Carabao Cup: Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers admits job is getting harder as rival teams outspend thrifty Foxes | Football News

January 10, 2023 admin

Brendan Rodgers insists he is not a “magician” as he battles to keep thrifty Leicester challenging for silverware against free-spending Newcastle on Tuesday, live on Sky Sports.

The Foxes travel to St James’ Park in the Carabao Cup quarter-final with Rodgers admitting his job is becoming trickier as rival teams continuously outspend them.

He is hopeful of new recruits this month after Wout Faes was the only outfield signing in the summer – a direct replacement for the £70m departure of Wesley Fofana to Chelsea.

Newcastle’s Saudi-led takeover in 2021 changed the dynamic in the Premier League and Rodgers feels the new money in the top flight has made it harder to compete.

“I think I’m a decent coach, but I’m not a magician,” he said. “If you look at our net spend since I’ve been here, it’s about £10m, in three-and-half years.

“Compare that to our competitors, like Aston Villa, West Ham, Newcastle. It’s over £250m. It’s a big difference.

“If you look at Newcastle’s net spend in the last year, along with the fantastic coaching of Eddie [Howe], plus the infrastructure from where they were to where they are now, they’re looking to build and create something.

“They’ll do it wisely and sensibly, but they have the resources to do that. So that’s the modern game and there’s no doubt they join that bracket.

“Look at some of the other teams – Aston Villa’s net spend over the last few years, West Ham too. It’s becoming a real challenge.”

Of the last 18 winners of the League Cup only Swansea and Birmingham have come from outside the so-called ‘big six’ while just the Foxes and Wigan have broken that stranglehold in the FA Cup in the last 15 years.

He added: “You have to look at the reality of it. It’s so important for every club that supporters can dream, but there is a reality to it and a reason why the trophies have been won in the main by the biggest clubs with the biggest resources, that’s natural.

“It does not stop us trying any harder or working any harder and we’ve proven in the two games at Wembley [FA Cup and Community Shield] we can take a trophy home.

“That will never cease while I’m here because that’s what we want to do and I know the players are very keen to do it as well.”