It is the question that is being asked more and more frequently as the transfer window ‘progressed’- why did Brendan Rodgers come back to Celtic?
Back in June as fans got their heads round the most unlikely of returns it was assumed that the recruitment issues that caused his sharp exit in February 2019 had been resolved, mainly with Peter Lawwell sidelined to a ceremonial role to satisfy his ego.
The presence of the hideously underqualified Mark Lawwell as Head of Recruitment was a further issue but in his first media conference the returning boss praised the brilliant recruitment carried out by Peter’s laddie.
Europe was apparently the driving force to Rodgers deciding to return, unfinished business and assurances that there would be no more John McGinn or Marian Shved moments but with Lawwell’s apprentice as CEO and his son in charge of recruitment the red flags were out in force.
There has to be a Brendan thought process here. What I’m trying to get my head around is why he came back? If you were him you most certainly wouldn’t come back to the same transfer situ as before. So if nothing substantial happens by Wednesday what’s Rodgers position in it all?
— Matt McGlone (@MattMcGlone9) January 28, 2024
Summer recruitment was bizarre, with a squad already bloated by non-contributors project after project appeared, nodded through with the approval of Rodgers as the number of wingers reached seven, the same amount of central defenders.
In 2023 alone Lawwell mini brought in Tomoki Iwata, Odin Thiago Holm, Kwon Hyeok-kyu and Paulo Bernardo into midfield while signing Reo Hatate, Matt O’Riley and Callum McGregor onto long deals.
In defence Yuki Kobayashi, Gus Lagerbielke and Maik Nawrocki were brought in while new contracts were signed by Stephen Welsh and Cameron Carter-Vickers, most unexpected of all Liam Scales became a mainstay in the team.
With that level of planning 33 players made it into the first team picture at the start of September, after failing miserably in the Champions League Rodgers revealed that when he returned in June he identified a squad in need of four quality additions.
It is evident that none of the summer signings are near that definition. After signing up three project wingers in the summer that are inferior to those involved last season Nicolas Kuhn is the only January signing with four days left in the window.
There is no strategy or train of thought to the scattergun recruitment that has created a squad short on balance with only one worthwhile goalkeeper and left-back and a ‘strike force’ that is wholly dependent on Kyogo Furuhashi.
Asked about supporters booing at the end of the win over Ross County Rodgers’ legendary diplomatic skills were posted missing as he moaned about the fans always moaning!
A year ago Rodgers had a perfect Celtic legacy, seven trophy wins out of seven and a handover that even Neil Lennon managed to drag to another two trophy wins.
That legacy is very much on the line, internal support seems absent with even the pitch apparently at odds with the manager.
Celtic are on a six match winning run, including a victory in the Glasgow Derby to retain top place in the Premiership.
With his plea for four quality signings again ignored by the Lawwell Clan it seems only a matter of timing until the inevitable although there is unlikely to be an EPL job waiting and £9m compensation cheque for Lawwell to tuck away for a rainy day.
Totally agree ???
— Matt McGlone (@MattMcGlone9) January 28, 2024
None of it makes any sense Scott. We’ll be closer to an answer come Thursday ??
— Matt McGlone (@MattMcGlone9) January 28, 2024
Agreed Joe. Therefore nothing much happens which we’d imagine he’ll feel let down, disappointed or whatever. How could he carry on if a trust/promise/understanding is broken?
— Matt McGlone (@MattMcGlone9) January 28, 2024
Only the club would suffer IF that was the case
— Matt McGlone (@MattMcGlone9) January 28, 2024
Good point. How will he feel if promises of what you’ve just mentioned are not honoured transfer wise? I take it he has pride and wouldn’t to work
with those who broke promises?— Matt McGlone (@MattMcGlone9) January 28, 2024
Watch what that wee snake Brennan says. All about pinning the blame on Rodgers for not getting enough out the players foisted on him by the bean counter and his progeny.
— CG44 (@Ticketustastic) January 28, 2024
Because DD convinced him with Players who’d won treble, Recruitment Dept and promises of – Plus, whatever Calmac told him not to mention ML, PL. However, Ange leaving aside, what DD wants DD gets. Having said all that it would seem BR’s due diligence/judgment is questionable.
— Mo (@Notts52) January 28, 2024
Our board have been an embarrassment for years especially LAWELL senior. Happy to take £3million out the club but won’t spend money on players who will come in and do the job the manager wants, he will always take the cheap option.Never forget the John mc Ginn fiasco
— batfink? (@StevenL79438939) January 28, 2024
Brenda’s return is as bad as the tories bringing back Boris or Liz Truss.
Really!!!???
Record shows a pretty healthy win ratio against the hun klub, amongst other achievements so perhaps-have a pop at the board for their predictable ‘ lack of investment’ at vital times and not BRENDAN !!!!!
It’s not a lot to do with Brendan’s return, it is more to do with our boards real lack of forward thinking and thinking our club is they’re play thing and for some a very healthy pension. If you send what I mean.
The most culpable in all of this shit show is the absent landlord DD. Time to sell up and pass on to someone who will properly invest the fans dripping roast into the quality that is required. Celtic are in the process of handing over a league title to the tribute act and a potential £60m lifeline. It will then be Celtic who will be playing catch up for years to come.
Never wanted him back. We’re just a top up for his pension plan. Sevco’s directors have put millions into their enterprise. Remind me when any of ours did the same?
GET THAT BOARD TAE FUCK DIRTY TORY SCUMBAGS IF WE LOSE THIS TITLE I HOPE P.LAWWELL THINKS HARD HONEST CHASE THE RATS OUT NOW THIS IS ALL TO SAVE THE BLUE POUNDS DO THEY FORGET 1994 WHEN THAT LEGLESS BASTARD MURRAY TRYED TO SINK OUR CLUB WELL THE LAWWELLS YOUS BETTER THINK HARD ESPECIALLY AFTER THE LAST WAE THEY MAD BASTARDS EH..
The board are shite, we all know that. But BR has a lot to answer for – the fitba under him is boring as fuck and the players don’t seem to have a clue what they’re doing. He seems to have learned nothing from his last time here. He needs to go and take his ‘tactics’ with him.
It is the utter lack of ambition that gets me.
Our Boards ambition is simply to keep one step ahead of The Rangers domestically. That involves NOT spending the money we have.
This Board would sit with £100M in the bank as long as we finish above then in the league.
Europe: forget it. They have no interest in it other than qualifying for the Champions League group stages. After that they wouldn’t care if we lost every game six nill.
I think it’s about time that we point the finger at the actual culprits in the room, the ones hiding in plain sight (the suckers, the weaklings) because it’s not the Liewell’s or DD (they have a plan, they’re sticking to it, and don’t give a f&*k what we think), that takes balls. The real charlatans (culprits) are the Celtic fan base themselves. They’re notorious moaners who know that they are being taken for fools, and the current board knows that you are a bunch of loyal lapdogs, money-spinning eejits, faithfully blind through and through. Yet, when push comes to shove, Celtic fans back down and run away every time, and the board knows this.
If Celtic fans truly want change to happen, then stop f&%king moaning and put your money where your mouth is. Refuse to purchase any more season tickets (haven’t got the b&lls to do that, I don’t want to lose my seat), don’t buy any more merchandise, refuse to attend any matches, bleed the board dry of the only type of oxygen they are familiar with, which is our money, and force DD’s hand. If not, put your dummies back in your mouths and get back into your prams.
Good shout Tumas ,it makes sense but I can’t see it happening for the very reasons you have stated about blind loyalty to the club,but rightly so your thoughts and suggestions are the only way this shower of charlatans on the board will listen
I said when Rodgers came back as manager that no way it will work as long as Liewell is still pulling the strings,unless he goes I can see Rodgers walking out again,I can’t believe how Desmond could think it would be any different and work this time.
Why isn’t Dermot putting Lawwell in his place ? Surely this is’nt what he wants ? I would’nt blame Brendan if he walked . I hope he does’nt sign an NDA .
can i ask what these promises you all talk about were,brendans never mention promises nor garentees ,he did say on numerous occassions ,im happy with the recruitment set up here ,and im well aware of the model that celtic have in place ,and im happy to work within that ,, so i never heard any promises there ,and i think its us the supporters thats feels more let down than brendan
Editor: Are you aware of the phrase ‘duped’?
Wait and see, everybody thinks they know better but if any of you can name a player that would cost £10 million and be better than what we have you are dreaming, I would think we have a few in the team you wouldn’t sell for under £20 million and a couple at maybe £15 million name any that would replace them and walk into the team as quality?
While the Lawells are in situ we’re in trouble. This situation should never have been allowed to happen. Nepotism is rife at Celtic Park with the Lawells,McStays and Strachans the main beneficiaries. They make me sick.
If we lose this league they better look out the flags to cover the seats in the top tier. Corruption runs right through that boardroom. SACK THE BOARD.
Don’t know about that wullie but 70 million in the bank isn’t helping us ,and I can assure you sevco will gamble to win the league and secure CL groups where our board won’t,and as regards a player shankland could be the difference between us or sevco scoring enough goals to win the league.
After 17 years, PL exited as a very unpopular CEO amongst the support.
Despite this, it was presumably DD who decided to quickly bring PL
back as NED Chairman.
The appointment of BR is presumably a DD decision as well.
Regardless of what assurances / promises were made – to either PL or BR –
the support can see that it’s not working.
We were led to believe that ‘progress in Europe’ was a Board ambition,
but we witnessed another abject failure this season.
The ball is with DD to sort out: his decisions created this situation.
I have said this before on this site he only came back for the £3 million wage plus perks No interest in celtic whatsoever
While the Lawells are in situ we’re in trouble. This situation should never have been allowed to happen. Nepotism is rife at Celtic Park with the Lawells,McStays and Strachans the main beneficiaries. They make me sick.
If we lose this league they better look out the flags to cover the seats in the top tier. Corruption runs right through that boardroom. SACK THE BOARD.