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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Men only
Shame
HH
sipsini on 19th May 2016 8:00 pm
I was undecided on whether killie won or Falkik…after their rendition of the hun anthem….feck them come on the Falkirk.
*I don’t have any love for the latter, and cited a 5-a-side tournament as one of the reasons, even though 2 of our greatest players turned out for them. But I have less for that parasite, sycophant, toady, leech, knights templar mob.
mike in toronto on 19th May 2016 8:50 pm
story in the papers over here about a lady in Coatbridge who was opposing some development… and received a package in the post containing a pigs head, two dead rats and a death threat …..
seems a tad extreme….
———
Certainly is. You would have thought one dead rat would have been quite enough…..
Good Celtic Bus runs from Falkirk, I used to go up on it when I lived there, late 80’s early 90’s, good Tims. Laurieston Bus.
If DD has indeed secured BR. Great move
But does indeed show up failures of last 4 years with our CEO happily clapping away saying everything is wonderfull
Indeed BR might me left with an elephant in the room Best if that elephant disappeared quietly as not to interfere with the new reign
Onwards and upwards project Celtic over now hopefully and the project to rebuild our team begins :))
Doc
Had no idea any Celtic bus ever left from Laurieston ? Most certainly wouldn’t have been the Tam Bain pub
There was one from Falkirk, and was there one from Polmont or somewhere ? Plus 2 from Grangemouth
Cowiebhoy
The Tam Bain
Now there is a serious Hun Hole
MI5/UVF
Was there one left from Maddiston ?
Incidentally my Maw is from that Hun hole Laurieston
WHITS
Was there not someone jailed for running something from there ?
CowieBhoy, I, and others got picked up across from Tescos, can’t remember the name of the pub.
Went to the Vic in Graham’s Road on the way home, I lived just down from there.
Well run bus.
Auld Doc knew the guy that run it, so when I moved through I went on that bus.
But it was the Laurieston bus, night have been to wind thems up of course.
Cowie
Yes
Its probably about 25 years ago now,
A UVF gang was busted there,trying to organise bombs and bullets for their brethern in Norn Iron
However there was more to it than met the eye.
M15 was supposedly involved acting as Agent Provacateurs,arms were coming from South Africa
Lindsay Something or Something Lindsay was jailed over it.But true story never emerged .I think he was found dead in unexplained circumstances after his release.
After all the war was over and M15 didnt want any one telling tales
Hun Hole, is that a euphemism?
Well I have never seen the blog so happy.
I hope Brendan izny a bored squirrel, and assuming he izny, I hope this positive wind can blow him a long way.
I am glad he is “Celtic minded”. I think it helps.
Ronny probably agrees with my last statement.
I hope the support for him can survive a few reverses. They happen.
Hail Hail
Cowie
Lindsay Robb was his name
Strange case
Get Rodgers in and just spend millions on hunners a class players safe standing everywhere pints inside the ground war tunes constant man
Thetimreaper
What about Opera Singers,Beer and Pizza
Works for Leicester
THETIMREAPER
I like your vision :)
Hunderbirds are Gone on 19th May 2016 10:53 pm
Well I have never seen the blog so happy.
*that is except the quimster
17s beat 4 / 3 by Accies tonite Our youngest ever striker missed an absolute sitter!!!
I saw a picture the other day, it was of the safe standing area being prepared, it seems my seat has been ripped out.
Miffed.
Should confess that was Ian Bankier’s idea not mine.
Doc, if it was Tescos on Grahams road, that’s Falkirk, maybe bus picked up someone in Laurieston :-)
Now daughter number 2 is currently teaching just along the road from Laurieston on way into Falkirk, St Andrews, 470 pupils (primary school) she tells me, so very decent size, St Mungos (primary) at other side of Falkirk has a waiting list to get in, not that catholic schooling has anything to do with following the hoops
Sydneytim
Bit sore your wife didn’t even get an interview?
Ach, Bankier, that is just a transparent attempt to improve his popularity rating :)
Before the Tescos on Graham’s road was built, sadly way before, up behind the bus station, near the park.
The bus ran from Laurieston, honest.
I left there in 1991?, the Graham’s Road Tesco wasn’t there then.
thetimreaper on 19th May 2016 11:01 pm
Should confess that was Ian Bankier’s idea not mine.
==========================
Flippin heck, Bankier had an idea?
HH
CRC
TONYDONNELLY67 on 19TH MAY 2016 8:46 PM
Falkirk Kilmarnock couldn’t give a rats Arse about any of them just another two Hun towns full of DOBs with orange walks and lodges
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Orangie wummen in Falkirk arent as ugly as the Killie ones
Or was she the foreign coach paul67 was hinting at?
CRC, well done on the walk, wee donation forthcoming.
On the walk to work day, will you do the return?
Bankers idea was for us to behave ourselves.
No smiley at the end of that comment.
Doc, as you know that Tescos is Falkirk, across from entrance to Callander park or next to people’s ford garage, behind bus station – I could go on :-)
I will ask my my Maw tomorrow if there was any Celtic supporters lived in Laurieston, I had 3 aunts and uncles from there, plus my Nana, used to visit often, incidentally one of my uncles, my Auld Da rarely talked to him, a Catholic who joined the knuckle crunchers, my auld Da doesn’t take kindly to them :-)))
Doc
Current plan is walk one way and then on return home, will get train for some of the journey, but depends on how many miles I have left to do. Planning this next Friday.
HH
CRC
17s shld have been out of site 3 grt8 saxes from the Accies keeper
H H
CRC, need to change your target, as I see surpassed :-)
You all know the tune………….
There’s only one Brendan Rogers
He’s gonna skelp the tax dodgers
He’ll gie them a wreath
‘Cos he’s got ceramic teeth
Walkin in a Rodgers wonderland………….
………… And again……..
……..There’s only one :)))))
Cowiebhoy
Thanks for your donation BTW and completely humbled and grateful for all of them to date.
I thought £555.55 was quite good as 5(s)IAR target
Need some help to think of a new target iconic to Celtic
HH
CRC