A remarkable appointment at the peak of our reach

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In 2014 Brendan Rodgers was within touching distance of immortality on Merseyside, but Manchester City were on Liverpool’s tail throughout the campaign and snatched the title by two points.

The locals were distraught but loved the incredibly attacking formations Rodgers deployed. Liverpool were back, or so it seemed. Within 17 months, Jurgen Klopp made his availability known to Liverpool and in October last year Brendan was out of a job.

Celtic wanted Rodgers from the off but their major concern from the start was the familiar lure of English and Welsh lucre. Average managers there can command between £3m and £5m a year, getting on for 10% of Celtic’s income – and we pay tax and employer’s National Insurance, remember!

In recent weeks it became clear that Brendan is a Celtic man and was very interested in the job, while an offer he couldn’t refuse from England or Wales didn’t materialise. What went wrong for Brendan in Liverpool, after coming so close to the title, opened the door for Celtic.

The Merseyside team dropped from second to sixth last season, still higher than they were when he picked them up, but the slip worried the club to the extent that they could not resist Klopp’s availability. There’s reason to believe Liverpool were a tad hasty.

Much of Rodger’s success at Liverpool was based on getting the very best out of Suarez and Sturridge. They electrified English football in a manner which just didn’t happen before Brendan arrived, but Suarez fled for Barcelona as soon as he returned from his infamous World Cup, while Sturridge missed most of the following season through injury.

Suarez will be the first to break the Messi-Ronaldo Ballon d’Or duopoly. He is one of the world’s truly great players.  Remember our own experiences when losing world class players.

We went from double winners to fifth (and sacked Jock Stein) when Dalglish left, and from 26 consecutive league wins to second when Larsson went. Losing one of the best players in the world takes time to recover from. What made Liverpool championship contenders just wasn’t there anymore. This cost Brendan his job, and a little of his reputation.

Before last night’s Europa League final the inane commentators told us, when discussing Klopp, that good managers can always improve players. This wasn’t meant to be a slight on Rodgers, but neither was it a deserved accolade for Klopp. Liverpool finished the season 8th in the league, lower than at any of Rodgers’ finishes.

Good managers can improve players, but only if they are taking over from less-effective managers. Klopp is one of the very best in the business, but Brendan Rodgers bettered him with the same team. He’s a manager at the absolute peak of our reach, it will be a remarkable appointment.

Usual caveats apply, until the lawyers have triplicate copies signed……

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681 Comments

  1. Magnificentseven on

    Nye Bevans’ rebel soldier on 19th May 2016 7:14 pm

     

     

    Need tae run.

     

     

    Will Falkirk be allowed tae take the abstainers place

     

     

    in the top tier.

     

     

    You mean like Motherwell last year not been allowed to beat the huns

  2. SETTING FREE THE BEARS FOR RES. 12 & OSCAR KNOX on 19TH MAY 2016 7:36 PM

     

    Quonno @ 4.30

     

     

    I surrender. I am a dyed in the wool member of the SNP who worships at Nicola’s feet.

  3. Neustadt-Braw on

    A CEILER GONOF RUST on 19TH MAY 2016 7:20 PM

     

    Brawbhoy, yer poetry,s pish, but made me laugh……a wee bit.

     

     

     

    Left a post fo has to be done eh!!!r you the other day re a dram sesh when you visit the frozen north next.

     

     

     

    HH

     

     

    No be back for a while loon…but it has to be done ….aye that has to happen…

     

    Braw…

  4. Neustadt-Braw on

    Quonno are you All Mc Bundy?……wee Nicola loves the shoe shop….

     

     

    Braw.

  5. blantyretim is praying for the Knox family on

    Acgr

     

    Taking a wee trip up to see the Oldtim tomorrow so I may get a wee sup

     

     

    Btw

     

    Reminded Hebcelt how he managed to get his hands on some tasters

     

    He couldn’t remember ;-)

  6. My friends in Celtic,

     

     

    Assuming its Brendan,

     

     

    Lets hope he sees two Magpies on his route to Paradise. As he steps out of his car a black cat crosses his path, he immediately looks downward and quickly realises that there is no chance of stepping on a pavement line on the monoblocked Celtic way.

     

     

    All is good, Fingers crossed.

     

     

    Hail, Hail to all.

  7. I was undecided on whether killie won or Falkik…after their rendition of the hun anthem….feck them come on the Falkirk.

  8. A Ceiler Gonof Rust on

    BT, as long as I get my flask back the Hebridean fella’s lack of memory is of no concern:_)

     

     

    Aye get the thumb screws on the auld yin and get scudden intae that boatil.

  9. glendalystonsils on

    BILLYBEAR on 19TH MAY 2016 7:59 PM

     

    Should I buy a season ticket if Brendon Rogers becomes the manager?

     

     

    Sorry, never heard of Brendon Rogers.

     

     

    Or Ronnie Delia for that matter.

  10. Cosy Corner Bhoy on

    Need to change my season ticket to a concession one for next season this weekend as it is last chance due to holidays. BTW I have full one because it suited me not because I really am a Happy Clapper. The chance of long queues is I hope remote!!!, hence BMCUWP’s post tho I texted him this morning. This stupid old git never thought to ask the blog! :) .

  11. An Teach Solais on

    The On Fields of Green Site seems to have been taken over by something called Blue Host which appears to be a US domain.

     

     

    Hope James Forrest has not lost his site or intellectual rights. Don’t always agree with everything he writes but he is a good Tim. Wonder what is going on as he has just written a piece for the Celtic Blog re OB Act.

     

    HH

  12. Saint Stivs says SACK THE BOARD on

    Racking the brain.

     

     

    Have we ever had a Brendan before in any capacity ?

  13. ACGR no prob I’ll post said flask back to you in the next few day, sorry meant to get in touch. Hope you enjoyed the SBP. Hail Hail Hebcelt

  14. Neustadt-Braw on

    A remember greeting at the tattie hauking when the digger ran oor ma piece poke with ma new flask in it….that wisnae a braw day….

     

     

    Braw.

  15. !!Bada Bing!! on

    BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 19TH MAY 2016 4:47 PM

     

    Hail Hail to the poster that received a text from Brendan’s brother to say he’d gotten the job.

     

     

     

    Never doubted you for a second CSC

     

    The CQN King of Pathos at his best…

  16. If Brendan has been freed the role I would be delighted and may even reconsider my current position of not renewing my 2 season tickets :-)

     

    Like a few it would signal a change in strategy for me

     

    Paul67, does it mean D Moyes said no, or was taking to long to decide :-)))))

     

     

    Now I asked last night, is John Kennedy still in a coaches position ? And would he remain as part of Brendan’s team ?

     

    Have all the Norwegians Ronny had appointed to backroom team been removed ? I heard there was around 11 of them ?

     

    And how many players should be moved on, creating space for Brendan to make a few decent signings of his own, and not John Park scouted ones :-)

     

     

    Hail Hail, the gloom slowly lifting if this is confirmed :-)

  17. A Ceiler Gonof Rust on

    Hebcelt, save your money, I’ll get it next time I see you.

     

     

    SBP going down a treat. Auld Jungle Jim came over the other day and I made him a big fatbhoy fry up.

     

     

    Yaldy.

     

     

    Mon the falkirk, intae these huns

  18. !!Bada Bing!! on

    Sipsini-just in fae having a couple of beers,the oldest bhoy has got the wife and wean into The Flash,they are owning the remote control right now,The Blinders might have to wait til Monday, no spoilers mind …:0 HH

  19. An Teach Solais on

    James Forrest tweeting that Blue Host which hosts On Fields of Green running slowly. Actually, it doesn’t seem to be allowing access at all at the moment. Shame. HH

  20. COWIEBHOY…

     

     

    You post what I think…are you a voyeur? :))

     

     

    Spot on with your summatation on our staff. Let’s hope Brendan Rodgers comes in…we need the lift. HH

  21. Like most on here I really hope Rodgers is the man we get. Will put bums on seats and get a lot of disillusioned supporters back onside. Just hope we aren’t being spun a line…

     

     

    With regards all the posters describing Killie fans as huns, the three Killie fans I know despise R*****s

  22. blantyretim is praying for the Knox family on

    Janes Forrest posted on FB that his site has been subject to a DOS attack

  23. HALF-TIME

     

    Falkirk 0-0 Kilmarnock

     

    Posted at

     

    15:30

     

    No scoring in the opening 45 minutes at the Falkirk Stadium.

  24. Joe Filippis Haircut on

    While it would be good for Celtic to attract a big name manager it makes no difference to the situation in Scottish football there will not be a level playing field.The MIB will still favour one team there has been no real punishment either for the old Rangers and the SFA are part of the corruption .Celtic have remained silent and appear to think now Sevco are in the SPL and Celtic recruiting a big name manager will make the fans forget the cheating and buy into the same old same old. H.H.

  25. Sipsini

     

    I think we have a very decent squad, just need a manager who can organise and get them playing better as a team with speed, movement and confidence

     

    Remember someone promised this :-)

     

    On another point, I do think there could be at least 10 players moved on, with only 3 or 4 required – use money wisely :-)

     

    Move on some others in January, with another 2 or 3 in, and squad sorted

     

    Brendan to take us to 10 :-)))))

     

    Hail Hail

  26. BT @ 8:47

     

    He’s been writing for long enough about the Discounted Options Scheme.

     

    Has it caught up with him.