Brendan Rodgers says it's a 'privilege' to lead Leicester City to the FA Cup final

15 May 2021 12:45

Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers has said that it's a privilege to lead the club into its first FA Cup final since 1969 on Saturday evening.

The match against Chelsea will be the Foxes first appearance in the final in 52 years and Rodgers' first in his managerial career.

Brendan Rodgers and Jamie Vardy are all smiles after beating Southampton in the FA Cup semi final | Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

"To be able to lead Leicester out for the first time in 50-odd years will be a real privilege for me," Rodgers stated (via The Mirror). "I am so excited.

"When I had stopped playing I worked in the John Lewis partnership in Bracknell, which is part of Waitrose. I will never forget that experience. I was working shifts for not a lot of money to feed a young family and then afterwards was straight out coaching and travelling in the evenings to try and learn and be the best coach I could be. To then end up at Wembley as a coach is amazing."

It has been a long road for the Northern Irishman who, after having his playing career was cut short, eventually moved into management with Watford, before taking over at Reading. He made his name properly at Swansea, however, leading the club to Championship play-off final success in 2011.

Brendan Rodgers and his Swansea players celebrate winning the Championship play off final | Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images

Since his spell at the Swans, a near Premier League win with Liverpool and back-to-back trebles with Celtic have led him to Leicester, where he has cemented the club as perennial challengers to the so-called 'Big Six'.

Rodgers has the opportunity to get his first major silverware in English football on Saturday, leading Leicester out to the final of the FA Cup against Chelsea.

Although it will not be an easy task, Rodgers believes he has the support of the neutral: "I sense there is a lot of goodwill for a club like us. We are the pioneers for the clubs outside the top six."


Source: 90min