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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Does anyone know if the ticket office is open on Saturday?
WHAT IS THE STARS on 19TH MAY 2016 1:05 PM
Got tips for 2 Hannon trained horses today
Repton 1.50 Goodwood (11/1)
Grizzel in the 5.50 Sandown (6/1)
Best of luck
14/1 second and 6/1 winner, thank you sir
:)
WITS
Thanks sir,to late for your first
Made up for it with Grizzel
HH
Wits IN
HH
BMCUW
Closed this Saturday
WITS
Nice one that’s the betting account topped up – many thanks
EW double and a winner at 6/1
Yogi would become Boo-boo if he was no2
#nevergonnahapoen
STEBHOY on 19TH MAY 2016 5:03 PM
no sure what all the excitement is about BR. On nice shiny surfaces against teams that take us on, perhaps. On boggy, bumpy pitches, against 11 20yards out, with ref allowing fouling without punishment. Not for me, we need someone who sets the team up hard first and foremost – Moyes would be my first choice !
———————————————————————-
On boggy bumpy pitches? Artificial surfaces surely.
BOURNESOUPRECIPE
Thanks,mate. I’ll let my Dad know-I think he was looking for something to do!
Good article on Fields of Green
http://www-onfieldsofgreen.com/celtic-fans-crowdfunded-newspaper-ad-on-sfa-scandals-is-paid-for-and-ready-to-go/
Import to spread the word. HH
Nice one Grizzel
Pity that first one didn’t come in but the each way double paid a nice few bob
Hope a few made a quid or 2.
Now renew your season tickets
Starry Plough
Me and Frankie.
Duelling Punchlines
Winner Take All:)
HH
Wee donation to paper advert sent.
WITS
Thanks for that winner cheers
HH
Good evening friends.
The eve of New Balance Friday?
Wits
You’re a star
Even though I didn’t get on
BT.
FECK and I was going to text you. .
Sorry
Proudbhoy
If we get him over the line, it really does show our intent.
Delighted
HH
Wits
No problem
Glad others got on .☘☘
Cheers WITS
Had the first one EW and Grizzel on the nose :)))
Thanks for sharing.
WHAT IS THE STARS on 19TH MAY 2016 6:05 PM
Still not got on one of your winners…:(
Work gets in the way, well don…:)
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
THE GREEN MAN SAYS SACK THE BOARD
Duelling banjos mair like ya maddy:))
Apparently the Mirror newspaper (from the same stable as the Rec*** is flying a kite that Celtic and the zombie team might be allowed into a new EPL fifth dvision. Like its sister paper sales must be falling and the obsession with linking CFC with them continues. HH
TO closed on Saturday, why?
Thank WITS
Starry Plough
You should see my psychedelic sketch.
Me and my mate, on a accidental mushroom binge….along with a guy that was half-deaf and a guy who had bad eyesight.
And its all true:)
HH
EMERALD BEE
Hope all went well for you today,bud.
HH.
THE GREEN MAN SAYS SACK THE BOARD
I believe ye:)))
Strong Medicine the ole MM’s
Delighted that Rodgers is the Mhan.
And delighted to see Celtic telling Celtic supporters first, and not hearing it through the MSM.
Well done.
Starry Plough
Wee Sid….had a camel duffle coat on.
I looked at it closely, looked down…..and noticed he had a tail:)
My other mate, though Sid was Satan:)
HH
Anyone else having trouble accessing the onfieldsofgreen website?
welcome brendan, felt for you when gerard slipped,
bored don’t fu^% this one up, new rangers are shi*, let’s show the spl a well run club can play well too
Bastard STV show the SC plinth with the hun name
on it, their name isn’t on the cup,horrible c##ts can’t
help themselves.
No Bobby Does It Petta on 19th May 2016 3:43 pm
Someone will need to inform Brendan that Celtic managers don’t wear suits in the dugout
*Jock and Wullie Maley did
Sorry I made a mistake with hyperlink. It should be http://www.onfieldsofgreen.com/celtic-fans-crowdfunde-newspaper-ad-on-sfa-scandals-is-paid-for-and-ready-to-go/
Hope it works
FIELDOFDRAMS
Yes,mate. Seems to be down just now.
i cannae get on to it either drams
All on Board