SOCCER
Leicester's Rodgers bats away "disrespectful" Manchester United talk
Brendan Rodgers has been tipped to take over at Manchester United, but says links to the Old Trafford job are no more than "speculation and gossip".
Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers has given short shrift to talk he could replace Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as Manchester United manager, branding the speculation "disrespectful" to the Norwegian.
It was reported last weekend that Rodgers is the Red Devils' number one target to take over from Solskjaer and has been house-hunting in Cheshire.
Solskjaer has come under increasing pressure this season, with United sixth in the Premier League table, having slumped to a shambolic 5-0 home defeat at the hands of Liverpool before another abject display in a 2-0 derby loss to Manchester City at Old Trafford.
Rodgers on Thursday stated he is totally committed to Leicester ahead of Chelsea's visit to the King Power Stadium on Saturday.
Manchester United talk "not something that is real" - Rodgers
The former Liverpool and Celtic manager said in a news conference: "There’s two things. Firstly, it is really disrespectful to ask the question when you have a manager in place, a good manager and a good man, who is working hard at the club.
"Secondly, I can't really comment on it, because it is not something that is real.
“I am here as the Leicester City manager, proud to be here, privileged to be here and fully committed to the players, the club, the ownership. That’s about it, all the other noise around that is something we can’t control."
"Speculation and gossip" part and parcel of modern football, says Rodgers
Rodgers has also been linked with the likes of Arsenal and Tottenham in the past but says he does not pay attention to such talk about his future.
"It doesn't frustrate me because my focus is always looking for the next game. The only club I am thinking about is Chelsea and getting ready for that," the Northern Irishman said.
"It is frustrating for our supporters and also my players, if anyone is to read anything that is out there then that can destabilise.
"It is something that is the modern game, lots of speculation and gossip; it's all part of the modern game, but it’s not something I have any focus on."
Leicester are 12th in the top flight after picking up just one point from their past two games against Leeds United and Arsenal prior to the international break.