.jpg) Rodgers asLeicester City manager in 2021 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Brendan Rodgers[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1973-01-26)26 January 1973 (age 52)[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Carnlough, Northern Ireland | ||
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)[3] | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| 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[4] | 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 | ||
| 2023–2025 | Celtic | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Brendan Rodgers (born 26 January 1973) is a Northern Irish professionalfootball manager and formerplayer.
Rodgers began his career as adefender atBallymena United, where he stayed until he was signed byReading at the age of 18, although a genetic knee condition forced him to retire at age 20. He remained at Reading as a coach and then academy director, and continued to play non-league football atNewport IOW,Witney Town andNewbury Town for several years. After a period travelling around Spain to study coaching methods, he was invited byJosé Mourinho to joinChelsea asyouth manager in 2004, later being promoted toreserve manager in 2006.
In 2008, he was appointed manager ofWatford, where he remained until he accepted an offer to become manager of his former club Reading in 2009. He left the club by mutual consent after some disappointing results six months later. He returned to management withSwansea City in 2010, leading the club to promotion to thePremier League, the first Welsh team to do so, before guiding them to finish 11th the following season. On 1 June 2012, Rodgers became the new manager ofLiverpool, whom he led to runners-up position in the league in the2013–14 season before his dismissal in October 2015.
Rodgers became manager ofCeltic in May 2016 and led them to an undefeated domestic season in his first year, andtrebles in both of his first two seasons. He left Celtic forLeicester City in February 2019, winning the2021 FA Cup in his second full season, before he left by mutual consent in April 2023. He returned to Celtic in June 2023 and won two further Scottish league titles in his first two seasons back at the club, before resigning in October 2025.
Rodgers was born in the seaside village ofCarnlough inCounty Antrim, Northern Ireland.[2] His father Malachy was a painter and decorator, while his mother Christina was a volunteer for the Irish charityTrócaire. Rodgers is the eldest of five boys. His younger brother Malachy became a well-known country-and-western singer locally, and is now pursuing a career inNashville,Tennessee, United States.[5] He grew up as a supporter ofSheffield Wednesday[6] andCeltic.[7]
Rodgers was brought up a Catholic. He attended St John's Catholic Primary School in Carnlough, and then moved on toSt Patrick's College, Ballymena until the age of 16.[8] His mother died in 2010 at the age of 53, and in September 2011 Rodgers was by his father's side when he died of cancer, aged 59.
As a teenager, Rodgers representedNorthern Ireland at schoolboy level, notably playing againstBrazil in 1988.[9][10] He began his senior career as adefender forBallymena United, his local team, in 1987.[11] Three years later, at the age of 18, he was signed byReading where he played in the reserves. His professional playing career was ended when he was 20, due to a genetic knee condition.[12][13] Following this enforced retirement, Rodgers spent several years playing in non-league football forNewport (IOW),Witney Town andNewbury Town, while remaining as a youth coach at Reading.[14][15][16] He found employment atJohn Lewis to support his young family.[17]
Rodgers spent a large amount of time travelling around Spain studying different coaching methods, and was eventually invited by managerJosé Mourinho to leave his role of academy director at Reading and join theChelsea Academy as their head youth coach in 2004 after a recommendation by Mourinho's assistant and futurePremier League managerSteve Clarke.[12] Rodgers was promoted to reserve team manager two years later, and was kept in that position by subsequent Chelsea managersAvram Grant andLuiz Felipe Scolari.[13]
On 24 November 2008, Rodgers left Chelsea to become the manager ofChampionship clubWatford.[18] Rodgers won only two of his first ten league games as manager, leaving Watford in the relegation zone by January. Watford's form dramatically improved and Rodgers was able to guide them to finish 13th, avoiding relegation.[19]
Weeks after guaranteeing Watford's survival, and following the resignation ofSteve Coppell as Reading manager, Rodgers quickly became the favourite to succeed him and rejoin his old club.[20] He initially distanced himself from reports linking him with the job, saying that his "concentration (is) fully on Watford".[21][22] However, he eventually agreed a deal to become the new manager of Reading on 5 June 2009, after a compensation package worth an initial £500,000 with Watford was agreed, which later rose to £1 million.[23][24] The Watford Supporters' Trust stated that Rodgers' reputation was "severely damaged" in the eyes of the supporters as a result of the move, but they nevertheless "thanked (Rodgers) for his efforts last season" and "(wished) him well for the future".[25] On 11 August, Rodgers got his first win as Reading manager with a 5–1 win overLeague Two sideBurton Albion in the first round of theLeague Cup. Despite a good start in the league, a disappointing string of results followed, and Rodgers left Reading by mutual consent on 16 December, just over six months after his arrival, with Reading one place above relegation in the Championship.[26]
Rodgers accepted an offer to become the manager of Championship sideSwansea City on 16 July 2010.[27] Prior to this appointment, he had been asked to join the coaching staff atManchester City under managerRoberto Mancini.[28] His beginning as Swansea manager was very successful, leading to Rodgers being named theChampionship Manager of the Month for February 2011 after Swansea won five out of the six league games they played that month, while keeping four clean sheets.[29] By 25 April 2011, Rodgers had managed to comfortably secure Swansea City's place in the2011 Championship Play-Offs for promotion into the Premier League, with a convincing 4–1 victory overIpswich Town at theLiberty Stadium.[30]
On 16 May 2011, Rodgers led Swansea to the2011 Championship Play-Off final as the favourites after defeating underdogsNottingham Forest over two legs in the semi-final.[31] He faced his old club Reading in the final atWembley Stadium on 30 May 2011, which Swansea won 4–2 thanks in part to a hat-trick fromScott Sinclair, meaning Swansea became the first Welsh team ever to gain promotion to the Premier League.[32] Rodgers was praised by the media and supporters for consoling Reading managerBrian McDermott and ownerJohn Madejski before receiving the trophy.[33]
Rodgers' first win as a Premier League manager came on 17 September 2011, when Swansea defeatedWest Bromwich Albion 3–0 at the Liberty Stadium.[34] Despite many predicting before theseason began that Swansea were favourites to be relegated, their debut season proved very impressive, as they picked up points againstLiverpool,Newcastle United,Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea, keeping them well above the relegation zone.[35][36][37][38] In January 2012, Swansea claimed their first away win of the season atAston Villa, a month which also saw them defeatArsenal 3–2 at home and hold Chelsea to a 1–1 draw. This saw Rodgers earn his firstPremier League Manager of the Month award.[39][40][41] In February, Rodgers signed a new three-and-a-half-year contract to keep him at the club until July 2015.[42]
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On 1 June 2012, Rodgers was unveiled as the newLiverpool manager on a three-year contract, following the departure ofKenny Dalglish two weeks prior.[43][44] Rodgers' appointment was immediately endorsed by former colleague andReal Madrid managerJosé Mourinho.[45] In July 2012, Rodgers wrote an open letter to the Swansea City supporters, thanking both the staff and supporters for his time at the club, and wishing them well for the future.[46] Days later, Rodgers held his first training session atMelwood as the squad reported back for pre-season training.[47][48]
On 2 August 2012, Rodgers oversaw his first competitive game as Liverpool manager, a 1–0 win in theUEFA Europa League against Belarusian clubGomel, and won his first home game in charge in the second leg one week later.[49] In his first league game as manager on 18 August, Liverpool lost 3–0 against West Brom atThe Hawthorns.[50] His first win in the league came againstNorwich City atCarrow Road, Liverpool winning 5–2.[51] On 31 October, Rodgers welcomed his former club Swansea toAnfield in the fourth round of theLeague Cup, a match Liverpool lost 3–1.[52] On 6 December, Liverpool defeatedUdinese 1–0 away in the Europa League to qualify for the round of 32 as group winners.[53]
On 27 January 2013, Liverpool were knocked out of theFA Cup in thefourth round, surprisingly losing 3–2 toLeague One teamOldham Athletic.[54] Liverpool finished in seventh position in thePremier League in hisfirst season in charge, one position higher than theprevious season.[55]
At the start of the 2013–14 season, Rodgers was named thePremier League Manager of the Month for August 2013 as Liverpool won their first three league games of theseason.[56] In January 2014, he was fined £8,000 after making comments about refereeLee Mason after a 2–1 loss to Manchester City in December 2013.[57] He was later named Manager of the Month for the second time that season for March 2014, after Liverpool won all five of their games that month to go top of the Premier League.[58]
A run of 11-straight wins for Liverpool left them five points clear at the top of the Premier League with just three matches to play.[59] However, they then suffered a 2–0 home defeat to Chelsea on 27 April.[60] This result handed the advantage to Manchester City in the title race. In their next game away toCrystal Palace on 5 May, Liverpool led 3–0 with 11 minutes to go, but the game finished 3–3.[61] Liverpool ended the season as Premier League runners-up, two points behind champions Manchester City.[62]
Liverpool scored 101 league goals in the season, the club's most since the1895–96 season and the third-highest in Premier League history.[63] Later that month, Rodgers was named theLMA Manager of the Year, becoming the first Liverpool manager to win the accolade in its 20-year history.[64][65] On 26 May 2014, Rodgers signed a new four-year contract at Liverpool.[66]
Liverpool were eliminated from the2014–15 UEFA Champions League after drawing againstBasel in their final group match, dropping into theEuropa League.[67]The Reds were subsequently knocked out in the Europa League round of 32 after losing 4–5 onpenalties to Turkish sideBeşiktaş.[68] On 19 April 2015, Liverpool were defeated by Aston Villa in theFA Cup semi-final.[citation needed] Liverpool finished the season with a 6–1 defeat toStoke City, finishing sixth in thePremier League.[69] This meant Rodgers became the first Liverpool manager since the 1950s not to win a trophy after three seasons in charge.[70] Despite this, Rodgers received the backing of Liverpool'sowners.[71]
On 4 October 2015, Liverpool played their 225thMerseyside derby againstEverton with the game ending again in a 1–1 draw. This was the fifth time in Liverpool's previous six games that they had taken a 1–0 lead, then to have the game end in a 1–1 draw; while they had just one win in their previous nine games.[72] Just one hour after the game, Rodgers was sacked, leaving Liverpool in tenth place after eight matches played.[73][74] Later, it became known that the decision to sack him had already been made prior to the match against Everton.[75] The following day, Rodgers released a statement through theLeague Managers Association stating, "I am, of course, incredibly disappointed to be leaving... [but] it has been both an honour and a privilege to manage one of the game's great clubs."[76]
Rodgers' signings for Liverpool includedJames Milner,Roberto Firmino,Philippe Coutinho,Adam Lallana,Joe Gomez,Dejan Lovren,Divock Origi andMario Balotelli.[77]
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Rodgers was appointed manager ofScottish Premiership champions Celtic on a 12-month rolling contract on 20 May 2016, following the exit ofRonny Deila.[78] Upon his arrival in Glasgow, Rodgers spoke of his admiration for the lateTommy Burns, the former Celtic player and manager who was in charge of Reading when Rodgers began his coaching career.[79]
On 12 July, in his first competitive game in charge, Celticlost 1–0 away to Gibraltar'sLincoln Red Imps in the first leg of theirsecond qualifying round of the2016–17 Champions League.[80] He said of the surprise result, "There is obvious disappointment. There is no embarrassment."[81] Celtic overcame their one-goal deficit with a 3–0 win atCeltic Park. On 23 August 2016, Celtic qualified for thegroup stage of the 2016–17 Champions League for the first time in three years after a 5–4 aggregate victory overHapoel Be'er Sheva.[82] In the first game of the group stage, 13 September 2016, Rodgers suffered a 7–0 defeat againstBarcelona atCamp Nou, this was Brendan Rodgers' heaviest defeat and the worst result for Celtic in European competition.[83]
On 27 November 2016, Rodgers won his first trophy as a manager as Celtic defeatedAberdeen 3–0 in thefinal of theScottish League Cup.[84] The win also gave Celtic their 100th major trophy.[85]
On 31 December 2016, Rodgers became the first manager in Celtic history to win his opening three games against Rangers. This victory meant Celtic went 19 points clear, with a game in hand, in the2016–17 Scottish Premiership table. It also secured Celtic their 5th consecutive league victory, 58 points from a possible 60, and stretched their unbeaten run in domestic football to 24 games.[86]
On 2 April 2017, Celtic defeated Hearts 5–0 to secure the club's sixth consecutive league title, with eight games to spare.[87] Five days later, Rodgers signed a new four-year contract with Celtic.[88]
As Celtic's unbeaten domestic run continued, they subjected Rangers to their heaviest defeat at Ibrox since 1915, thrashing their rivals 5–1 on 29 April.[89][90] Celtic's 2–0 win over Hearts on 21 May saw them finish 30 points ahead of second-placed Aberdeen in the league with a record 106 points, and the team become the first Scottish side to complete a top-flight season undefeated since 1899.[91] On 27 May 2017, Celtic defeatedAberdeen 2–1 to win theScottish Cup, securing a domestic treble for the fourth time in their history, and ending the2016–17 season unbeaten in all domestic competitions.[92]
On 4 November 2017, Rodgers guided Celtic to a 4–0 victory overSt Johnstone. This victory meant Celtic were unbeaten for their last 63 domestic games. The victory also meant they surpassed the 100-year British-held recorded for consecutive domestic games undefeated, which was also held byWillie Maley's Celtic team, set in 1917 at 62.[93] On 26 November 2017, Rodgers won his fourth trophy in a row as a manager as Celtic defeatedMotherwell 2–0 in the2017 Scottish League Cup Final. Rodgers became the first manager in the club's history to win his first four domestic trophies and also stretch the unbeaten domestic record to 65 games.[94] This unbeaten run finally ended after 69 games, with a 4–0 loss toHearts.[95]
On 29 April 2018, Rodgers secured his second and Celtic's seventh consecutive league title with a 5–0 win against Rangers at Celtic Park. This win also extended Celtic's unbeaten run against Rangers to 12 games.[96] The season ended with Rodgers winning the first 'Double Treble' (a treble in two consecutive seasons) in Scottish football history with a 2–0Scottish Cup Final win over Motherwell on 19 May 2018.[97]
Rodgers said that he turned down an approach from aChinese club during the summer of 2018. He toldBBC Scotland: "With China it's big money, but I've found happiness here."[98] After failing to qualify for the Champions League,[99] Celtic qualified in second place from the group stage of the UEFA Europa League.[100] They were knocked out by Valencia in the round of 32, 3–0 on aggregate.[101] Celtic won the Scottish League Cup in December 2018, Rodgers' seventh successive trophy with the club.[102] In February 2019, with Celtic leading the Premiership by eight points, Rodgers departed Celtic, joining EnglishPremier League clubLeicester City.[103]
In February 2019, Rodgers was appointed manager ofLeicester City, following the dismissal ofClaude Puel.[103][104][105] Rodgers' first game in charge ofThe Foxes was on 3 March 2019 away against former club Watford. The game ended in a 2–1 defeat, withAndre Gray scoring a 92nd-minute winner forthe Hornets.[106] In Rodgers' home debut, his second game in charge, Leicester won 3–1 over strugglingFulham. StrikerJamie Vardy scored his 100th goal for the club in the match.[107]
On 6 December 2019, Rodgers signed a contract extension keeping him at the club until 2025. At the point of signing the deal, his team had recorded 7 wins in a row and sat second in the table after 15 Premier League games.[108] In his first full season, Rodgers guided Leicester to fifth place and therefore qualifying for theUEFA Europa League group stage.[109]
Leicester defeatedManchester City 5–2 away from home on 27 September 2020, making Rodgers the first manager whose team scored five goals against a team managed byPep Guardiola.[110] In Europe, Leicester won theEuropa League group withBraga,AEK Athens andZorya Luhansk to progress to the round of 16, but they were eliminated bySlavia Prague after a 0–0 away draw inCzech Republic and a 0–2 home loss.[111]
On 15 May 2021, Rodgers led Leicester City to win the firstFA Cup title in their history, after a 1–0 win overChelsea in thefinal.[112] The end of the season in the league saw a fierce battle between Leicester, Chelsea and Liverpool for the remainingUEFA Champions League spots. Despite being in third place for most of the season, a 1–2 loss to Chelsea in the penultimate round saw Leicester drop to 5th place after Liverpool's 3–0 defeat ofBurnley, with Leicester and Liverpool tied on points and Chelsea up in third via a solitary point.[113] Despite Chelsea's 1–2 loss againstAston Villa giving them a chance to a fourth-place finish, Leicester could not take advantage due to a 2–4 loss toTottenham Hotspur after maintaining a 2–1 lead untilKasper Schmeichel's own goal in the 76th minute, followed by two goals fromGareth Bale. Thus, Leicester once again finished fifth, qualifying for theEuropa League.[114]
In the Europa League, Leicester City finished third in their group to drop to theUEFA Europa Conference League, in which they managed to reach their first ever European semi-final as a club, before losing 2–1 on aggregate againstRoma, who were managed by Rodgers' former colleagueJosé Mourinho.[115]
Leicester began the season with seven defeats from their opening 10 Premier League games, slumping to the bottom of the table before a run of four wins from five games going into the2022 World Cup break.[116][117] The Foxes continued to struggle after the season resumed, and Rodgers conceded he understood fans' frustrations after chants against him from some away fans.[118] He left the Foxes by mutual consent on 2 April following a 2–1 defeat against fellow strugglersCrystal Palace.[119][120] On 4 April, he said he had every confidence he would have been able to keep the team in the Premier League.[121] At the end of the season, Leicester would be relegated, despite their final day 2–1 win overWest Ham United.[122]
On 19 June 2023, Rodgers returned to Celtic, agreeing a three-year contract to replace outgoing managerAnge Postecoglou.[123][124][125] He stated that "from a professional perspective and from a personal perspective, there was a real happiness for us to come back",[126] and he "guaranteed" that he would stay for the entirety of this three-year contract.[127]
Celtic began the2023–24 season with a 4–2 win againstRoss County in the opening fixture of theScottish Premiership.[128] Despite criticism after a League Cup exit toKilmarnock and a goalless draw against St Johnstone,[129] Celtic opened up an early lead in the Scottish Premiership helped by winning their first five away matches – something last achieved by Celtic in the 2017–18 season under Rodgers.[130] In the Champions League, Celtic finished bottom of their group with four points, however they won their first home game in the competition since 2013 after beatingFeyenoord 2–1.[131]
In February 2024, Rodgers was criticised after calling the BBC journalist Jane Lewis "good girl" during an interview. The campaign groupFor Women Scotland said it was depressing that "casual sexism is still embedded in sport",[132] although Lewis defended Rodgers, stating she did not believe there was any offence intended by the comment.[133]
In March 2024, after criticising match officials (including John Beaton) following a 2–0 defeat atHeart of Midlothian, Rodgers was charged by the SFA.[134][135] He said he would defend the charges, but received a one-match ban.[136][137]
Celtic finished the 2023–24 season winning the Scottish Premiership title, eight points ahead of Rangers. Celtic also won theScottish Cup.[138]
In October 2024, after Celtic lost 7–1 againstBorussia Dortmund in the Champions League, Rodgers' tactics were criticised, but he defended them and his players.[139][140][141][142] Celtic finished in 21st place in the Champions League group stage, and were knocked out byBayern Munich in the play-off phase.[143]
Celtic won the 2024–25 Scottish Premiership, finishing 17 points ahead of second-placed Rangers. The title was the club's 55th, bringing them level with Rangers for most in Scottish football.[144] Celtic also won theLeague Cup.[145] Celtic lost the2025 Scottish Cup final toAberdeen on penalties, falling short of a domestic treble.[146]
In August 2025, Rodgers denied that there was a conflict between him and the Celtic board over transfer policy.[147] That same month, Celtic failed to qualify for the Champions League, losing on penalties toFC Kairat.[148]
On 27 October 2025, Rodgers resigned following a 3–1 loss to Heart of Midlothian, withMartin O'Neill appointed as his temporary replacement; Celtic were second in the Scottish Premiership when he resigned, but had lost two league matches in a row and were eight points behind the league-leading Hearts.[149]
Rodgers believes in his teams keeping possession of the ball and playing a flowing passing and attacking game with the ball always moving; defensively, he likes his team to put a lot of pressure on the opposing team.[150]
His Liverpool team during the2013–14 season interchanged from4–5–1 to3–5–2 to4–4–2 to4–3–3 to a diamond formation.[151]Steven Gerrard described Rodgers' one-on-one management as the best he had seen.[152]
Rodgers separated from his wife, Susan, in the summer of 2014; the couple divorced in December 2015. They have two children – a son,Anton, also a footballer,[153] and a daughter.[154][5] Rodgers also has a stepdaughter with Charlotte Searle, with whom he got engaged in February 2016,[155] and they married in June 2017.[156] He is a boyhoodCeltic fan.[157] On 6 March 2019,thieves broke into his home inGlasgow, stealing family possessions and medals he won at Celtic.[158]
In June 2011, Rodgers joined a team representing theFootball League to climbMount Kilimanjaro in aid ofMarie Curie Cancer Care in honour of his mother – who died in 2010 – and his father – who died of cancer in 2011.[159] In June 2014, he was awarded anhonoraryDoctor of Sciencedegree by theUniversity of Ulster.[160]
His nickname is "Buck Rodgers".[18][161]
In May 2020, Rodgers said that he and his wife had tested positive forCOVID-19 in March the same year after showing symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic – both of them made full recoveries.[162] Rodgers likened his breathing difficulties to the altitude when he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro.[163] The couple endured losses in smell, taste, and strength for three weeks before being tested positive.[163]
| Team | From | To | Record | Ref. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | Win % | ||||
| Watford | 24 November 2008[a] | 5 June 2009 | 31 | 13 | 6 | 12 | 041.94 | [18][23][165][166] |
| Reading | 5 June 2009 | 16 December 2009 | 23 | 6 | 6 | 11 | 026.09 | [167] |
| Swansea City | 16 July 2010 | 1 June 2012 | 96 | 43 | 20 | 33 | 044.79 | [167] |
| Liverpool | 1 June 2012 | 4 October 2015 | 166 | 83 | 41 | 42 | 050.00 | [167] |
| Celtic | 20 May 2016 | 26 February 2019 | 169 | 118 | 25 | 26 | 069.82 | [167] |
| Leicester City | 26 February 2019[b] | 2 April 2023 | 204 | 92 | 42 | 70 | 045.10 | [103][106][169] |
| Celtic | 19 June 2023 | 27 October 2025 | 124 | 83 | 23 | 18 | 066.94 | [167] |
| Total | 812 | 437 | 163 | 212 | 053.82 | |||
Swansea City
Celtic
Leicester City
Individual
