Chris Sutton is convinced that the return of Brendan Rodgers means that Celtic are ready to up their ambitions.
A month after Celtic signed Marian Shved and Vakoun Bayo in January 2019 the Irishman was being paraded as the manager of Leicester City with Neil Lennon drafted in as a caretaker soon after he had left Hibs.
It was a whirlwind period. Celtic went on to complete a treble but the timing of Rodgers’ departure left deep wounds and strong feelings among supporters.
At the start of April Rodgers and Leicester parted ways, unexpectedly Ange Postecoglou left Celtic for Spurs two months later with an unexpected reconciliation on the cards with Dermot Desmond driving the deal for a new manager.
Extensive talks appear to have taken place over the last week, if Rodgers signs up to return to Celtic Sutton expects that the outlook of the club will have been transformed from the one that he left four years ago.
Reading current events, Sutton tells Daily Record readers:
Brendan Rodgers must be getting seriously tooled-up for this Celtic return. If you are a fan, that has to be the most-exciting part of the appointment.
Rodgers is not going to put himself back into the position unless he genuinely feels he can do something in Europe and seriously fancies giving Rangers another severe going over. You can’t delete the past and I’m not going to attempt to. I’ll get to that. But first thing is first. The big positives.
I actually really admire the fact Dermot Desmond seems to have ignored any potential issues over fan unrest when making this move. It’s as if he’s thought: Brendan Rodgers is the best man for the job. That’s who I am getting and I’m not bothered by what anyone else says or thinks.
Strip away the furniture and what has gone before and, looking purely at the candidates and his previous record at the club, there is probably no doubt Rodgers was the stand-out man Celtic could get.
After the way he left, I can’t believe he would go back into the job without having serious guarantees and real belief he’ll be given what he wants to try to make an impact in the Champions League. He won seven trophies out of seven domestically. There is nothing more to achieve on that score. Europe has to be playing a big part.
In that sense, given a manager is never in a stronger position than when he is wanted for a job, he could have said we need x, y and z and I want this and that.
Why would you take the opportunity in any other circumstance? Why put yourself in any sort of position to potentially fail?
You can say or think what you like about the way he left, but Rodgers is a very smart and a very clever bloke. And, obviously, it goes without saying that so, too, is Desmond.
With the mood of the Celtic support shifting rapidly since Postecoglou lifted the Scottish Cup it seems like the finishing touches are being put on a dramatic return that no-one would have guessed at just a few months ago.
Happy chris sees it as most if us as is MR Desmond it is the club that matters and he is the outstanding choice if brendan takes up the position i thank spurs for poaching ange the team look tired and needed freshened up teams were parking the bus and we were finding it harder to break them down we were still playing nice football but taking to long to get the ball up the pitch other coaches were getting praised for there way of keeping score down or parking bus slowing the game down time waisting aided by poor officaiting allowing it the sfa has to address this where in some games clubs no ballboys behind goals allowing goalkeepers to leisurely walk for the ball so frusrating to watch chasing people away from our game tell players especailly goakkeepers get on with it if not yellow card will stop it you are not helping celtic as might be the motive to allow it or givening the smaller club a help or not helping the game and or your selves meaning refs fifa watch these games and watch players walk all over our officaiting start taking charge of the game and getting your profile up in fifa standings how dont rate even dallas cant help the cards are there firbyou to stamp your athority players will know whos in charge
The one thing Celtic have been unable to influence is the SFA. Writing letters and paltry statements have not drawn an encouraging response from them whatsoever and the things which have concerned us in the past have gone bye unabated. They’re still there and could easily come back to haunt us!
Rodgers knows this and must take it into consideration when planning his future.
(Assuming BR does arrive…)
BR only has to make one decision to overcome many of his doubters,
whilst at the same time shocking sevco and the SMSM,
AND showing everyone at Celtic Park who is in control.
BR should bring in a very decent, known player for a MINIMUM of £10M.
Statement made, job done! 🙂
Do not break my heart or future dreams again.
Will have the inscene burning at the temple tomorrow
You pretty-much nailed it on the head there – I still believe that it was Lawwell Snr’s interference that led to Rodgers walking away. No manager should ever be “told” that he’s “getting” Marian Shved, Vakoun Bayo, or anybody else for that matter. The manager should be consulted at all stages, and these players have to be on the boss’s wishlist to begin with.
Using the current media stories as an example, we should not be looking to bring in Mbappe unless the new manager sees him as a fit for his/the club’s style of play. Just because Mbappe seems to want away from PSG, it doesn’t necessarily follow that we should be throwing our proverbial hat in the ring.
If Brendan Rodgers (as is likely to be the next manager) tells a senior board members that he wants Mbappe, the board are there to finance the deal (or not). If, as is likely, Mbappe is too expensive, then the board has the power of veto on any deal. That is their role. The manager’s role is to identify the players that he wants/needs. We trusted Ange in that respect, so what would make things different this time round?
Someone has pissed Dermot off and he is a tad upset, we wont find out in the short term but me thinks it will be worth the wait
I never thought he would come back after the he left, let’s get over it I am sixty six not that many years left for traveling, a big win in Europe and all is forgiven ????
Someone indeed pissed Dermot off! At a certain game at hamdump.
He’s gonna make sure they win sweet fa in years to come.