hrough a giant window, Rodgers gazes outside and views football pitches as far as the eye can see. There are 21 in total, 14 of which are full size, plus a spectacular indoor arena, customised gym, swimming pool and a private nine-hole golf course for the players and staff who each have luxury hotel-style rooms inside the £100m state of the art complex.
It’s a long way from Brendan’s humble beginnings in Carnlough.
He grew up playing football in the fields and streets of the County Antrim village.
Hopes of making it as a player were dashed when he had to retire through injury aged 20 before hurling himself into coaching, quickly making a name for himself in youth football at Reading and Chelsea. First-team management at Watford and Reading followed and then Swansea, who he inspired into the Premier League.
Liverpool came calling in 2012. He almost won the league title there before becoming invincible at Celtic, bringing trophies galore to Parkhead prior to a sudden departure in 2019 for Leicester where he created history last season with FA Cup success.
Now considered one of the most respected managers in the game, Rodgers takes a moment before answering what he thinks about when I say Carnlough.
“Home. Community. Stability. Yeah, I think of home,” he says with a host of memories swirling around his mind.
The eldest of five brothers, the 49-year-old’s early life was shaped by his late parents Christina and Malachy.
Asked if he ever ponders how his mum and dad would feel about his achievements, Rodgers says: “I think that was the strength I got when they passed away. You fight for their name. You try to represent them in the best way you can.
“You try to make them proud. I know they would be proud of us all, all our family.
“They gave me an incredible start in life. The work ethic with me to this day is what I gained from them. It is critical for me when I think back of the memories growing up. I grew up in a really happy home. We didn’t have lots of money but the love and security we had meant everything.
“Values are engrained in us that nothing is ever handed to you in life and if you wait on it you will be waiting for a while. These are lessons that I picked up from them that you have got to go create it yourself. I have taken so much from my parents and hopefully looking down they would be proud.
“Unfortunately my parents aren’t around any more but it doesn’t stop me going home to the grave and going back and seeing friends.
“Carnlough will always be a special place to me. It’s where it all began for me and I’ll never forget it.”
Managing a Premier League club is 24/7 and Rodgers admits that “family time can suffer” because of his high-profile job. There is pride in his voice as he talks about son Anton, daughter Mischa and step daughter Lola and a wide smile at the thought of grandson Oscar.
There’s also positive vibes when Rodgers is told that Fermanagh’s Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna recently said the Leicester boss was his inspiration. Talk to other managers from Northern Ireland, working across the water or here, and they’ll say the same. Carnlough’s finest has become a standard bearer.
“I have always tried to represent Northern Ireland in a way that would make people feel proud, whatever job I’ve been in. It gives me great pride to be able to do that.
“Representing your country is very important, as is representing the club that you work for, the very best way you can.
“If people can find inspiration from my story and my journey that is great and I’ll always be open to helping anyone,” says Rodgers.
The honest assessment from Rodgers on his successful managerial career is compelling. From simply wanting to belong at the outset, today he feels the best is still to come.
“The first decade of my career was about trying to get a real sense of belonging as a manager,” states Rodgers.
“I was never a big player. I spent 15 years as a youth coach getting through to work with some of the biggest players in the world at Chelsea but I felt that when I became a manager I had no background in terms of people having any reference to me so you are trying to create your identity and you make mistakes within that period.
“Now after 640-odd games as a manager at least I feel that I belong as a manager.
“The next decade will hopefully be the most successful time for me as a manager. I’m young still, I’m 49, even though I’ve managed a while.
“At every club I have worked at I’ve had a wonderful experience meeting new people and I love working with players and the ability to influence and help them become better.
“Managing now more as such I have really enjoyed that side because I made my name as a coach. Now I coach/manage. I have had some brilliant times and hopefully have many more.”
When he has time to take a break, Rodgers enjoys travelling and is an avid reader.
The last book he read was ‘The Score Takes Care of Itself: My Philosophy of Leadership’ from legendary San Francisco 49ers coach Bill Walsh.
Another book he is passionate about is ‘Am I Being Too Subtle? Straight Talk from a Business Rebel’ by Chicago billionaire entrepreneur Sam Zell.
Rodgers has a signed copy and says over the years he has picked up motivational tips from Zell and tailored them for himself. On a wall behind his desk in his office is a framed picture with 10 ‘Rules of Success’. They read: 1. Take challenges. 2. Be curious. 3. Identify the downside. 4. Test your limits. 5. Just do it. 6. Be optimistic. 7. Simplify everything. 8. Follow your gut. 9. Be an observer. 10. Don’t Look Back.
He’s happy to explain, saying: “In my career I have always taken the challenge, I’m curious and constantly want to learn and to read, when I measure anything I’ll always look at what the downside is before I make a choice, I always test myself,
“I’m full of optimism but realistic optimism, what you learn over time is to simplify everything, I have always went with my gut feeling, observation is important with the ability to sense things and I don’t look back only in happiness.”
On another wall are the words: Respect, Courage, Unity and Responsibility.
The Foxes supremo adds: “When I came in to Leicester this was about creating a set of values and what would be the signposts for us going forward. In our first pre-season together we sat and went through the conditions in our work.
“For me respect is No.1, especially in modern times you have to respect people’s differences no matter what religion you are, what country you are from and what your culture is, learn to respect it. That’s something I’ve always been about.
“Having the courage of your convictions is key and having that bravery to keep pushing forward. You can’t do anything unless you are together so unity is important and looking after each other.
“The thing I have always said about responsibility is be accountable yourself.
“If we don’t achieve or things don’t work out, don’t be blaming everyone else. I was never going to sit in a pub in Belfast at 65 and blame everyone else if I wasn’t a manager if I wanted to do it.
“You are the king of your own destiny. If you want to do it, it is possible.”
Brendan Rodgers is proof of that.
