I was away from home when Brendan Rodgers left, so absorbed the news in isolation. I didn’t feel any of the betrayal that others seemed to. Maybe things would have been different if I was in the middle of things. Maybe feelings of betrayal are contagious?
For me, feelings towards Celtic heroes leaving goes back to two players: Kenny Dalglish and Charlie Nicholas. I was 10 when Kenny left and 11 when he came back with Liverpool, and the European Cup, for Jock Stein’s testimonial. He was booed by some in the home support, which I found incredible. He was our everything for so long and still a hero to me.
By the time Nicholas left in ’83 I felt differently. I’d bought a “Charlie Nicholas” scarf and told myself that’s the last time I hold up a player’s name. Even now when I walk past the vendors outside the ground I think back to that scarf. It was sore. Kenny went for the European Cup, Charlie when for the parties and the Tories, and cannot bring himself to speak generously of Celtic. He is forgiven for leaving but his scarcely disguised resentment toward Celtic means I am finished with him.
As for Brendan, would you or I leave Celtic for a three year contract worth over £15m? Of course not. It is fair to say some have rejected fabulous offers to stay at Celtic Park, so maybe we really wouldn’t, but most go, even fans like you and me.
It was clear Brendan was working his ticket since he decided to create disruption in August. He could have waited until the end of the season, but working with a disruptive influence, who refuses to cooperate in planning decisions, but will not admit why, it not an ideal scenario either. I was not unhappy to see a clean break.
But for me, he is in the same column as Kenny Dalglish, not that nyaff Nicholas. He won us an incredible invincible treble, then another treble and another League Cup. Europe aside, he was magnificent. There are no comparable candidates because few have his sheer presence.
He is part of our history, and when we hopefully look back on 10-in-a-row, you will want to remember all of it with a smile. It’s Easter, forgive.
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Pat Crerand v Sean Fallon? I know who my money would have been on….
ruggygman on 19th April 2019 2:18 pm
The flip-side to your post, is that for all those fans currently insisting that N.L get’s announced now as our leader to 10 i.a.r, then I would question why, when he managed Celtic during a period where Sevco, Hearts, and Hibs were all missing for a period from the top league. If N.L is considered a good coach, then why with our superior resources back then, and severe lack of competition. Why did N.L or Ronny Deila not wipe the floor on a domestic level, in the way Brendan Rodgers did ??
——————
We certainly spent much more in the BR era than under Ronny.
Ronny was robbed of a treble. Ronny won the league by 17 and 15 points, BR won by 30 and 9 points.
The first BR season was perfect (domestic) but last season and this our performances dropped off alarmingly and it was nothing to do with the money Sevco were spending.
The-Huddle
In B.R’s first season, the 2 key acquisitions were Dembele and Sinclair. Dembele at a snip, as we took advantage of the cross-border loop hole.
Sinclair was 3.75 – 4 million if reports are accurate.
Aside from this, B.R achieved the invincible treble with what was by n large, Ronny D’s squad.
Although granted, Dembele and Sinclair were 2 significant components
ruggygman on 19th April 2019 2:44 pm
————-
What was the reason for the drop off in the 2nd and 3rd seasons?
Nonsense absolute nonsense
BR was not supported in the summer of 2018
McGinn a case in point
BR had won 2 trebles got us into 2 CL Group stages
Filled Paradise and I estimate (including Dembele) he grossed Celtic (PL) just short of £100 m
And PL would not fork out an extra £250k for McGinn
BR was NOT the disrupter
67ECW
paddy crerand that hurt.
br see oldtim67 @1:05pm
The-Huddle
To my mind, it was Brendan Rodgers arrogance. And I believe he began to treat the Scottish game with a degree of contempt.
Experiments started to creep in. He toyed for periods with 3-4-2-1… which I think is a horrendous formation.
Rodgers whole ethos was built around possession based game. 3-4-2-1 gives you 6 midfielders. And to me that overcrowds the central area. Rogic and McGregor on occasion cramping each others style.
Then there were the difficult away fixtures at Rugby Park, Tynecastle, Fir Park etc… where even after a European game, he didn’t think anything of making 7,8,9 changes in personnel.
Our Domestic form nose-dived because I believe after 18 months in the job, Brendan was already thinking of his return to the EPL gravy-train
RUGGYGMAN
I love NL for the man he is and all he has done for us as a club and it’s supporters. However no matter how much of a Celtic man he is should have no bearing on whether he is appointed as our next full time coach.
He is an ok coach, nothing more, what should concern us that while he could motivate his Hibs team against us and Sevco his overall record was parity dire, no real consistency overall.
I, along with many Celtic fans I know and speak to, would be appalled if we settled for mediocrity in Lennon rather than paying the going rate for a good modern coach given our abundance of cash in the bank.
There are companies out there that specialise in recruitment, even in the football environment, you tell them what you want and how much you are prepared to pay to get it. They source and sound out potential targets giving you a list of the best available out there within your pay scale ect, you then interview those that have been shortlisted.
I would hope that this is how we do our business as PL shouldn’t be the person identifying potential targets as he isn’t a football person.
NL should automatically be interviewed should he request one, if we do win the cup along with the league I think most of us wouldn’t begrudge him at least the opportunity to put his case forward.
Despite my fave-ever boots being Puma Dalglish Golds, I’ve never felt warm to KD since he left and, especially how, how he foisted the Learner manager Barnes on us. Not to mention Raphael!!
Wasnt Dalglish’s first book the one where Celtic were no more than a minor footnote in him getting to Engerland. Yet he stood on the shoulders of some Tic legends who helped him shine at CP.
Good time Charlie; pah.
Brendan; love the achievements, not the modus operandi.
And theories about ex-Celt pundits who give us a hard time:
I wonder if they think it makes them seem and sound more analytical and mature; to be ultra non partisan?
Soup-takers almost all.
EddieinKirkmichael
I agree 100% with your sentiments there, re : Neil Lennon. I think there is a large proportion of our fan base on the exact same page.
I have massive respect for N.L the man. And appreciate his work both as a player and a manager. But fundamentally it’s about level’s. Brendan Rodgers raised the bar. Now our job is to maintain, and improve if we can.
The objective is not to seek a cheap / cost-cutting appointment, followed by dilution of standards, and overall regression.
There are very few things in life that are unforgiveable.
Abruptly changing your job isn’t one of them.
When the hurt dissapates most off us will figure that out.
Some basic facts are known & indisputable but we don’t know both sides.
Like many of us, I’d really no idea that things had unravelled as much as they had.
I’d read gossip & heard rumours but it was obviously much worse than that.
Putting the life changing financial inducement aside, how many of us would choose to remain in a job where we were unhappy & where we could no longer trust our colleagues AND where we had genuine opprtunities to move on for fantastic money?
One day we’ll find out precisely why he couldn’t return to speak with the players etc but in the meantime I’d prefer to focus on what he gave us AND on the present.
Anger-Is-Just-Self-Harm CSC
If we complete 19-in-a-row in the remaining weeks of the season, Fraudgers’ contribution will be 14.47%.
for those praising Dalglish, the same Dalglish that took the cheat murrays money? as foe Charlie nothing more to be said very dumb boy
don’t ever forget what that bastard murray did that’s why I can never forgive dalglish
Brendan Rodgers left/was driven out of Celtic because of?
1, his ego
2, greed
3, an incompetent and dysfunctional executive
For me its 3 and a bit of 1. You cant bring in Rodgers, a highly competent operator, and treat him like Ronny Deila. Forgive him? I’ve nothing to forgive him for. The real problem is still there. KevJ was correct all along.
Happy Easter!
“You cant bring in Rodgers, a highly competent operator, and treat him like Ronny Deila.”
Were they paid the same salary? Were they given the same amount of transfer backing? and, what was KevJ right about, then?
Kevj was right all along,aye sure he was
Danso – you beat me to it. I was wondering if anyone would remember KD taking a scouting role at Ibrox when Murray was at his peak regarding world domination.
I couldn’t believe it.
Don’t think it lasted long, but I always wondered why. Not like he needed the dosh.
UGGYGMAN on 19TH APRIL 2019 3:21 PM
‘Brendan Rodgers raised the bar.’
****
No he didn’t.
He was better than his immediate predecessor.
That’s about it.
There was a lot of hype about him and his abilities during his tenure both from him and from the club.
He managed for two seasons to consistently get the team playing better than the god awful domestic opposition.
In Europe he wasn’t even at the races.
This season he’d been found out domestically and the shine was coming off.
He is the most overrated Celtic manager in the history of the club.
Perhaps today of all days the blog could take a few minutes to remember and maybe say a prayer
for all our mothers, fathers, children, all our relatives and friends who have passed away since last Good Friday.
Were you there when they laid him in a tomb
Were you there when they laid him in a tomb
Oh Oh sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble,
Martin42
Were you there when they laid him in a tomb
EL in your humble opinion?
Martin42,
Well said.
Floorplan.
Ernie Lynch
No offence… but what you just posted there, is absolute nonsense.
Morgan scores a beauty for Sunderland
Sunderland score a Celtic goal.
MARTIN42.
Your correct, everyone should remember those they loved.
I take it you will be going to Aberdour this year,if so I’ll see you there, a few of us non-golfers go on a pub crawl, I know there are only three Pubs to visit, our party usually start in the Golf Club, then visit the three pubs in turn,then visit them again in reverse order,its usually a great day, depending on the weather.
Blantyre Kev.
Just ordered the prizes for the Golf,I know you don’t post on the blog now,but someone will surely tell you about them,see you on the day.
Good article, Paul.
It’s strange but I feel like one of the few defending him while, when he was here, I felt like I was one of the few prepared to criticise him!
Maybe because I didn’t over-invest in him I don’t feel as much resentment?
Easy to say he should have stayed for the treble, but nobody knows how the season would have ended. Let’s say we missed out on the cup. Can you imagine the comments?
He wasn’t committed to us.
He took his eye off the ball.
He has cost us the treble treble.
He only stayed for his own ego to get a treble treble on his CV.
He should have just effed off to Leicester, etc.
He didn’t get everything right, but he brought us great success and put things in place that will benefit us in the future. Hope we can take all this and build on it and realise that investing in a quality manager is good business.
Evening all,
Happy Easter Weekend fholks. Not posted in ages. Health not Good at present but still travelled over ( from Dublin ) for game against “them” 3 weeks ago against Doctors advice. Due over again this day 2 weeks for Dons away on the followong day. Pray I make it!!
Reading all the posts with interest. A lot of people rightly angry with BR ( no question he shafted us and left us in a potentially hugely precarious position,) however it is my firm belief that because Mr Lawwell completed shafted BR last Summer ( and by the way BR had absolutely earned the right to be fully backed last Summer ) BR decided at 1st opportunity he was getting out of Paradise. McGinn appears to have been final straw. In that sense, I have a degree of, how shall I put it, understanding ‘re why he left. Trust between him and Lawwell completely broken down.
HH
Roccobhoy
THE_HUDDLE on 19TH APRIL 2019 2:48 PM
ruggygman on 19th April 2019 2:44 pm
What was the reason for the drop off in the 2nd and 3rd seasons?
*He got found out as he did at Anfield and will at the King Power
Wonder what type of coverage Peter Lawwell would have gotten had he announced he was leaving for Leicester with 12 games to go and on the eve of a crucial game?
‘Here’ for ten in a row CSC
MARTIN42 on 19TH APRIL 2019 5:03 PM
Perhaps today of all days the blog could take a few minutes to remember and maybe say a prayer for all our mothers, fathers, children, all our relatives and friends who have passed away since last Good Friday.
*Absolutely Martin, just in from church and it was wall to wall with folding seats put up in the foyer to accommodate the over spill and that was the just 11:00 service, will definitely be more for the traditional 3:00 one.
I was standing at the back during the veneration of the cross and the choir was singing hymns including “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. Jesus,remember me when you come into your kingdom”, and I thought of those low life who cancelled a march because they wurnae allowed tae pass by a Catholic church on the Easter Sunday, the holiest of days, and ask the congregation why don’t they go home.
Wonder if he’ll remember them that also curse his representative on this earth as well as his mammy.
Roccobhoy,
Hope your health improves mucker
Marvin Compper raised the bar
Just sitting her on a day that the country shuts doon thinking about young Ryan missing the Final as a result of a serious assault when it donned on me that 2 year ago KT only lasted 27 minutes having tae be subbed as a result of another batter in the face against the same team. mcsleekit still playing the same tactics.
BTW that’s the same day clodagh said “I was born into Celtic”, that didnae last long.
There are very few things in life that are unforgiveable.
Abruptly changing your job isn’t one of them.
But then of course, it wasn’t about someone simply changing their job was it?
Banal analogiists don’t quite get the narcissistic fantasy earning millionaires off the hook of the man on the Clapham Omnibus.
Couldn’t BR have stumped up the extra £250,000 for John McGinn from his loose change, after all he’d been supporting us since he was an amoeba, and was shirley as eager for the treble, treble as Timmy Six Pack.
In his valedictory press outage of last summer he even said he would have paid more, than Peter…………shucks
Opinions of BR – exit don’t seem to affect how we support Celtic, given that the new season ticket waiting list is heralded as topping at 10,000 again.
Its only the internet CSC
MARTIN42 @ 5:03 PM,
Profound and thoughtful words… a prayer said for all.
!!BADA BING!! @ 2:18 PM,
“The point of BR wanting to take ALL our coaching staff,and leave us with nothing, shouldn’t be forgotten, on the park he gave me some of the best Celtic moments of my life.”
Of course Brendan Rodgers went with some coaching staff. It was the “team” he brought in. There is no evidence to support the misguided assertion that he offered a position to anyone else.
Leicester City approached Celtic and negotiated the departure of BR and the staff in a correct and professional manner. Celtic gave permission for BR to speak to Leicester and it would have been agreed between them which staff were going.
Leicester agreed to pay £6m compensation for BR and £3m for his staff.
One of the accusations in this regard was the tapping up of John Kennedy, yet JK did an interview the weekend before BR went, when asked about it, (as rumours abound) he said he didn’t think BR would go.
If he had been approached, which would have happened by then, he gave a sound poker face.
Asked after the move when was the first he knew about BR leaving he said the Monday morning, before BR went to Leicester to finalise the move he asked JK to be “prepared to take the team”… that’s straight from the horses mouth.
So in regard to BR taking Celtic backroom staff, some folk weren’t telling the truth and I don’t think for one moment it was John Kennedy who lied.
There was also rumours Lee Congerton was going, where is he? No there is absolutely no evidence to back this accusation quite the opposite in fact.
It seems “Celtic Sources” who ever these guys were, were circulating anti-BR stories to the media, mainstream and Bampots, these consisted of BR taking all Celtic’s backroom staff, the China saga, the BR forced Leicester move nonsense etc etc…
Phil mac had an article citing these in one way or another from a senior Celtic source. He stated that if BR issued a denial he would issue publish the correction with an apology.
At one of his first press conferences in Leicester BR said (in front of his new employers) that it wasn’t the case that Leicester were prepared to wait, they wanted someone immediately, he stated that Peter Lawwell knew that and could verify it.
Very strong denial involving those who knew what actually happened…
However Phil Mac never published the correction to my knowledge.
No, make of Brendan Rodgers what you will, but don’t do it on the basis of the lies of some folk with a vendetta against him, people who went all out to blacken his name. Basing, hate, loathing or resentment on a lie is very damaging to all concerned…
…the truth will out.
67 EUROPEAN CUP WINNERS @ 2:50 PM,
Very true, we’ll have to acknowledge the truth before Celtic can move forward.
It’s amazing how many Celtic supporters refer to Rangers supporters as gullible…
Hail Hail
Oldtim I and my big son will be at Aberdour as usual.
We look forward to it, it is a really good day.
Great company, great crack and great food.
petec,
Thanks.
Tontine Tim,
A multitude of posters tell us about the real hard and difficult and indeed heartbreaking
occasions in their lives and their families
It happens to everyone of us but sometimes in our busy lives we can overlook the distress and deep deep loss when a loved one passes away.
I feel it in my own family on days like today.
I say prayers for my own family and the people who tell about their own family
May God look especially kindly on them in their hour of need
As for the other lot they are a dying breed.
I remember a time when the local Mossend/ Bellshill walk took 20 buses to the place where the walk was being celebrated.
Now it is 1
Canon Whyte is a bigger and more dignified person than any one of his attacers.
Martin 42