Sam Allardyce insists Brendan Rodgers cannot be blamed for wanting to leave Celtic and return to the Premier League, where he believes the Northern Irishman can turn Leicester City into a top six club.
Rodgers’ surprise departure as manager of the Scottish champions was confirmed on Tuesday, as he was appointed Claude Puel’s replacement at Leicester.
Their new boss was in the stands for the Foxes’ 2-1 win over Brighton, and will take charge of the team for Saturday’s game against one of his former clubs, Watford.
His move has been met with widespread disdain north of the border, with Celtic fans angry at the boss for abandoning them midway through the season with the Scottish league and cup titles still to play for.
Allardyce, however, insists fans cannot expect Rodgers to be loyal to the club when such an opportunity comes along and says he has taken a step up in his career.
“Brendan has made the right decision for Brendan – there’s no such thing as loyalty in today’s game,” the former Premier League manager told the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast.
“He has stayed at Celtic because he has kept Celtic winning everything in Scotland, but now he is coming back to the best league in the world.
“I don’t want to upset Scottish fans, but that’s a fact. It’s the best league in the world, the most-watched league in the world and it’s the league where you need and would always want to be. All the best coaches are here.
“His patience has worn thin in terms of investment at Celtic. He loves the club, and you could see that, but at the end of the day the frustration of not being able to build a better Celtic has got the better of him and he’s given the Premier League another go.”
Rodgers arrives at Leicester with the task of restoring balance to a team who have failed to maintain the incredible form which saw them crowned Premier League champions three years ago.
That would be a tough job for any coach, but after finishing 12th and 9th in their last two seasons there is expectation on Rodgers – their fourth manager since that remarkable triumph – to raise their game.
But Allardyce believes he can go one better and can make Leicester emulate Tottenham and become a regular presence at the top of the table.
“Can Leicester get the top six under Brendan Rodgers? It is a big ask, but I think they can get there,” Big Sam added.
“They’ve sold a lot of the top quality players they had, apart from Jamie Vardy, but they’re replaced them with some brilliantly talented young players who could go on under Brendan’s guidance and they could add to those who could get them into the top six.
“Top four would be unlikely for a while, but it will be Leicester’s ambition, I’m sure, and Brendan’s that sooner or later they would get in the top four again.
“If Brendan stays at Leicester as long he stayed at Celtic and they have a patience to build a young side, then eventually they can get there, as Tottenham did.
“Money is key, but it’s how you spend that money.
“They might not be able to do it on a regular basis, but it can certainly be done if you buy the right players, have the right mentality and build a football club that is ready to go forward and challenge for those places.”