Brendan Rodgers appears to be on the brink of returning to Celtic with the Irishman laying out his terms for returning to the club he left in February 2019.
Those terms aren’t financial but the condition of the club as he looks to work in the most professional environment possible, driving through the highest possible standards off the pitch.
Rodgers will know the going rate for his own services but getting the infrastructure right to succeed is occupying his negotiating time which points towards a longer term commitment.
A significant number of Celtic fans are still concerned by the manner of his sudden exit during the 2018/19 season but it seems that the conditions are being laid out for Celtic to make a significant step forward off the pitch to make a id-season move to Leicester City less appealing.
The Daily Mail has been one step ahead with their commentary of the story, late on Tuesday night Stephen McGowan reported:
Mail Sport broke the news of chief executive Michael Nicholson and finance director Chris McKay flying by private jet to Mallorca for face-to-face talks with the club’s number one managerial target on Saturday.
Further to those discussions, Rodgers has also held a number of in-depth conversations with major shareholder Dermot Desmond to thrash out his conditions for a second stint in Glasgow.
Key to the 50-year-old agreeing to a return is an undertaking by Celtic’s board of directors that they will invest in the players and infrastructure necessary to drive the club forward in Europe.
Frustrated by the glass ceiling on transfer spending during his first spell in charge, Rodgers wants to see the football operation reshaped and is now speaking to potential members of his backroom team.
A week after Ange Postecoglou left are you more open to the return of Brendan Rodgers
Yes, he is clearly the best candidate, we have to move on
No, he crossed a line, we can't go backwards
Later the report adds:
A return to Celtic, where he won each of the seven trophies available to him from 2016, holds greater appeal.
Rodgers is also thought to be motivated by a desire to mend his relationship with those supporters who turned on him after his sudden exit four years back.
It now seems only a matter of time before Celtic send out their official announcement with Rodgers looking beyond his personal terms as he prepares to take on the job created by Ange Postecoglou’s departure for Spurs.
If Rodgers is such a huge , huge ,Celtic man and fan , why is there such a delay in unveiling him to the fans ? Financial terms should not be a stumbling block over the slow process if he’s got Celtic in his DNA ! Money is irrelevant … Right ! Then there is the Leeds Utd possible opponent . Why ? He’s all Celtic remember ,so any other club will be disregarded without a second glance ! That should be a given ? A couple of things are a bit iffy for me and he’s still to set foot inside the door ! Oh well ,at least everybody is getting a sun tan at long last !
Editor: I would guess that he is getting guarantees that this time there will be no accountants forcing Project Signings on the manager as he tries to make progress in Europe. Google Shved and Bayo, followed by Soro, Klimala, Bolingoli etc etc.
The fans relationship with BR will be different this time around,but that will be no bad thing.No BS from him and with a fair wind this can be mended.He has sought assurances this time that will be giving Lawell the screaming abdabs,but it looks like Dermot has got his way.I for one am excited by his appointment