Setting aside Brendan Rodgers’ achievements at Celtic, where he won all seven domestic trophies on offer at his time here, his best season in football south of the border was 2020-21, at Leicester City. That season he won the FA Cup, the first time Leicester lifted that trophy, and finished fifth in the league. Dropping five points in their final two games of that season saw them slip from third. A late collapse against Tottenham on the final 14 minutes of the season saw them lose out on a Champions League spot.
As he watched Casper Schmeichel lift the FA Cup a week later, Brendan was at the peak of his powers. Two years after taking control at the midlands club, silverware was back in the trophy room, and they had qualified for the Europa League. Until the closing weeks of the season, only the two Manchester clubs were above them, neither of whom were in contention when Leicester’s miracle league win happened in 2016. Without Claudio Ranieri’s achievement, Brendan’s would have received even greater praise.
There was no shame in the fact that Leicester did not kick on in the following season. They slipped to an eighth place finish that year later, as Arsenal, Tottenham and West Ham all moved above them. European competition seemed to tax his side, where they ended third in their Europa group, before a run to the semi-finals of the new Conference League.
The wheels came off spectacularly last season. A home draw against Brentford and win over Nottingham Forest was all they had to show after nine league games, a run which saw Arsenal hit four, Brighton five and Tottenham six against them.
New signings were made last season, the joint-most expensive of whom was the £17m capture of Aberdeen-born Australia international, Harry Souttar (24). Harry was part of the Australia side that won admirers during December’s World Cup. Brendan moved for the player a month later.
Dundee United and Ross County fans pondered what happened to their former player to cause such a dramatic improvement in form, while some of us wondered if Brendan had made a classic tournament-scouting mistake. In other news, Jack Hendry made seven league starts at Brugge last season, he was surely available for a lot less than £17.
Brendan can motivate and man manage with the very best of them. Alongside Chris Davies, who yesterday joined Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham, he was able to coach and organise. For me, his Achilles Heel is player trading. Fix that, and you have a more complete package.
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Shoot
Not just any Friday. 3 day weekend and maybe white smoke?
Goal ⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️
Hail hail
Jonny Hayes appointed yet?
Your not a fan of Brendan , are you Paul.
Your becoming more embarrassing by the day.
St Tams
At least this article is slightly better than the previous three 🫣
“For me, his Achilles Heel is player trading. Fix that, and you have a more complete package”
Enter Mark Lawwell
67ECW
BREAKING
Celtic announce PaulB as DOABA
Director of Anti Brendan Articles after MOD88 drops out of running due to hangover.
Pretty fair assessment.
Did Lee Congerton join Brendan at Leicester, after leaving us?
MELVIN UDALL on 16TH JUNE 2023 11:23 AM
Butland eh? Good acquisition? Need to see you working out for that one fella?
Last time he was trusted to any degree, in 19/20, with Stoke City, they conceded 68 goals in the championship, finishing 15th. He was noted for making some horrendous mistakes and dropped for it. A story throughout his career.
He seems a high profile risk to me. A name from the past, at his low ebb, that will allow the Huns to pretend they are relevant still. Classic Hun philosophy.
I would have been more worried had they got themselves a young, modern Euro keeper with a big sell-on for obvious reasons.
Let’s see but it screams high risk to me. And they don’t tend to do those very well in Govan.
HH
Brendan’s a proven premier league manager.hel be immense for us again ,see how Angie gets on this season in the so called best league in the world.brendan should be welcomed back with open arms.the past is the past.HH
Paul 67,
That’s more like it.
AT,
Getting dragged into town by Mrs GP. Was hoping to have driven up to Parkhead this morning.
Beers and sunscreen later.
Hope all is well.
HH.
Wee Roo Irvine on Bargain Hunt , magic
Leaving Rodgers with full responsibility for Leicester’s signings is puzzling. For all we know, someone at Leicester may have pulled an Arzani or Shved on him.
ST TAMS
A bit harsh on today’s article, which is more a factual recent career resume than a negative opinion piece.
Did you actually read it.
Someone is really unhappy about this appointment – Paul67 if there are other reasons put them out there? You said you had info from the end of his previous tenure about something that happened that would make it impossible to back him again?
HH
Leicester couldn’t spend the last two seasons. Business was built around getting Champs League money and when that failed it was holding pattern time.
That was my understanding anyway.
Miaow, Paulo. Catty or what?
Some between-line reading indicates that Brendan (not Rogers) is in, but that Pedro isn’t chuffed about it and is at pains to point out the spottiness of his transfer record. Surely the recruiting and scouting bods had some input to every managers (or Dudu’s) choices ??
Remember Ange’s crew made a few possible booboos too; Abildgaard; Berni; Ideguchi; Koba…. (who could come good).
With the 700K analytics centre Ange requested, hopefully we’ll run the rule more forensically over possible incomings. And with the revenues from a few sales, hopefully Brendan will be able to shop in something less than bargain bin markets too.
Just repeating my point of last article. A Palace pal reckons Butland is a very good goalie; better than Joe IHHO.
Setting aside Brendan Rodgers’ achievements at Celtic, where he won all seven domestic trophies on offer at his time here
—
You’ve set that aside all week mate. Hopefully you’ll get round to discussing that remarkable achievement soon.
What a rid neck this blog has become 🤣🤣🤣
Get off your knees man.
A lot of great Celtic mangers have made mistakes in player trading but Brendan has worked at the highest levels so I am contented that he knows more about player trading than me (or you).
” In Brendan we Trust “
I’m getting a sense of acceptance from Paul over BR’s probable return but very much tempered with a suggestion that BR will be lost without Chris Davies .
That doesn’t say a lot for John Kennedy , who Ange seemed more than happy with .
St Tams
You’re vs Your
Even more so when saying someone is embarrassing.
White noise. CQN screen.
Whoever gets the job must run with the ‘buy well, but sell better’ approach. It’s the only way to up the quality of the squad.
Talking of Bargain Hunt , how are the huns getting on ?
BURNLEY78 on 16TH JUNE 2023 12:30 PM
It appears the grammar police are here and ready to pounce, careful now everyone,.
HH
Glendaly
Personally I share both the nervousness re Brendan without Davies and also I am intrigued to see how it goes if he brings in fresh blood and insight to support him.
I was a huge fan of Davies, from very well informed first hand opinion, thus I am concerned. I was also concerned re ‘more of the same’ playing style as the world moves on.
It may just be for the better that Chris goes elsewhere. As long as it is not just John K and Scott B suppprting. I do think some fresh input will really help us.
Tom McL
Are you for the Aussies or Engerland re the cricket ?
Reasonably well-balanced article, Paul. I think the player trading model has its limits. Leicester did it very well for a while then it seemed to go wrong. Even more so at Southampton and Dundee United. Brighton look like they have it perfected – be interesting to see if they can sustain it over a number of years.
Would be good to see more home-grown players coming through. Was highly impressed with four of the lads in the recent cup final win.
Will Brendan finally get the Stephen Appiah deal over the line ? 🤪
There is (by me anyway) a theory that Paul67 has a link to Peter Lawwell
This link has served this site well and I am grateful for it
So when Paul67 is not wild with excitement regarding the return of Brendan – I worry
Only because I link Paul67s opinion with PLs
Now PL is probably right to have a concern regarding Brendan’s talent spotting
Mr Congerton did not fare well
Surely that’s now on Mark Lawwell Or is that the problem
Maybe Brendan wants a bigger say
Who knows
Throughout this week my enthusiasm for a BR return has been diluted by a lack of excitement from Paul67
I think he conveys the atmosphere behind the scenes
Unless Brendan and Peter have a pint – I predict a hiccup
For those that have married for a second time
You make sure the problem first time around is not a problem second time around
67ECW
No manager has a flawless record in the transfer market. You overlooked that he gave Liverpool Coutinho, Firmino, Milner, Mignolet & Gomez. You overlook some 2nd season mistakes from good ole Ange.
He gave us every trophy domestically last time and would argue (with justification) that external factors hindered him there too transferwise. At Leicester, they were the 2nd lowest net spenders during his time.
In top trumps terms his trading would be one of his weakest but ffs Celtic, stop making managers kingmakers then and build a structure to mitigate.
He’s a fine coach who improves players (why not write about that) and I’d be excited to see what that would bring to Reo, Matt & Jota in particular.
Half full csc
HH
For the souls in limbo, watching the cricket.
https://youtu.be/9GdvFiE2R5I
White smoke in storage, but ready and at hand.
How many days until John McGinn’s contract expires again….?