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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Was in Baillieston last night for friend’s wife’s 70th birthday bash. We got home very late so a bit tender today.
So it’s an afternoon of Ashes cricket followed by Norway v Scotland.
It’s a hard life.
Tom
Just curious, was that before the cup final ?
I understand if you feel unable to reveal that ingo
Info
GARYGILLESPIESHAMSTRING
It was the day before the cup final, hence the secrecy.
Tom – Good on her. In that situation it would be really tough to tell no one. Maybe the bookies for a wee bet 😄
Teachers and estate agents key folk in the know.
Cheers Tom
So despite his claims to the contrary, he was organising his departure prior to season being over and was well aware of developments.
The only point of dubiety is exactly how far in advance of the cup final he was involved in machinations to leave Celtic.
Never trust anyone that can keep a secret…….
One of the most obvious things the media have told us this week, as if it is news worthy, is that BR would become our highest paid manager ever. Must be some geniuses working in the newsrooms.
What they don’t mention is that BR was on 5 million a year (base) with bonuses of 2-3 million back in 2022. According to various reports, that base salary was doubled for his current contract due to Leicester’s good results . So he was earning between 5-10 million per year when he left/got fired and was 5th highest paid in EPL.
Postecoglou met Spurs face to face on 2 occasions before the Cup final, at least 1 or 2 months before. The reason his agent was on the park and at Celtic Park on the presentation Saturday was Postecoglou had to sign his contract and therefore start with Spurs on the Monday after the Cup Final, por cierto.
GARYGILLESPIESHAMSTRING
The fact that Ange signed a contract with Spurs within 2 days of the cup final is very telling. No way was a contract with a top EPL side negotiated in such a short period of time.
I am prepared to accept that he authorised his agent to negotiate the fine details of the contract with Spurs in the weeks leading up to the final and had verbally accepted their terms in the days before the final.
Only after the final did Spurs officially ask Celtic for permission to speak to Ange. Ange told the board before the final that he wanted to move to Spurs after the final, so it was always happening.
Ange who ?
POR CIERTO
That makes no sense. Legally you cannot sign a contract for one club while under contract with another club. The agent was in Glasgow to discuss details of what Spurs were offering.
TOM MCLAUGHLIN on 17TH JUNE 2023 2:52 PM
POR CIERTO
“That makes no sense. Legally you cannot sign a contract for one club while under contract with another club. The agent was in Glasgow to discuss details of what Spurs were offering.”
It does if the club had already given him permission to speak to Spurs, long before the media said they had, por cierto
POR CIERTO
But if he had signed a Spurs contract BEFORE the Aberdeen game, he would not have been allowed to be in the technical area for that game and the cup final.
If Ange had verbally agreed to move to Spurs after the cup final, why would they require him to sign a contract before the last two games? What would be the point?
Anyone else wondering what time Paul usually posts a new article on a Saturday?
Por Cierto
I was under the impression that sues had been in contact with him, either directly or indirectly, prior to them asking Celtic’s permission to approach our manager.
Spurs
YOU CAN SIGN A CONTRACT WITH A FUTURE EMPLOYER ANYTIME YOU WANT.
what is important is when does it commence
The players knew. The Maeda red card was a result of this. The body language between the 2 was very telling. I would go as far back as the Motherwell game atleast
You cannot sign a contract until you have been given permission by yiur current employers. Unless thst contract begins after your current contract expires
Silver City
Usually a “live updates” before the game at the weekend.
GARYGILLESPIESHAMSTRING
A club is allowed to speak to a player or manager’s agent but not the employee himself without the club’s permission.
It happens all the time. A club might be looking for a new manager and in the process of drawing up a short list, they’ll contact the agent and ask if his man would be interested in an interview. Only if the manager progresses to an actual interview must they then ask the holding club’s permission.
You sound like a right barrel a laughs Burnley ffs.its a fecking football match god sake arrgh
AURORABOREALIS79
The players knew. The Maeda red card was a result of this.
I don’t understand what that means. Can you elaborate?
All this contract talk kinda proves that Brendan did NOT do a midnight flit, just think about it……
I get that the Barmy army are broadly well intended. I just can’t be bothered when it becomes like an Engerland football rabble for 5 hours after lunch. I get folk think it enhances the cricket experience. It doesn’t for me I am afraid.
A couple of absolutely senseless ,and very poor managerial decisions were made by Ange in his 2 season spell .
The first was to play our only fit striker in a dead rubber euro tie ,in his first season .
Kyogo go injured and missed a few months .
Senseless.
Then there was leaving Maeda on the pitch at Easter RD ,after his 1st booking .
Almost Everyone watching thought that Maeda was deliberately trying to get sent off .
He duly did .
I still don’t understand what Ange was thinking.
Then the Aberdeen match when Kyogo scored or second ,he should have been substituted to protect him for the cup final .
Ange leaves him on and he has to get carried off within the first few mins of the second half .
The wee man is then touch and go for the SCF,and couldn’t see the game out .
Again ,a poor managerial decision .
Absolutely bizarre decisions from a very bright manager .
TT
The exiled Tim 15.24
Correct .
He was working his ticket from the summer before .
When he was offered the Great wad of China .
He even played a hand by informing Celtic of the big money offer ,and trying to get Dembele to go with him .
TT
Last post meant for Tom McL
Tom
Fair enough, but Postecoglou was being economical with truth to put it mildly when he was speaking to the Celtic support and to journos.
Not surprised that DD and the rest of the Celtic board weren’t pleased with the way this all panned out.
TT
We can only speculate as to what went on behind the scenes, but one thing for sure, he fell out with someone.
Ego’s Eh.
TOM MCLAUGHLIN on 17TH JUNE 2023 3:24 PM
AURORABOREALIS79
The players knew. The Maeda red card was a result of this.
I don’t understand what that means. Can you elaborate?
They knew that ange was for the off long before it was reported. Maeda dropped his head, an otherwise extremely disciplined player, comes on as a sub & catches 2 bookings. As he walks off, ange ignores him, then catches himself on, turns & pats him on the head after Maeda has passed him.
A team who were generally great passers of the ball suddenly cannot string 2 passes together. Let’s not even talk about the defending. These were all telling signs which were put to blips & shuffling of personnel
Yeah the form had dropped off a cliff and Ange himself was making weird decisions as you both say.
We will never know.
Exciting season ahead none the less.
I don’t think any players will follow him, left a bad taste.
KLV
It’s probably gonna be Steve Clark after the Norway game lol
Kevin las Vegas
I think that if any of our players are offered the wages of a top EPL club ,the EPL stage ,and one of ,if not the best club stadiums in the world to play in .
They will be off ,just as Ange did.
TT
Or maybe Knutsen
TURKEYBHOY on 17TH JUNE 2023 10:23 AM
Jimtim,
No offence mate,but every time I read your posts.a voice reads them out in my head.The Reverend I.Am Jolly.
Be a bit more optimistic.We are living in great times..
#######
TB lol I really don’t mean to be , anyone who knows me will tell you I am really a friendly wee guy , I do tend to retaliate when confronted . I fell out with you and let myself down a bit pal for which I apologised . I have no Interest for ex celts once they have left our club it’s move on from me , ange was great for us ,loved how he handled the laptop loyal and who can argue with 5 out of 6 trophy’s but he is no longer AP of Celtic . With regards to my preference for the BODO GLIMP boss , that night I thought there football was A great watch , they really showed us up a bit that night . Really nothing else to add ,I am just a 100% Celt and only wish for the best for the hoops . Awe the best TB HH
It’s not at all hard to work out the timescale of Ange’s departure….after Scott Munn gets appointed to spurs job there is absolutely no doubt contact was made ….but at this point Ange was still an after thought with levy who still wanted Slot…..when Slot turned down Spurs on May 24th..it was all systems go and Ange knew on May25th that the spurs job was his …