Brendan Rodgers: Will Iheanacho’s former manager give Paul Onuachu and Joe Aribo more minutes?
Brendan Rodgers: Will Iheanacho's former manager give Paul Onuachu and Joe Aribo more minutes?
Former Leicester City manager, Brendan Rodgers, has been persuaded to accept the coaching position at Southampton, Soccernet.ng understands.
After leading Kelechi Iheanacho and his colleagues on a miserable run this season which led them to sit in the bottom half of the English Premier League standings, the Irishman was shown the exit door.
Meanwhile, if he takes the job at St Mary's would he be able to hand Joe Aribo and Paul Onuachu a more playing time in his starting lineup?
Aribo moved to join the Saints last summer and has only been able to score 2 goals in all 27 appearances for the English side. Meanwhile, since the takeover of a new administration, his time in the team has been limited, having fallen out of favour in Ruben Selles squad.
The same holds true for Nigerian attacker Paul Onuachu, who joined Southampton in the January transfer window after leaving Belgian, only appearing in 9 games under Selles and hardly starting three of them.
Despite the fact that the Spaniard was hired as an interim manager for the remainder of the season, it is more probable than not that the club would not extend his contract years if they are ultimately demoted to the Championship League.
The Hampshire-based team will be seeking a more seasoned manager who will help them return to the Premier League.
Rodgers may not be interested in the position, but the project on the south coast may draw him, according to beIN Sports expert Keys.
Meanwhile, if he chooses to stick with it, new management may see him start two forwards, setting off Onuachu in the centre position and Che Adams on the left side or behind him, exactly as he did in Leicester's 4-5-1 system.
Under the new manager, Aribo might still need to see more playing time, but the former Genk forward might.