Leicester boss Rodgers says Foxes marking ‘a wonderful life’ as anniversary of Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha death approaches
BRENDAN RODGERS says Leicester will be marking ‘a wonderful life’ as the first anniversary of late owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha’s death approaches.
It will be a year next week since the tragic helicopter crash outside the King Power Stadium, which killed the Thai chairman and all four others on board.
The Foxes will use today’s game to commemorate the loss of “The Boss” that hit the club and its fans so hard.
Last year, supporters organised an event in the victims’ memory — the Walk for Vichai — with an estimated 50,000 people making their way from the city centre to the stadium for the game against Burnley.
A second walk is taking place today, with Burnley also the opponents.
And Leicester announced this week they will officially open the Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha Memorial Garden on the anniversary of the crash, October 27 — a peaceful space designed to protect the scene of the accident and form a permanent tribute to those who died.
Rodgers was not manager of Leicester when the accident occurred — shortly after a 1-1 draw with West Ham — but he is fully aware of the legacy “Khun Vichai” has left.
'REAL AFFINITY'
It was the owner’s backing that propelled the club to the Premier League title three years ago and a Champions League campaign.
Now Leicester are challenging for the top six again.
Rodgers, who joined Leicester in February as a replacement for Claude Puel, said: “I talked about it on Thursday morning. There’ll be a lot of emotion on and off the pitch. We’ll be very much together.
“Off the field we’ll commemorate a wonderful life over the next few weeks and reflect on the legacy that he has left here for us all, an incredible man.
“The club are absolutely amazing in terms of everything they do in relation to the various memorial gardens and paying tribute.
“The year’s gone so fast — the club will show the solidarity on and off the pitch that was really created by Khun Vichai.
“It’s certainly something that, having come into here, I really got to understand and recognise what an important figure he was.
“Everyone will look from the outside at the financial input.
“But the feeling he gave people, players and staff, you can’t buy that.
“He was close to many people at the club and the players had a real affinity with him and still do.
“What I’ve tried to ensure since I’ve come in is to try to bring all that emotion out in a positive way.
'HE WAS A FIGHTER'
“Because he was a fighter — and he wanted his teams to fight and he wanted his people to fight for the very best — that’s what we see in the performances of players and what we’ve tried to do since I came in.”
And Rodgers believes the title winners he still has in his side have the know-how to keep Leicester in among the top sides this season.
Jamie Vardy, Kasper Schmeichel, Wes Morgan, Marc Albrighton and Christian Fuchs have all survived since the incredible 2016 win — while June 2018 recruit Jonny Evans also won the title with Manchester United.
Rodgers added: “It’s important because they understand, as it goes on, that pressure can intensify.
“They’ve done it, been winners and champions and they understand it.
“The guys who have been involved in it are so instrumental in the culture of our team.
“They produced the most amazing story but our job is to try and sustain it with what we’re creating.
“We hope to for a few years and the players are enjoying that process.
“They haven’t been there for a few years and ninth place to the top six is a big jump. It doesn’t seem it but it is.
We want to fight to challenge that and the players are responding. I’m enthused by what I’m seeing.
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“What’s pleasing is what the future can bring for this squad of players.
“We’ve gone away to the European champions and you see so many teams get blown away at Anfield but we showed our resilience, mentality and quality in a 2-1 defeat.
“We were a dodgy penalty from getting a result. That shows us we’re not just good technically but the resilience in the team is very good.”