Simon Donnelly comments on Rodgers to Southampton rumours

Follow us on Google Discover

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has emerged as a candidate for the vacant Southampton job after Mauricio Pellegrino’s sacking.

Former Celtic stalwart Simon Donnelly has had his say on the rumours of Southampton’s interest in Brendan Rodgers in an interview with PLZ Soccer on 13 March 2018, explaining that he simply cannot see a situation where the Northern Irishman would decide to turn his back on the Hoops for a struggling Premier League side.

The Saints currently sit in 17th place, one point above the relegation zone, and are a couple of poor results away from disaster.

With only five wins in the league this season, whoever is appointed will have a mere eight games to stamp their authority on the squad and turn Southampton’s season around, and with two more trophies to play for, not to mention the prospect of another domestic treble, Donnelly finds it hard to see Rodgers being interested in the vacancy.

“I’m not buying into it,” Donnelly explained to PLZ Soccer, “I think it’s inevitable after the success that he’s had that he’s going to be linked with any job that’s come up in the [English] Premiership.

“Unless it’s somebody from the top six I don’t think his head is going to be turned.

“Southampton, no disrespect to them, a the bottom end of the premiership, while he’s going for back to back trebles, I don’t see him moving.”

For a man who has managed at the top of the Premier League while at Liverpool, taking the reigns at Southampton would be a major step back in his career, especially considering – as Donnelly pointed out – the success he has experienced during his time in Scotland, losing only two games domestically so far.

There is no doubt that Rodgers has aspirations to manage in England’s top flight again, but it is hard to see him being enticed away from Celtic park unless a vacancy opens up with a team at the top end of the table, as opposed to a side fighting for their lives.