Brendan Rodgers 'concentrating' on job with Hornets (From Watford Observer)

Brendan Rodgers 'concentrating' on job with Hornets

9:10am Friday 15th May 2009

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By Frank Smith »

Brendan Rodgers says he has not even thought about becoming Reading manager and insists he is concentrating fully on the future of Watford.

The Hornets boss has become odds-on favourite to take over at the Madejski Stadium following Steve Coppell’s departure on Tuesday but claims it is all speculation.

While Rodgers was in a meeting on Wednesday discussing Watford’s transfer targets with chairman Jimmy Russo, odds on the 36-year-old returning to his adopted home-town club as manager were slashed from 16/1 to 1/3 with one bookmaker.

However, the Northern Irishman said: “For me, in this moment, my full concentration is on next season with Watford.

“There is always going to be speculation as a manager and a coach. You are always honoured if you are linked with big jobs because it means you and your team are doing well.

“But in this moment, my concentration is fully on Watford and looking forward to next year.”

This week has seen Rodgers fly to Spain to scout potential future signings, travel to Italy to meet up with friend and former boss Jose Mourinho, with Jimmy and Vince Russo, and yesterday (Thursday) he and Hornets assistant manager Dean Austin went to West Ham United’s training ground to meet up with old Chelsea colleague Steve Clarke.

Rodgers said: “At the moment I am trying to concentrate on my learning at various different clubs and that is what is on my mind at the moment and looking forward to the future with Watford.”

He concluded: “Due to the amount of phone calls I have been having and the speculation, I felt I had to make a comment on it but I am not thinking about it [the Reading job].”

The Northern Irishman has lived in Reading since he joined the club as a player at 16 years old.

And when Rodgers’ playing career ended at 20 due to injury, he became a coach for the Royals and went on to become their Academy director, before moving to Chelsea.

The odds on Wednesday suggested Rodgers’ return to Reading was imminent but both the Watford chairman and chief executive Julian Winter released statements saying they expected Rodgers to stay.

When asked yesterday if the situation had changed, Russo said: “Nothing has changed – it is still the status quo.

“I spent two days with Brendan and we were discussing future transfers and were getting to know each other better and he did not indicate that he would want to leave.

“He stated he is happy here and appreciates being given the job here at Watford.

“John Madejski says he has loads of applicants so I cannot see Brendan leaving this football club.

“Why would he want to move sideways? It is not like he is going to a Premier League club.

“He is working with a good board of directors and there is no reason why he would want to leave.”

On Wednesday, the odds on Rodgers becoming Reading’s next manager with bookmakers Victor Chandler were 1/3 but yesterday the figure had lengthened slightly to 1/2.

Victor Chandler spokesman Neal Wilkins said: “We are still odds-on about Rodgers taking over, but after the Reading press conference we are not so sure about whether he is such a perceived certainty.

“There was a significant run of money for him yesterday from some quite informed people and even when we were a very short price there were people wanting to back him. That said he’s not been popular today.”

The firm reports that Glenn Hoddle and the Exeter City boss Paul Tisdale were popular in the betting yesterday.

Wilkins added: “I think Brendan Rodgers will continue to drift in the market and we’ll see moves for other potential candidates in the coming days. Only time will tell if those who have backed Rodgers have got it right.”

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