Brendan Rodgers has been out of a job for eight days, but the former Liverpool boss is already being lined up for a return to the Premier League.
[ MORE: Klopp’s top targets emerge ]
With Jurgen Klopp arriving at Anfield amid much fanfare, it’s easy to forget that Rodgers led the Reds to the brink of the PL title in 2013-14 before a downturn over the past 12 months following the sales of top players such as Luis Suarez and Raheem Sterling, Steven Gerrard leaving, plus lengthy injuries to Daniel Sturridge.
However, he may be climbing back on that managerial horse sooner than one would think, that’s if you believe the Monday morning gossip.
Reports from the Sun in the UK claim that Rodgers, 42, could take over at Aston Villa as Tim Sherwood has held “crisis talks” with Villa’s American owner Randy Lerner over the international break. During his first full season in charge at Villa Sherwood has managed just four points from a possible 24 and the Midlands club have failed to win a game since the opening day of the season.
With Villa in the relegation zone, Sherwood is under intense pressure to deliver as he brought in a number of new players in the summer (but did lose Christian Benteke and Fabian Delph) and many have yet to settle in England’s top-flight. As well as Rodgers, former Manchester United boss David Moyes has also been mooted as a possible successor to Sherwood if Villa decide to cut their losses and fire the former Tottenham Hotspur boss.
[ MORE: Behind-the-scenes at Klopp’s unveiling ]
A lot of this will have to do with Sherwood’s side and if they can pick up points against Chelsea and Swansea City in their next two games, but Rodgers could be handed an opportunity to save Villa from what is almost certainly going to be another season of struggle at the wrong end of the Premier League table.
Whether or not Rodgers would take on this challenge, or deem the Villa job to be beneath him, is another matter, but these reports seem to suggest what many Liverpool fans do not believe: Rodgers is a good manager and will be a very attractive proposition to most PL teams.
Yes, he’s been ridiculed for his David Brent-esque press conferences and many other idiosyncrasies, but his ability to build an attacking brand of soccer and a strong youth program at clubs like Swansea and Liverpool must be applauded.
Even if it’s not at Villa, it will be very interesting to see where Rodgers lands next as his three-and-half-year stay at Anfield ended last week.