Intense media speculation (Source – BBC) is suggesting that Brendan Rodgers is about to vacate the manager’s chair at Celtic and take up the hotseat at Leicester City.

The Scottish Premiership champions have confirmed that they’ve ‘very reluctantly’ given their boss the opportunity to speak to the English Premier League club:

#CelticFC today confirmed that it has been approached by @LCFC to speak to Brendan Rodgers with regards to their current managerial vacancy.https://t.co/r75IXPs71M

— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) 26 February 2019

Now the whole situation is still very raw and it’s understandably shocked the Hoops faithful.

Many feel that Rodgers has deserted the club and has tarnished his legacy at Parkhead.

I can understand the emotion. I think the timing is extremely strange as he’s on course to win yet another title with the Glasgow giants and there’s still a very realistic chance that he could’ve steered the club to a historic treble treble.

But alas we can’t always pick and choose when we get offered jobs. Brendan might feel that Leicester City can offer him a bigger challenge or the chance of catching the eye of a really big European club.

I don’t think for a minute Rodgers has departed Celtic for The Foxes, essentially he’ll join them because they are a Premier League club that backs their managers.

Personally, I think the writing was on the wall last summer when Celtic endured a pretty poor transfer window. He lost his main striker and missed out on one his main transfer targets to a side in the English Championship.

After losing to AEK Athens in the Champions League qualifiers earlier in the season, Rodgers said this to BBC Scotland:

“(the club had to) always guard against becoming complacent”.

“You do that by adding to the squad,”

“It’s pretty obvious, you have to keep progressing and keep getting stronger.”

That was Brendan calling out the board for not getting their business done early in the window.

Celtic fans will be hurting and will feel let down. They saw Brendan Rodgers as a Celtic man and that no real fan of the club runs out on them mid-season.

But unfortunately there’s always more to it when you work in the game.

Loyalty is always a funny word in football.

Not many were screaming about loyalty when the club booted out former manager Tony Mowbray during the 2009-10 season. Both parties (manager & the club) will always look after themselves first.

For me, the positives of Brendan’s time at Celtic will always outweigh the negatives. I believe when the decision isn’t so raw, more people will understand it.

The Northern Irishman went one season unbeaten domestically, guided his team to two domestic trebles, qualified twice for the Champions League and got them to the last 32 of the Europa League. He might feel that’s as far as he can take them with the income they bring in and the money he’s got to spend on recruitment.

Rodgers brought with him exciting football, he made Scottish talent the nucleus of his side, brought in a record fee for a player, spent a record fee on Odsonne Edouard and helped bring more eyes to watch and take note of Scottish football.

The manager also had a wonderful record against Rangers, leaves with Celtic still in the Scottish Cup and with an eight point lead at the top of the Premiership table.

A lot of Celtic supporters and former players were always quick to say ‘enjoy Rodgers while he’s here because he won’t be around forever’.

Unfortunately the forty-six year old has left on his own terms and with his CV still intact. He has it in him to become a top six coach again down south and clearly believes he stands a better chance of somehow realising that ambition at Leicester City, rather than wait it out winning trophies at Celtic.

In my opinion that decision shouldn’t tarnish his reputation in Scotland!

Posted on February 26th, 2019 by scott
Filed under: Article