Arsenal and Brendan Rodgers: What’s the pitch?

Arsenal are reportedly considering approaching Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers to be their new head coach. But given his current success at Leicester, what would the pitch be to prise him away?

For many years, it was presumed that the big teams could sign the players they wanted and hire the managers they felt were best. No smaller team would dare repel their advances. No one would not want to join a top-four team in the Premier League.

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But as the lines between the top four and rest of the division have blurred, so have the desires to ‘move up’ the footballing period. So, when Arsenal come calling for players and managers, they are not guaranteed to attract them as in previous years. We are only three years removed from Jamie Vardy rejecting their advances, remember.

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As the Gunners conduct their search for a new head coach, this is worth remembering. Could the club actually attract the reported target? Unlike in previous years where they would have had the pick of the best managers in the world, the lead job at the Emirates is not the prime rib that it used to be, and the club will have to work hard to convince certain candidates that north London is where they want to be.

There might not be a manager that this difficulty pertains more to than Brendan Rodgers. Currently at Leicester City, Rodgers is enjoying a terrific spell. His Leicester team are currently Liverpool’s greatest challengers for the Premier League title, they are on pace for a top-four finish, and have a bunch of young and improving players that could comprise a formidable team over the next few years.

Why would Rodgers want to leave that club for one that is in the mire of Europa League football, has never been big spenders, and possesses a squad that needs serious investment at various positions with its star players stalling on new contracts? It is a very fair question to ask. In fact, Rodgers was asked that very question this weekend. His reponse was emphatic:

"“Why would I want to leave Leicester City at this time? I am very happy so would have no need to look elsewhere. I have a contract here until 2022. Thus far, I know managers are losing their jobs, the club have not indicated to me that they are going to sack me. I am working with a group of players who have so much potential. I gave an honest answer about how all managers have some sort of clause in their contracts and suddenly that seems to have thrown a door wide open. For me, I repeat, I am happy here. Very happy here. I feel I want to continue with that. Take from that what you want.”"

Whether Arsenal do indeed chase Rodgers remains to be seen. He might not even be a potential candidate. But should they chase him as is possible, they will have to do more than offer him the job. They have to impress Rodgers as much as he must impress him. The same goes for managers like Mauricio Pochettino and Massimiliano Allegri, who may wait for better opportunities than the one that awaits in north London.

Like it or not, Arsenal do not have the calibre and pedigree to demand that any manager joins them. They will have to impress those that they chase, Rodgers chief among them. They might want to get thinking about that pitch.