BBC reporter Chris McLaughlin has become caught up in the crossfire of Celtic’s transfer market failings.
Brendan Rodgers brought the subject into the open on Tuesday when he expressed his frustrations about the failure to bring in similar quality to replace Patrick Roberts and Stuart Armstrong.
As a consequence of that Rodgers rejected an offer from Fulham for Dedryck Boyata with the hoops left with a depreciating asset in the final 10 months of his contract.
Asked #Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers if board match his ambitions “I wouldn’t answer that. It’s private.”
— Chris McLaughlin (@BBCchrismclaug) August 9, 2018
So Peter brief’s Chris for last night @bbcsportsound and then Brendan uses the same guy for this dig.
It’s all very unseemly, undignified and lowering my opinion of both parties (One more than the other). https://t.co/Of3yhDrdTi
— Harry Brady (@HarryBradyCU) August 9, 2018
What’s your agenda Chris)
— Noel Mulligan (@bunlougher) August 9, 2018
Wouldn’t really call this an agenda. It’s a fair question considering his earlier comments about McGinn
— John Hodge (@19jhodgkiss) August 9, 2018
Not everything is some mad agenda against us. Rodgers opened up this line of questioning on Tuesday. It’s a perfectly reasonable question to ask.
— Aidan Ritchie (@AidanRitchie27) August 9, 2018
That’ll be a planted question from the board, designed for reasons that can only be guessed at, to upset their own manager.
Gollum in place to do his masters bidding.— Cyberniv (@cyberniv) August 9, 2018
Obvious they haven’t, won’t be surprised if he walks away at the end of the season. Delivered a double treble as well as an unbeaten domestic season, what else does he have to do before the board give him the backing he deserves ?
— Liam (@LiamPaterson_98) August 9, 2018
wether rodgers has singlehandedly done anything is neither here nor there. club allowed rodgers to reinvest the SA cash to get edouard. new deals for ajer/rogic new hybrid pitch aswell. club also turned down fulhams bid for boyata. if thats no been backed i dont know what is
— marc carrie (@arbroathcsc) August 9, 2018
U no watchin Celtic games then naw? It’s been blatantly obvious we need a RB and a CH. If the board aren’t willing to cough up a few million for that then don’t blame Rodgers for not getting us into the group stage of Champs League.
— Big Sideez (@ryanmccafferty1) August 9, 2018
am like u mate, i watch them all. my point is rodgers has been given cash for right back( gamboa) CHs (hendry and commper) but theve been poor the club cant be blamed for signings that the manager wanted.hel be pissed off about mcginn but i wouldnt pay him what AV pay him either
— marc carrie (@arbroathcsc) August 9, 2018
Social media was alive with the controversy with supporters concerned at the first sign that Rodgers wasn’t happy with the club’s transfer policy.
Predictably the board of directors bore the brunt of that anger with £30m sitting in the bank following successive trebles and two Champions League group campaigns.
Last night in the build up to the AEK Athens match McLaughlin reported that the board were unhappy with their managers comments.
That news has clearly escalated the rift between the boardroom and dug-out- the sort of situation that requires real leadership to resolve.
The Celtic board doesn’t need told which party has the overwhelming backing of the support although there are legitimate criticisms of some of Rodgers’ transfer dealings.
The Irishman however is massively in credit after rescuing the club from the Ronny Deila era that saw attendances plummet in line with the standards of performance.
