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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I’m off to look for my hat, some humble pie, my words…
If this appointment is confirmed (knowing the nature of P67 I believe this imust be a done deal) I will eat my hat, words and jumper pie later.
This indicates that the Board are finally beginning to match fan expectations….empty seats provide wake up calls.
The club deserve as much support as fans can give them if they have finally abandoned project ‘project’…
This could be the beginning of a virtual cycle whereby trust is re established, fan and Board ambitions match and supporters support the Board in turn for board support of fans.
Thing is – actions do speak louder than words but it would be great for the Noard to communicate with the fans and let us know if a new strategy era is kicking off.
HH
CultsBhoy ( aka happybhoy)
WC
£10 sent fae a guy Eddie fae Wishy who just stopped me in the street and handed me a tenner
Love
Weeminger
The guy who gave me the tips ( has a good contact in the yard) he himself had several hundred to win (only,not each way)
Mad not to bet each way at that price
Encouraging seeing some posters saying its a done deal. Hope there is smoke soon. Get him in and get going.
KLV
WHAT IS THE STARS on 19TH MAY 2016 2:21 PM
Well I very rarely put money on horses, and I never remember my lessons from the previous occasions. Nest time though. :)
CULTSBHOY – BOARD RIGID WITH THE LACK OF AMBITION
Fair play tae ye Cults, you’re the first and quite possibly the last who has put their hands up..
Hail Hail fae the Happy Green Valley!
SOAL
Was said Eddie faw Wishy a Kojak doppleganger?
SavalasCSC
Many, many grateful thanks for your positive thoughts ghuys – this CQN is some place.
Unfortunately (for me) there have been three emergency admissions (really poor buggers) pushing me back down the queue so it looks like another night as guest of Hairmyers hospital.
C’est la vie csc
Meanwhile back at the ranch, a good bit of business by Celtic.
Rodgers didn’t have a football career as a player, but he served a long apprenticeship at Reading and Chelsea, and has since managed over 300 senior matches, more than half of which in the top flight.
A very similar profile to MON and WGS insofar as age, experience and profile. Feels like a return to a more successful strategy.
Got a feeling any announcement will be held back until Saturday.
IF, IF its a done deal (caveats ya bass) for The Brodge, as far as announcements would be concerned I’d go for
a) press release today
b) meet the media parade Friday (no questions taken)
c) staged interview at lunchtime on Saturday.
How do you like thems apples hunnies?
“It WILL be a remarkable appointment”. Not “WOULD”.
Let’s hope that word was chosen carefully and deliberately …
Starry plough
I’ve no qualms about pointing out I called this appointment wrong.in fact I’m Delighted to be wrong. BR was miles above my expectations…
Looking forward to his clear out which will provide the funding for his signings. Therefore he’ll be motivated to do this swiftly. Most of the excess players will find homes elsewhere as they are good players – just not good enough for Celtic . No shame in that -very few are – otherwise I’d have my boots looked out with the rest of Cqn.
I’ve said before P67 and PL are essentially one voice so I’m hopeful they are not leading any merry dance just to punt SB’s.
If BR appointed I’d imagine we will have a few sell out games on our hands this season.
That gives £m’s extra in both ticket sales but accompanying spend on food merchandise etc. A boost to Celtic and the local economy (much needed).
Let’s hope this signals the beginning of managed risks being taken…long overdue!
WITS – 2 E/W singles and an E/W double. Good luck to us.
Bhoys, why sit on the Announcement?
KLV
Press Conference at 2.30 tomorrow,meet the fans outside after the schools are out,Superstore mobbed,everyone a winner
If Rodgers signs, I give it 5 mins before the Stevie G on loan rumour begins.
Hopefully tho he has good contacts at Chelsea, Liverpool and Swansea for 1 or 3 that just haven’t had the luck. He seems to have an eye for a player and his record at Swansea in particular offers great encouragement.
No doubt the MSM will say that he “hopes to emulate the meteoric success (sic) of the Mighty Warbo” and that his signature wouldn’t have been possible without the return (sic) of Rangers (sic) to the PL.
EmeraldBee\o/ still proud to be an internet bampot
Ach well you’re in the right place and as you say there are many people worse off that cause the holdups.
Jim McGowan does some work at Hairmyres, nice guy, has helped me out in the past.
!!BADA BING!!
Sounds like a plan. ;)
KLV
I would be very happy to see BR in as manager.
I know John Hughes has left ICT. I am wondering if he would be a good No. 2. I think he has something about him. Teams play good football, but dont take BS. He knows the Scottish game.
Realistically, BR isn’t likely to be a long term appointment; if he does well, he will get offers from Engerlund again, which we probably couldn’t match. So, it would be good to have someone in place ready to step in. It would give JH a few seasons to learn the Celtic way, so that he could step in when BR does move on.
I know some say that BR will want to bring in his own people, and I dont know if that is true (or even if he is a package deal like MO’N …JR/MW)….
just throwing it out there for discussion.
But, as I said yesterday … to me, the identity of the new manager is not as important (not even close) as Celtic stepping up (and BEING SEEN TO STEP UP) to do the right thing with respect to the cheating in Scottish football …. everything else (trophies, titles, etc.) is a footnote if we dont have our integrity.
If Celtic dont step up soon and at least comment on the shenanigans, the team from the south side wont be the only one that has ceased to be what they once were.
A great PR spin Paul67
Brendan Rodgers is a better manager than Jurgen Klopp geeze peace
I’ll raise you 2Bundesliga titles to Brendan’s zero trophies
As a proud occupied six counties exile have we completed the set in the last decade now ?
Brendan (Antrim)
Lenny (Armagh)
MON (Down)
Niall McGinn (Tyrone)
Paddy McCourt (Derry)
Looks like Brendan’s first signing will need to be Kyle Lafferty (Fermanagh) to complete the set….
as i said I presume its on hold till the markets are told – stock market rule i think
Welease Wodgers!!
Just read the article.
The mood takes me back a while (a long while)
New girlfriend has an empty at the weekend and yer on a promise.
Anticipation CSC.
Mike in Toronto
Another sign of a sea change for me would be Brendan choosing his own backroom staff (I guess those who’ve been with him at Swansea and Liverpool) or he could go all the way back and entice Warbs as our Assistant Manager after their time together at Watford.
That would make me chuckle…
A lot.
Maybe the bar will have a special on soon “Wod and Rod”
Cause ‘Rod & Rod’ might be taken the wrong way
MIT
Killjoy! This is a time for us all to celebrate not to burst the bubble by bringing BIg Yogi into the proceedings. And as for having him follow Brendan Rodgers as next manager ……..? For God’s sake give it a rest. :-))
CULTSBHOY – BOARD RIGID WITH THE LACK OF AMBITION
Definitely looking forward to a lean mean squad with football on their minds and a manger who can blend them into a formidable unit!
The knock on effects of his appointment are clear and needed at Paradise!
HH
angelgabriel
Your missus might read this! :-0))
The Europa final mirrored many a Celtic game of this season.
A team cruising but a lingering sense of injustice due to poor refereeing.
Cue opposition scoring and an evaporation of confidence and playing style.
From that point on there was no one to alter this cycle.
No player with the mental toughness to put the team on his back and get them back into it.
And no coaching adjustment to counter opponents surge.
Collective strength can evaporate quickly.
Collective strength starts with the coach and a few players are necessary to hold this fragile team together.
Leicester had it in abundance this season with Ranieri,Vardy.Drinkwater,Kante ,Morgan .Huth and Schmeichel. They were a very strong spine who dealt with all the adversity thrown at them.
Arsenal had more skillful players but lacked a spine thats why they are often bridesmaids.
Paul67
If this is right, it certainly trumps the announcement of the Andreas Hinkel signing as a scoop!
A couple of weeks ago, I would have promised to change my blog name to garygillespies G string if we got a manager like that.
That would be the internet equivalent of presenting match of the day in my Y fronts. (Other items of male underwear are available)
Brendan will know Billy Stark from his time at Reading too,a possibility he could return,? An absolute gent as well.
TBB
“Feels like a return to a more successful strategy”
Indeed. This feels as though it could be the catalyst for another Seville or last 16 CL spot.
A well managed confident Celtic, playing in front of 60k motivated supporters, is a tough nut to crack. The best in Europe with their multi millions and higher ranking positions have tried and failed.
Yes early days, but DD’s utterings are those of a man who has decided it’s time to back the desire of the supporters with action and cash.
Having been critical in the past, I’m happy, indeed delighted, to say well done and thank you Dermot.
Cmon the res 12 bhoys. Gies a double:-)
Stevie Clark as no. 2 and in place to step up ?
Alex O’Henley on twatter suggesting Brendan will be officially unveiled early next week. Apparently there is a board meeting on Monday, and the City also has to be informed.
HH!!
Terje Vegen
I believe you’re correct about holding back the announcement until Saturday.
From what I am led to believe there is a pub match to be overshadowed tomorrow.