Leicester — Brendan Rodgers said on Tuesday he believes he would have kept Leicester in the Premier League had he remained in charge until the end of the season.
Rodgers left the club by mutual consent on Sunday, ending a four-year reign at the King Power, with Leicester second bottom of the table.
The former Liverpool and Celtic boss delivered two top-five finishes in the Premier League and the club's first ever FA Cup win in 2021.
But a seven-game winless run cost the 50-year-old Northern Irishman his job with the Foxes having just 10 more matches to save their top-flight status.
"I am obviously disappointed to depart so close to the end of the season and had every confidence that we would have delivered the results needed to preserve the club's Premier League status," Rodgers said in a statement via the League Managers' Association.
"The players, my staff and I gave it our all every single day and I will always be proud of what we were able to achieve together."
Prior to Leicester's struggles this season, Rodgers had been linked to the Manchester United and Tottenham jobs.
Spurs and Chelsea are among the big clubs searching for a permanent appointment after a record 13 managerial changes in the Premier League this season.
And Rodgers is already eyeing the possibility of returning to the dugout.
"I'm now looking forward to having a chance to reflect and recharge and get ready for the next opportunity," he added.
Leicester face Aston Villa later on Tuesday, with first-team coaches Adam Sadler and Mike Stowell in temporary charge.
AFP