What Conor Coady really thinks about Rangers transfer as target ready to show Brendan Rodgers what he passed on
Coady is a target for Rangers and has previous with Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers ahead of a reunion in Glasgow
Conor Coady admitted Brendan Rodgers pushing him out on loan was a turning point in his early career – as he gears up to show his former boss the player he's turned into.
The defender is a target for new Rangers boss Russell Martin who is desperately in need of defensive reinforcements before their first Champions League qualifier with Panathinaikos, which is coming up fast.
News of John Souttar's surgery might have catapulted Coady to top priority status with Robin Propper, Clinton Nsiala, Ben Davies and Leon King the only central defensive options if Souttar is unavailable.
If the 32-year-old does decide on a move to Ibrox then it will mean crossing paths with Celtic boss Rodgers – who coached him during his formative days at Liverpool and sent him out to gain first-team experience at Sheffield United in 2013.
And speaking in 2020, the defender credited the Irishman for pushing him to leave his comfort zone.
He said: "Brendan Rodgers was good to me when I was young. I had a season training with the first team at Melwood, learning off them. That was big for me, but I always knew it was tough.
"I knew at some point I'd have to come away from Liverpool to really experience being a first-team player. It was the best decision I ever made, and Brendan was great for that; he pushed that to send me on loan and try to improve my game.
"Liverpool were always getting better, they were always improving, and the players in my position were ridiculous. But I just wanted to play football. I knew where I was at, the type of level I was at, but I just wanted to be part of a first team, playing in games which meant something, playing against men."
He ultimately never made the grade under Rodgers at Anfield, making just two appearances, and now he may be gearing up to show his former boss the player he passed on by taking the fight to him in Glasgow.
Pundit Lee Hendrie meanwhile has offered an insight into where Coady's head is on the deal.
He told FootballLeagueWorld: "I could see him at Ibrox, for sure. I think that he could certainly step in and do a job at Rangers. There's no doubt about that. He still offers a lot in the line of experience.
"He has been limited on game time, but I think, particularly with Leicester being in the Championship, he'd be one you look at and think that he's got a bit more mileage in him to go on and kick on in the Championship.
"If you're linked with Rangers, I'm sure that would certainly give him something to think about. I'd be looking at it from a Leicester point of view, thinking that he'd be one that I want to keep hold of, given some of the players that they have at the club."
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