole three-year contract.
Celtic started the 2023–24 season with a 4–2 win against Ross County. Despite some criticism, Celtic took an early lead in the Scottish Premiership. They won their first five away matches, a feat last achieved by Celtic under Rodgers in 2017–18. In the Champions League, Celtic finished last in their group. However, they won their first home game in the competition since 2013, beating Feyenoord 2–1.
In February 2024, Brendan spoke about the title race against Rangers. He was also criticized for calling a female journalist a "good girl," but the journalist defended him. In March 2024, he was banned for one match after criticizing match officials. He later said the referee was "one of the top referees." In October 2024, after Celtic lost 7–1 to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League, Brendan defended his tactics and players.
Brendan's Management Style
Brendan Rodgers likes his teams to keep the ball a lot. He wants them to play a flowing, attacking game with lots of passing. When his team doesn't have the ball, he likes them to put a lot of pressure on the other team.
His Liverpool team during the 2013–14 season used many different formations. These included 4–5–1, 3–5–2, 4–4–2, 4–3–3, and a diamond formation. Steven Gerrard, a famous Liverpool player, said Brendan's one-on-one coaching was the best he had seen.
Personal Life
Brendan Rodgers divorced his wife, Susan, in December 2015. They have two children: a son named Anton, who is also a footballer, and a daughter. Brendan also has a stepdaughter with Charlotte Searle, whom he married in June 2017. He has been a fan of Celtic since he was a boy. In March 2019, thieves broke into his home in Glasgow and stole family items and medals he won with Celtic.
In June 2011, Brendan climbed Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for Marie Curie Cancer Care. He did this in memory of his mother and father, who both passed away from cancer. In June 2014, he received an honorary degree from the University of Ulster.
His nickname is "Buck Rodgers". In May 2020, Brendan said that he and his wife had tested positive for COVID-19 in March of that year. They both recovered fully. He compared his breathing difficulties to climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.
Honours and Awards
Manager
Swansea City
- Football League Championship play-offs: 2011 (Promotion to Premier League)
Celtic
- Scottish Premiership: 2016–17, 2017–18, 2023–24
- Scottish Cup: 2016–17, 2017–18
- Scottish League Cup: 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19
Leicester City
- FA Cup: 2020–21
- FA Community Shield: 2021
Individual Awards
- LMA Manager of the Year: 2013–14
- PFA Scotland Manager of the Year: 2016–17
- SFWA Manager of the Year: 2016–17
- Scottish Premiership Manager of the Season: 2016–17, 2017–18
- Premier League Manager of the Month: January 2012, August 2013, March 2014
- Football League Championship Manager of the Month: February 2011
- Scottish Premiership Manager of the Month: August 2016, October 2016, December 2016, April 2017, September 2017, September 2023, April 2024
See also
In Spanish: Brendan Rodgers para niños
- List of FA Cup winning managers
