BRENDAN RODGERS‘ tactics are widely regarded as one of the best and most proven in British football over the past two decades. The famous Northern Irish coach has already etched his name into Celtic’s history, earning a place among the club’s greatest coaches. In 2023, he decided to come back and bring new successes to the huge base of Celtic supporters.
His arrival has automatically raised fan expectations for this season which is logical considering the outstanding results Rodgers had during his first stint in the most successful Scottish club. Most players from his squad are changed, but under Brendan Rodgers, Celtic energy is on a completely different level.
As a reminder, Rodgers has managed Chelsea (reserves), Watford, Reading, Swansea City, Liverpool, Celtic and Leicester City until he decided to rejoin Celtic in June 2023. Whether he will be as successful as in his previous tenure is yet to be seen, but what we do know is that Brendan has an incredible understanding of Celtic FC’s strengths and weaknesses.
Celtic’s Tactical Identity Under Rodgers
Back in 2016 when Brendan Rodgers became a coach, tactical tweaks for the Celts quickly began to produce positive results. The players have adapted easily to his methods, formations, attacking movements, high-pressure tactics, and defensive structure – which are hallmarks of his coaching style.
Throughout his managerial career, Rodgers’ preferred formations were 4-3-3 and 4-4-2. When his team found themselves trailing, he cleverly adapted to a much more offensive 4-4-2 formation with an exceptionally strong pressing game. As it stands right now, it seems that in his second tenure, he is leading the club with similar success.
Brendan Rodgers built an excellent team during his first tenure, winning an impressive number of 7 trophies between 2016 and 2019. Celtic’s dominance was impressive, and the club was undefeated in 69 matches, which is an active record for the Scottish league.
- Scottish Premiership 2x (2016/17, 2017/18)
- Scottish Cup 2x (2016/17, 2017/18)
- Scottish League Cup 3x (2016/17, 2017/18, 2018/19)
New players seem to follow his coaching philosophy and team spirit which he is always mentioning in his interviews. Brendan Rodgers will use his experience to quickly identify what Celtic needs to improve to be a tough opponent in European competitions as well.
Performance in the 2024/25 Scottish Premiership
Celtic transfer window was highly productive. Rodgers wanted to make significant changes, and the club spent over 40 million pounds on new assignments. The squad is strengthened with 9 players, among which the most expensive signings were Arne Engels who arrived from Augsburg, and the already-proven Jota who returned to Celtic Park after 18 months at Rennes.
More and more money is being spent in football transfer windows, and this wouldn’t be possible without sponsors. The majority of football sponsors today come from the casino industry, and Celtic is one of them. Their main sponsor is a betting site with whom they signed a new contract. For example, Celtic Park’s capacity is over 60,000, offering great brand visibility for casino brands, it’s a win-win deal for both sides, especially for new casino sites that need people’s attention.
Many top clubs have embraced partnerships with online casinos and betting platforms, recognizing their ability to generate significant revenue, from shirt sponsorships to digital advertising on club websites and stadium billboards.
Celtic FC has a strong lineup of sponsors across various industries such as Adidas which ensures that players are equipped with high-quality gear, maintaining the club’s traditional green-and-white hoops in style. Household brands such as Kellogg’s and Coca-Cola also sponsor Celtic, engaging in various marketing campaigns and stadium promotions, while EA Sports has collaborated with Celtic to feature the team and its players in FIFA video games, further expanding its digital presence.
The team’s primary sponsor is prominently displayed on the front of their shirts, emphasizing the club’s association with the casino and betting industry. Additionally, a significant platform in the sports betting sector has been engaged with the club and Scottish football overall, offering odds and betting options for supporters. These diverse sponsorships highlight the club’s broad commercial appeal and the vital role that corporate partnerships play in modern football.
These sponsorships pay off, as Celtic sits comfortably at the top of the Scottish Premier League, 10 points ahead of their biggest rivals, Rangers. Brendan’s team has amassed 63 points with an impressive record of 20 wins, 3 draws and just 1 loss. During his first managerial stint, Brendan Rodgers went on an incredible run of 69 league matches unbeaten.
Key Players in Rodgers’ System
A common theme on Celtic FC blogs is the new assignments who are young and talented. The fact that the average age of the team is 27 gives hope that the future of Celtic FC will be exciting. The Premier Sports League Cup has already been claimed just before the turn of the year, they are zeroing in on their fourth successive Premiership title and play second-tier Raith Rovers in the last-16 of the Scottish Cup in Glasgow on Saturday evening.
Rodgers enjoys very strong squad depth this season. In all competitions, Nicolas Kuhn and Daizen Maeda have each scored 16 goals with Adam Idah on 11. Midfielders Callum McGregor, Reo Hatate and Arne Engels have claimed seven apiece and even right-back Alistair Johnston has contributed four.
Kyogo Furuhashi, with 85 goals in his three and a half years at the Hoops, left last week in a £10million move to French Ligue 1 club Rennes. Coming in the opposite direction, though, was former fans’ favourite Jota has completed a dream comeback with the third strike in the 3-1 success over Motherwell at Fir Park on Sunday.
Fan Expectations
Brendan Rodgers’ strategy looks great in Celtic, and it seems that the experienced manager has completely met fan expectations for this season. The team is performing brilliantly, and their dominance has been lasting for a long time, considering Celtic has won the national championship title in 12 of the last 13 seasons.
Looks like Brendan Rodgers has found the right formula in the UEFA Champions League too. His team secured 21st place in the new group stage format, continuing their campaign. To reach the round of 16, they will have to overcome another obstacle. The result they have achieved so far is already a great success, given that many of the teams ranked below have much higher budgets.
Looking Ahead – Can Rodgers Deliver Success?
Celtic is a strong favorite to win the Premiership title, given the lead they have. Especially exciting is that they are still active in all competitions. With the winter transfer window closed, Celtic, after their weekend win at Motherwell, will play Dundee at Parkhead this evening in the rearranged Premiership match which was postponed last month due to storm damage.
What’s next for the Celts and Brendan Rodgers? The coach has the total support of the club management and the fans, according to Celtic FC blogs. Brendan is already being ranked among the greatest managers in Celtic’s history, a legacy that began in 1888. If he decides to stay until the end of his career, the future of Celtic FC is in a phenomenal position.
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