Matchday With The Manager: Unchanged Targets & Newcastle’s Traits

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Matchday With The Manager: Unchanged Targets & Newcastle’s Traits

Leicester City will not alter their target of qualifying for European competition next season after a convincing start to the 2020/21 campaign, says manager Brendan Rodgers.

2021-01-03T06:45:00.000Z

by Richard Mellor

Published

03 Jan, 2021

Matchday With The Manager: Unchanged Targets & Newcastle’s Traits

Leicester City will not alter their target of qualifying for European competition next season after a convincing start to the 2020/21 campaign, says manager Brendan Rodgers.

Richard Mellor

2021-01-03T06:45:00.000Z

Matchday With The Manager: Unchanged Targets & Newcastle’s Traits

Leicester City will not alter their target of qualifying for European competition next season after a convincing start to the 2020/21 campaign, says manager Brendan Rodgers.

Richard Mellor

2021-01-03T06:45:00.000Z

Matchday With The Manager: Unchanged Targets & Newcastle’s Traits

Leicester City will not alter their target of qualifying for European competition next season after a convincing start to the 2020/21 campaign, says manager Brendan Rodgers.

Richard Mellor

2021-01-03T06:45:00.000Z

Matchday With The Manager: Unchanged Targets & Newcastle’s Traits

Leicester City will not alter their target of qualifying for European competition next season after a convincing start to the 2020/21 campaign, says manager Brendan Rodgers.

Richard Mellor

2021-01-03T06:45:00.000Z

The Foxes are fourth in the Premier League table after 16 matches played, and sit just four points behind leaders Liverpool ahead of Sunday’s trip to Newcastle United.

A common theme of Rodgers’ pre-match press conferences this campaign has seen journalists enquire about what City can achieve this term.

But the Northern Irishman is keen to emphasise the importance of remaining focused on what his side are seeking to accomplish in 2020/21.

“Our targets won’t change,” Rodgers said. “For me, I’m always honest with you guys (the media) and let you know what we’re thinking.

“Our thinking is if that we can have European football again next season, then, at this stage of the team’s development, then that would be great success for us.

“With all due respect, the teams that are above us – Man City, Liverpool – these teams are fantastic teams full of experienced players that have been building for a number of years.

“We’re not at that level – that’s my honest assessment of it – but we’re building something to be as competitive as we possibly can be without the finances that allows those teams to get to that level.”

During Rodgers’ first full season in charge of the Foxes, he led them to a fifth-place finish – their second-best Premier League placing behind the 2015/16 title-winning campaign.

What is now important is for Leicester to ensure they show progression in their consistency, says the manager.

He said: “We’ll continue on that journey. Our ambition is there, the spirit is there and the players, there’s a continual development.

“For us to be in that position another year down the line shows that consistency now that is starting to improve.

“That’s something that pleases me, but of course my ambition is always to be the best that we can be.”

Turning his attention to Sunday’s opponents, Newcastle, Rodgers spoke of the Magpies’ development under Steve Bruce, who took up the position of head coach in the summer of 2019 and guided his team to a 13th-placed finish in 2019/20.

Rodgers added: “From what I’ve seen of Steve [Bruce], he’s looked to organise them in a way that doesn’t expose them. There are times, even when Rafa [Benítez] was there, they conceded goals.

“There’s a huge expectation at Newcastle, it’s a huge club and it’s another one of those clubs where you have to win, but you have to win in a certain way. I think that’s always important in terms of their expectation.

“I think how Steve’s managed it, in the time he’s been there, it’s never going to be an easy job, but he’s gone in and I’m pretty sure where they are in the table, and their points, it’s as good as what they’ve had in the last few years at this stage.

“This is a guy who’s played in teams who’ve played good football, so he will always want to go down that route, but he also knows that winning is important and staying in the league is important. The longer he’s there, I’m sure he will gradually build the team and get the types of players in that he would like to.”

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