Why hasn’t Brendan Rodgers been sacked yet?
It’s down to a combination of things coming together to create a fairly depressing cocktail – one that has a rather nasty kick to it.
Firstly fear: fear of the unknown of what a new manager could mean. Like a friend who is still with their partner when all around knows that the relationship is over. Fear of being single, fear that by sacking Brendan they lose the man the board believes is the best one for the job, fear of a new man being no better. A fear that is no longer founded in any reality. The band aid needs to be ripped off, not doing so makes us worse.
Ignorance of the problem: we have decided to take the ostrich approach. By sticking our head in the sand we’re hoping the problem goes away, or fixes itself on its own. Of course that method is destined to fail, because each passing week shows that the problem is not getting any smaller. Instead each game produces the same problems, as well as revealing new ones.
Misguided belief: “this time next year Rodney...”. We are operating under the belief that Brendan can still turn us around, despite all the evidence to the contrary. The boat has a hole in it and is sinking ever quicker. Brendan’s previous achievements with the club, have earned him a loyalty no other manager would get, and a loyalty that he no longer deserves.
Of course, a simpler reason could be that we’re broke and/or we’re being sold, which is more depressing to think about.
Elliott Butlin
There's a couple of reasons why I think the axe hasn't fallen.
The first thing I can think of is compensation. It's probably a case of trying to agree a fee. I think we'd be looking for 'mutual consent' as I don't think Brendan wants to remain anyway. This would surely mean less comp than a full blown marching order.
If it's not the above, with this being the international break and a time where managerial changes occur, maybe we're hoping someone else gets sacked and that club approach Brendan! We'll then get compensation in, rather than paying it out!
It's very sad that it's come to this. Brendan has been brilliant for us but needs to go now so we can say thank you and all the best rather than what will come his way when we lose 7-3 to F*rest.
Iain Wright
It’s just another day at the Premier League’s zombie club. Nothing is working like it should, from the managerial situation to the ticket office emails and everything in between. No big decisions. No wins. No sense that this is a seismic period for our football club, except for everyone howling with rage at the lack of the corner flag photo.
In the usual absence of any informed insight from around the club, we just have wild speculation to guide us through the mess. There are rumours that at least one senior member of the board thinks Rodgers can turn it round. There are also rumours that it’s purely down to how much we’d have to pay him off. Despite the feeling around the fanbase at the moment, it would be a lot more worrying if there’s any truth in the latter.
My gut feeling is that it’s a bit of both, and the financials are clouding judgment among the powers that be. Either way, this is going to feel like one hell of a long international break - and we don’t even play until the Monday night. Who knows what state everyone will be in by then.
David Bevan
It has to be a financial decision. There is no other reason why he should still be in charge. A solitary point from seven matches, 22 goals conceded, six straight defeats, whilst failing to beat a newly promoted League Two side in 90 minutes. It's obvious that the club is skint and we sadly can't afford to get rid of him.
It's not like Rodgers is fighting for his job, he's pretty much blamed everyone aside from himself and couldn't make it any clearer that he wants his hefty payout. I'm still holding out a glimmer of hope that it may happen later in the week. If it doesn't, then it does seem like a real missed opportunity.
Getting rid and bringing in someone like Dyche over the international break to work with the squad before a favourable run of fixtures seemed logical.
Dante Clarke
Aside from the reported cost I think there's probably a myriad of reasons he's not been sacked, but not many managers survive just one point from the first seven games, six defeats on the bounce and conceding 11 goals in our last two games.
I don't think it will come to this but if we were to lose our Premier League status it would certainly cost the club more than to sack Brendan and I'm surprised he's still in charge after Saturday. We all know Vichai was a ruthless businessman but I think Top, Susan Whelan and Jon Rudkin are torn on whether he can turn the club's fortunes around.
Manchester City aside, the next eight league games prior to the World Cup are all more than winnable but we could well be marooned at the bottom by then. I certainly think if we lose to Nottingham Forest then the situation would be untenable, if it isn't already.
There also seems to be a lack of credible candidates to take the club forward. Despite our precarious position we still have a good squad, arguably the best training ground in the world, good owners to work under and the potential of a new ground extension so we are an attractive proposition for managers, but aside from Pochettino and Tuchel - who are probably unattainable - nobody jumps off the page.
He's also not been helped by the departure of Kasper in the summer - who was a big leader for us - and its pretty evident Danny Ward isn't a suitable replacement. The Wesley Fofana situation was also largely out of his hands so I think the board are hoping the arrival of Wout Faes will ease our defensive issues.
Jordan Halford
I think it’s probably a combination of emotions clouding their better judgement and the fact Top and the board aren’t on Twitter.
We’ve heard a lot about how well Rodgers’ gets on with Top. This is the downside of that: I don’t think Top wants to sack him on a personal level. It’s the first real test of his business savvy in sole charge of Leicester, and so far he has failed. I am certain Vichai would have pulled the plug.
The other thing is that we’ve only had one home game in the last month and that was a complete snorefest against Manchester United. Drawing 0-0 to Stockport, losing to ten men, conceding 11 goals in two games: all those came in away games. So they haven’t seen the anger manifest itself in real life yet. Maybe it needs that to tip the scales.
James Knight
