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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Greenpinta. Even pl has said decision is not his
Five of the officials for the Scottish Cup Final are *Rangers* fans.
Welcome to Scotland the Brodge CSC
BOURNESOUPRECIPE
Is it not all six?
BLANTYRETIM
It is,mate. Increases their presence on the High Street,but their online ops are a shambles.
We should define every piece of recruitment in 2 ways.
1 will it help us to regularly chap on the door of the CL with a decent chance of reaching the group stages?
2 domestically will it put so much clear green water between us and sevco that it nullifies the epidemic of honest mistakes that is about to increase still further among the many st mirren fans with whistles who control the matches.
BR – tick. Tick (insofar as anyone can pre the res12 revolution)
‘The arrival of the Brodge would strike terror in the lodge’
BobbioConfuciusCSC
HH jamesgang
http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36334837
You gorra laugh.
Small ” c ” Catholic.
Sydney Tim
Gladgow uni bus? Gerry W mean anything to you?
Twists n’Turns @ 6.49
We seem to be reading between the lines when we interpret DD’s Tuesday statement and an apparent (with no supporting statement) disagreement between PL and DD.
You said
“seems to have been super ceded by DD’s ” the new manager must get us into the CL” statement of Tuesday. ”
The actual DD statement was
“Ronny, we thank him for his efforts, and now we’re looking forward to the next manager building the club up to Champions League contenders.”
No mention of “must”. No mention of “immediacy”. The phrase “building p” suggests some measure of patience will be applied.
“We’ve been force fed on here for as long as I can remember that those of us calling for sustainable debt were fools without business acumen. That the SPL environment made it foolish to go into debt. ”
I don’t think you have been told this. What you have been told, in answer to the speculate to accumulate demand was that we were in debt for many of the years we mentioned as downsizing- it was a more normal state than being in profit (though I accept crc’s caveat that some fancy but legal accounting moves were being undertaken as to where and when incoming monies were declared on our books). The point about prudence was that in both the SPFL playing environment and in a time of economic recession and stagnation, excess debt was a bad idea. It was heavily trailed that, if a resurgent Ibrox mob came back to challenge us, we would have a wee bit put aside to sprint away from them again if they got too close. That is not a policy I necessarily agree with (since I do not believe Rangers will challenge us next year unless they get a major cash injection) but it was trailed on here.
Even if any new manager gets substantial funds, please do not mistake that for a change in policy. DD has not suddenly become reckless. He is merely trying to back his new manager, in order to persuade him to sign up, by top loading his spend so that he can put an immediate mark on his team. Unless, we get a move out of the SPFL playing environment, that top loading will have to be re-paid by prudence re-appearing further down the line.
The economic realities will not change. European success, even of the level of qualifying from the CL group stages or Europa past Xmas does not generate substantial profit. Agents and players rule the roost (PL’s unjustified wage and bonuses aside) and they ensure that players get “bonused” generously for every rung of Euro achievement they contribute towards.
I think like the Body Language debate of yesterday, some of us are over-reaching in interpreting comments and seeing things between the lines that are only there in our mind to help us vindicate our previous beliefs. Thus a comment by DD expressing hope and aspiration becomes a demanding “must” in our memory and before you know it we are being told that WGS insulted all Celtic supporters with his “devil dug” statement and that “all money brought into the club will be spent on players”- both of which are mythical statements and mythical interpretations.
Macjay
‘Honest mistake’?!!?
:-))
From the article
Souness
“We talked in my office and, by the time I was driving home to Edinburgh, the idea in my brain had grown from an acorn to a medicine ball.”
What a size of head do you need to fit in a medicine ball ffs. That bit rings true!!
Chico a l’orange Buddy4Life Young
‘He was wearing a cross round his neck and he explained that his wife bought it for him and that it was trendy. I had absolutely no issue with that, but I suggested to him that, at that time, some Rangers fans might see it differently.’
No issue with that….how very gracious of you Charles. You ooze ecumenicalism so you do!
HH jamesgang
Ghuys
The body language debate is so last week.
Cqn needs to move forward.
Time to move on.
Only 1 thing for it.
We need a body language LIST
Here’s your starter for 1…….
the Brodge
HH jamesgang
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 20TH MAY 2016 8:25 AM
Five of the officials for the Scottish Cup Final are *Rangers* fans.
Welcome to Scotland the Brodge CSC
For the avoidance of bias,the other one is a Jambo….:0
Twist and turns Indeed Gerry w is known well to me. Lived round the corner to him He is on my Facebook. Seems to enjoy his weekends in Munich these days with his da
James Gang
I will welcome Brendan Rodgers, if it is indeed he, as the new manager of Celtic. Just as I have with every manager entrusted with the job.
I cannot share the belief that, because he is a big-ish name he will automatically be more successful than a lesser known coach. And that applies to players too. Even a well paid manager with a top-loaded transfer budget still has to be a good Celtic manager in the future. Brendan, if it is he, has yet to achieve anything of note at Celtic. I cannot cheer him because of his Liverpool near misses cos I am not a Liverpool supporter- I only care about what he will do for Celtic.
So, I will welcome him warmly if he comes and I will reserve my judgement on his Celtic career until it has started and, even then, until he has had a fair chance to effect change. John Barnes looked good for a few weeks and he was a big name.
BR has a win rate of 41% at Watford, 26% at Reading, 41% at Swansea and 51% at Liverpool. Overall 45%
If he keeps improving he might manage stats at he level of Ronny Deila’s 58% at Brodd, 45% at Stromgodset and 64% at Celtic Overall 53% :-)
I’m aff intae work now
Sftb
Verily you are the Confucius of cqn!
;-)
HH jamesgang
A CEILER GONOF RUST on 19TH MAY 2016 11:50 PM
Doc, after talking to you on sunday I’m taking your advice and buy a house in the central bit.
Good to have you as my next new neighbour.
——————————————————————————
Dunblane, Bridge of Allan, both nice places, BoF has good bars and restuarants, The Allan Water there sells great fish and chips, I know you’re a fan. Also has the best ice cream in the world.
Did I mention I’m moving;-)
I’ll get Mrs acgr to iron ma onesie
A quick glance through newsnow Celtic headlines and the name Warburton features more often than the name Rodgers………WTF?????
A wee aside , to pass the time.
I was with a Californian American this week. His name was Lynch.
Had a chat about the name, and his roots in Galway.
I said …………. so who would be the most famous Lynch you know ?
He said, other than a couple of American sportsment , I dont know any ,
i said “but surely your related to Che Guevara ?”
he looked at me dumb-struck, and went to do his research , and found this.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/features/jim-fitzpatrick-and-che-guevara-inspired-by-irish-rebels-288646.html
Sydney Tim
Yeah I remember Gerry. I was on your bus to Lisbon for the Sporting game.
I think Stubbs will walk tomorrow,win or lose.
Bada Bing
Yogi to Hibs?
HH
Morning Bhoys dry at the moment in this part of Central Scotland. H.H.
I think Stubbs will walk tomorrow,win or lose.
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Good luck and Best wishes to Alan, but I hope its hill walking or something in the opposite direction of Paradise.
Twists and turns 1983?? Lisbon I was on the bus also.
SAINT STIVS
Great story.
Odd that this week the most famous Patrick Lynch I know, from a time when Jim Fitzpatrick and Jailbreak were all the rage, was in the news as well
http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/pj-lynch-announced-as-laureate-na-nóg-by-president-michael-d-higgins-1.2649388
I see Hibs winning tomorrow, but they’r gonny need a lot of luck and take they’r chances when they come, the officials (all Dobs I might add) are there for one job, and one job only, make sure Sevco win, hmmmm, now I’v changed my mind, Hibs have as much chance of winning that cup tomorrow as I have of a dinner date, and a karaoke night out with Katherine Zeta Jones, then again? :))
OG,
strange as well given that I am a Higgins.
I don’t believe that Rangers will challenge us either next season, mainly due to them being deid.
I do believe, however, that, while The Big Lie about that is being propogated by the SMSM, with the backing of the game’s “governors” up here, aided by the silence of member clubs around the nonsense too, the league next season will be a farce, no matter who our manager turns out to be.
No Al Farcismo!
http://spfl.co.uk/clubs/rangers/. Don’t forget to click on the ‘Honours’ tab.
TRADITIONALIST88 on 20TH MAY 2016 9:46 AM
Bada Bing
Yogi to Hibs?
HH
He didn’t get on with Petrie first time round,he’s not calling the shots anymore,so it’s a fair shout mate.
Awe well, that’s it, Brenden has a Wee five min. sit doon wi Efe baby, an that’s it problem solved.
http://talksport.com/football/former-liverpool-star-luis-suarez-hails-celtic-bound-brendan-rodgers-one-best-managers
Morning all.
The only thing the huns will win next season is the ‘honest mistakes’ trophy for the most penalties awarded in a season.
Could well turn out to be another world record.
C’mon Hibs!
HH!!
There Yi go, any bets Sevco get the first home game against us so they get two at home against us, in case they don’t make the top six?
SPFL fixtures for the 2016/2017 season will be announced on Friday 17th June.
I know! Who cares.
Scott Fox, Jack Hamilton, Stephen Kingsley & Craig Bryson drafted into #Scotland squad. Scott Bain & Allan McGregor are out.
Some endorsement of the Brodge by ole ‘Gnasher’ Suarez there.
Hopefully Brendan will be champing at the BIT to get started and sink his pearly-white teeth into the job in hand.
HH!!
!!Bada Bing!! on 20th May 2016 10:01 am
With Dundee Utd in a bit of disarray and Hibs with 2 years under their belt(!) in the Championship, Hibs should romp that league next season… you’d be more confident of that if they had a bit more belief and dig – Yogi would give them that edge that Stubbsy seems to lack imo
HH
Again! Who cares? But it’s a quiet news day :)
Barry Bannan, Robert Snodgrass, Shaun Maloney & Andrew Robertson all unavailable for Italy game due to play-off final.
BeatBhoy
The Airdeonians – FOUNDED 2002
look their honours listed –
http://spfl.co.uk/clubs/airdrieonians/
the great lie. its scottish football.
every club this year should just go into piles of debts, liquidate in a year, and retain the history.
A CEILER GONOF RUST on 19TH MAY 2016 11:45 PM
Timreiper, did I meet you on sunday?
I thought you were HT’s bodyguard, a bit FBI looking kinda big fella………………….Cool as a banana.
HH bruv
——–
Sounds like me aye!
By the way, if it Brendan , then I would just like to refer everyone to my prediction last month on this fine site.
*Ahem
Árd Macha