Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has dismissed reports linking him with Manchester City and hopes to remain at Anfield for a prolonged period.
With Manuel Pellegrini's job at the Etihad Stadium coming under intense
scrutiny, the Reds boss has been linked with replacing the Chilean
along with Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti.
But Rodgers believes the reports are merely speculation and he is instead concentrating on his role on Merseyside.
"That doesn’t distract me," he told reporters when questioned about the
links with City. "I chose to come to Liverpool because I hoped I could
be here for many years.
"The speculation is just the nature of
football I think. I remember earlier this season playing Ludogorets away
and as I walked off I saw a banner that said ‘Rodgers Out’ so I never
get too carried away.
"I always have that in the back of my
mind, although it was near the dugout and wasn’t someone with the away
supporters. As long as the people here at Liverpool, the board, the
supporters and the players are ultimately happy with the work, I would
love to be here for as long as I can.
"We are working into an
exciting phase after this season where hopefully, if we get young
players tied to contracts, that will allow us to win trophies with this
way of working. We’re on the way there and it’s about making the steps
to challenge for major honours consistently and to win them. That’s what
we want to do."
Rodgers' current deal at Liverpool runs until
2018, though if he remains with the club heading into next season he
will have spent four years in his role - longer than he has in any of
his previous positions.
And though the former Swansea City boss
understands he could lose his job at any time, he believes he has
reached his footballing destination after spells at a number of other
clubs.
"If I’m here after this year, and touch wood I go into
the fourth year, this will be the longest period in any role I’ve been
in football.
"After three years I’ve always moved a role or a
job, from youth football right the way through. But I’ve always seen
Liverpool as a club that, all being well, was going to be a destination
for me not somewhere that was part of the journey.
"I really
wanted to be here, to follow some incredible managers with a support
that is unrivalled, and to have success knowing that I was young enough
to create and build something. That is why I came here. I know I need to
justify that by working well and winning trophies and hopefully that is
the next step.
"For me there is great excitement at Liverpool
with the young players coming through, with the development of the
stadium, more supporters coming in because of that, and travelling the
world promoting the club.
"Where do you go from Liverpool, one
of the biggest clubs in the world? It is all hypothetical, Liverpool
might sack me and then I need to be in work, but I’ve signed a deal here
and hopefully I’ll earn enough time to warrant another one."
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