Brendan Rodgers has agreed terms for his Celtic return with just the fine details of his backroom staff to be resolved before the official announcement is made.
Just a week after Spurs announced the appointment of Ange Postecoglou the hoops have completed a deal that brings the Irishman back to Scottish football where he has a record of winning seven trophies out of seven.
Rodgers left Leicester at the start of April with the intention of taking a year out of football but is set to return to Celtic to head up a new management team that goes straight into the group stage of the Champions League.
Late on Wednesday night the Daily Mail reported:
BRENDAN RODGERS was last night putting the finishing touches to his new-look Celtic backroom team.
The Northern Irishman has agreed to return to Parkhead as manager, four years since he left for Leicester City.
And, barring a last-minute hitch, the Scottish champions will confirm the 50-year-old as Ange Postecoglou’s replacement in a deal that will make Rodgers the highest paid manager in Celtic history.
Chief executive Michael Nicholson and finance director Chris McKay flew by private jet to Mallorca for face-to-face talks with their No 1 managerial target on Saturday.
And Rodgers thrashed out the conditions of his second stint in charge during a series of conversations with major shareholder Dermot Desmond.
Postecoglou wants assistant manager John Kennedy to join him on a four-year deal at Tottenham Hotspur.
Despite expressing a wish to leave, Kennedy is bound by the terms of an agreement blocking the Australian from poaching his former staff.
And, in a conversation on Tuesday, Rodgers made it clear to the former Scotland defender that he was an important part of his plans.
Leicester City first team post-match analyst Jack Lyons will also return to Celtic together with fitness and performance coach Glen Driscoll.
Dismissed by Leicester in April, Rodgers originally intended to take a sabbatical from the game.
An agreement to return to Celtic, the club he left suddenly in February 2019, was predicated on an undertaking by directors to invest in the players and infrastructure improvements necessary to establish the club as a competitive force in Europe.
John Kennedy’s future will be the main issue with the former Celtic defender wanted by Ange Postecoglou at Spurs.
Rodgers was happy to work with Kennedy during his first stint in charge of the hoops but at the age of 40 e might want to spread his wings and sample English football alongside Postecoglou.
Resolving that situation will be the last issue for Celtic and Rodgers to iron out with Scott Brown, Glen Driscoll and Chris Davies all in the mix for a role at Celtic as Rodgers prepares to return to Scottish football.
This HAD to happen. The dangers of a left-field appointment were too huge to risk. This was never the time for a Barnes or a Brady appointment. Keep on hoovering up trophies now under the proven successful manager and the Espanyolification will gather further pace.
So the deal to bring him back is done, with only backroom staff to agree. Is this report about Rodgers or a rerun of Eddie Howes’ imminent arrival?
Can everyone that is commenting about him that left for spurs pack it in, I could not give a f### about him or spurs or what is happening there let’s move on.
The domestic capabilities of Rodgers is undeniable …. Absolutely ! But , and I have to be sceptical here , can he hit the second plateau of competing at the highest level of club / clumpany football ? That’s where I believe he should be laser focused on … As that’s where you are judged .Taking Celtic FC back to where it all began ! I’m now accepting to the fact that he shall be re instated as boss , let’s make it a new generation for unbridled success ! The present is green , the future is green ,white and golden !
Ditto
Yes, after the Howe shambles, I’ll only believe it when CFC confirms his signature / start date.
He will be arriving at a club on a high, and with the support buzzing about new signings, tweaks to the team,
and another crack at the CL.
BR just has to avoid pissing anyone off, to ensure a smooth arrival – and to hit the ground running?
BR will have to do a lot more than that Bob!
He will have to transform the way that the current squad are used to playing! Ange brought players in to suit the style of play he was used to playing and they will have to adjust to the way Brendan wants them to play!
Ange was very direct whereas Brendan tends to wear teams down. It is two different styles!
But we’ll see what happens?
“Despite expressing a wish to leave, Kennedy is bound by the terms of an agreement blocking the Australian from poaching his former staff.”
Brilliant clause, forward thinking, puts the club first.