Brendan Rodgers: Leicester City boss understands fans' frustration after sacking chants

Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers says he respects the opinions of the club’s fans after some chanted for his sacking in a defeat by Southampton.

It was also a seventh defeat in 10 top-flight games for Leicester.

“It has been very up and down for us this season, for the supporters it has been a challenge from the very first game,” said Rodgers.

“Listen, I respect the opinions and that’s what the game is about.

“I never take any support from the board for granted, I just do my best with what I have.”

Only Bournemouth, who are bottom of the league, have won fewer points than Leicester, who have played a game less than some of their rivals, since the top flight resumed in December following the World Cup.

The Foxes went into this season having sold centre-back Wesley Fofana to Chelsea for £70m.

They added defender Wout Faes on deadline day, while their only other summer signing came with the arrival of former Cardiff keeper Alex Smithies on a free transfer.

In January, they signed defender Harry Souttar from Stoke City, left-back Victor Kristiansen from Copenhagen and brought in Brazilian winger Tete from Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk on loan.

Nathan Opoku also joined from Syracuse University in the United States but the Ghanaian striker was immediately loaned to the Foxes’ Belgian sister club OH Leuven.

Rodgers, who took over at Leicester in February 2019 and won the club’s first FA Cup in 2021, said “from the first home game against Brentford you sensed from the off it was going to be a challenging season”.

He added: “I respect that they [the fans] have paid their money, travelled a long way and they will be disappointed.

“My message is just to stay with the players, they have given everything and they are going to need the supporters.”