Former Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has emerged as a leading candidate to take charge of Nottingham Forest as pressure mounts on Ange Postecoglou.
Nottingham Forest had an excellent 2024/25 season under manager Nuno Espirito Santo, finishing seventh in the Premier League and qualifying for the Europa League.
However, their form has declined significantly this season, and owner Evangelos Marinakis has made relentless changes to the dugout.
Postecoglou was appointed as Nuno’s replacement after winning the Europa League with Tottenham, defeating Manchester United in the final and ending Spurs’ long title drought.
Despite that victory, a disappointing domestic campaign led to Daniel Levy being sacked as manager and replaced by Thomas Frank.
Ange’s return to Forest management was far from ideal. He is yet to register a win in seven matches across all competitions, with two draws and five defeats. Current reports suggest that he could be sacked if the team loses against Chelsea, and that Marinakis is already looking for a potential replacement.
Brendan Rodgers could return to the Premier League
If Ange is sacked, several managers have been mentioned as candidates to replace him, including former Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers.
According to talkSPORT’s Alex Crook, Evangelos Marinakis is a “long-time admirer of Brendan Rodgers”.
Crook added that Rodgers is expected to leave Celtic in the summer, making a return to the Premier League more likely.
Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner, Fulham’s Marco Silva and Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola are all in demand heading into the summer, according to reports.
Glasner has recently been linked with a move to Manchester United, while Iraola is also linked with a move to Old Trafford.
Silva has attracted interest from several Premier League clubs, including West Ham, and Graham Potter has struggled to make an impact.
If a move to Nottingham Forest does not materialize, it is expected that further vacancies will be created due to a club-wide managerial change.
Brendan Rodgers’ Premier League days
Brendan Rodgers’ Premier League managerial career has spanned three different clubs: Swansea City, Liverpool and Leicester City.
The Northern Irishman first came to prominence at Swansea City, leading them to promotion in 2011 and establishing the Welsh club as a respected top team.
Nicknamed ‘Swanselona’, his possession-based philosophy won him acclaim and made Swansea one of the most notable teams outside of the traditional big clubs.
That success attracted the attention of Liverpool, who appointed him in 2012 in the hopes of restoring their identity and challenging for the title again.
Rodgers’ spell at Liverpool was defined by a thrilling 2013-14 season that saw the Reds come close to winning the Premier League title.
Under his management, Liverpool played some of the most exciting attacking football in the club’s modern history, led by Luis Suarez, Daniel Sturridge and Raheem Sterling.
However, they were unable to replicate that success in subsequent seasons. Rodgers was fired in October 2015 after a disappointing start to the 2015-2016 season.
| club | managed games | victory | draw | loss | Win % | Points earned | season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swansea City | 38 | 12 | 11 | 15 | 31.6% | 47 | 2011–12 |
| liverpool | 122 | 63 | 30 | 29 | 51.6% | 219 | 2012–15 |
| leicester city | 152 | 71 | 28 | 53 | 46.7% | 241 | 2019–23 |
Brendan Rodgers’ Premier League manager statistics for Swansea City, Liverpool and Leicester City.
Rodgers returned to the Premier League with Leicester City in 2019 and enjoyed a long period of relative success.
He led the Foxes to consecutive fifth place finishes in the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 seasons, but they narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Champions League both times.
His time at the King Power Stadium was crowned by the club’s historic first FA Cup win in 2021, followed by winning the Community Shield later that year.
Despite his success, a poor start to the 2022/23 season ultimately led to his dismissal.
Given his past success in the Premier League, his appointment is sure to attract attention.