It is a fact that billionaires tend to get what they want.
I’ve just been informed that Dermot Desmond and Brendan Rodgers are meeting now in London.
The man with the private plane wants white smoke on this without further delay and an announcement to the London Stock Exchange first thing tomorrow morning.
Since Ange said his goodbyes, the Celtic Fifth Estate has stepped up.
This ACSOM bulletin from today is definitely worth your time, especially the contribution from John Hughes.
The observations by @yogijunior3 about the role of the club’s current chairman certainly tie in with what well-placed sources have told me.
There is no doubt about the abilities of Brendan Rodgers as a football manager.
It is the emotional baggage he has regarding his moonlight departure in February 2019.
For example, this young Donegal lad was clearly taking it very personal.
If Dermot Desmond gets his way in London today, then it will be Act Two of Señor Terminado.
Some of my Celtic amigos would style it more like La Rata ha vuelto.
His conduct in February 2019 was inconsistent with someone who claimed that he had been “born into Celtic”.
Not a chance.
However, given the available candidates, the appointment is a no-brainer.
The footie experts I have consulted have assured me that with a few tweaks, Brendanball will look a lot like the Postecoglou approach that delivered the treble last season.
Perhaps the Irishman will even be able to coax those introverted fullback chaps out of their shell in midfield, but other than that, I’m told that the Hoops will still, certainly in domestic competitions, aggressively go for it again.
Just as in February 2019, I was irked at what was unfolding on Planet Parkhead over the last ten days.
Back then, I had set aside some precious writing time.
Sadly the Brendan voyages scuppered my plans to delve into the sequel to The Squad.
Anyway, I got there in the end.
I didn’t take it personal at the time.
It was just business.
Native Shore is, by publication date, one-year-old tomorrow.
As I stated in the introduction, I was aiming for a Godfather 2 effect,a sequel that would still work as a stand-alone story.
The feedback I’ve received in the last twelve months has been hugely gratifying.
With over thirty years in Scottish publishing, my Aberdonian publisher, a top fella, is still baffled that such a highly topical novel has yet to have a single review in Fair Caledonia.
I reassured him that it isn’t him. It’s a Fenian thing.
Discover more from Phil Mac Giolla Bháin
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Incredible levels of entitlement around BR. He left after 3 successful seasons (well clear in league and 2 games from cup treble) Celtic were well compensated. Brendan was well compensated. It’s not 1960s, its a global business (good thing or not is different story) but anyone who says that they would have turned down the opportunity to manage a team in the EPL with top a 4 budget and the commensurate salary increase is talking with as much delusion as they ascribe to Brendan. If he wins the league (by 1pt or 10 it matters not) and is able to get a performance or two in Europe I for one will be happy)
The manner in which Brendan Rodgers left the club was reprehensible. No matter what Machiavellian stunts Peter Lawwell pulled in the background, Brendan should have seen the season out and then walked away (even if he did feel that he’d been conned into rejecting the offer to manage in China)
Brendan Rodgers didn’t cost us “The 10”. It was a combination of events which conspired against us:
1: Covid
2: The Boli Bolingoli affair
3: And, most importantly failing to secure the services of Fraser Forster for an extra year.
We all need to be grown up about this, just “forgive & forget”.
Lest we forget, he gave us The Invincibles. I for one am convinced that he can deliver The Invincibles Part 2.
Hail and Hail again!
Jeez – Good to get back commenting on this wonderful blog once again – and all because I just got a wee tip off to turn off JavaScript now I can see the full screen again… Slainte Kyra !
On to Brendan then… Gutted at him leaving when he did but as always there’s always a reason, but 7 outta 7 wasn’t too shabby at all… His fault ? Lawwell’s fault ? – As always the truth will lie somewhere in the middle !
Have him back ? – If he’s gonna be The Sevco Slayer then Absolutely ! – The Champions League, I need to be realistic about things, we will be cannon fodder for at least four (6 depending on the luck of the draw) of the games due to the rigged structure of the competition and I accept that situation given it’s skewed draw and competing clubs…
Celtic have overtaken The original and late Rangers in the treble count – that means the world to me so it does – we have every record – let us overtake the original and late Rangers’ trophy hall next season for the first time in many seasons ( I know it’s irrelevant as they’re deceased- but anyway) and it’s imperative we overcome the disgusting cheats with flags and whistles as well as it’s a miracle we won the title last season given what we faced from officials and VAR..
Make no mistake, it’ll be a million times worse next season with unprecedented Champions League cash available in Season 2024/25 !
Domestic supremacy or a lengthy run in Europe next season – For me Domestic supremacy all day long and get that mega money in 2024/25 and keep The New ‘Rangers ‘ well Sevco down eternally please !!!
The best manager for the job whilst not being the best human being. We’re employing the manager to do a job, the rest is not our responsibility as long as he does what we pay him for?
Most Celtic fans would in all honesty welcome Rodgers back. Yes, he done the dirty but being a fan since the sixties I’ve since what every Celtic board has done to players and managers alike.
Mostly disgraceful.As for the ” brigade” they’ll do their bit but in all honesty they a vocal but minority of the Celtic support and I would venture to guess that if Rodgers flies out the traps their banners will be in full support
Clubs come in and take our managers and players because we are a successful club.
Could this be why no one has wanted to buy Tavernier in seven seasons with Sevco? Why no offers were received for More-or-less and Kent?
Incidentally, has anyone noticed the recent comments appearing in the press regarding the latter two? It seems they didn’t actually run down their contracts and walk. No, they were FREED by Sevco!!!
Will Celtic be able to rehabilitate Brendan for a second time? They surely can’t sell him into the premier league again even if he manages a couple of trebles and some progress in Europe but what Desmond might have decided that there is more than one market nowadays and aim to sell him to the Middle East/USA next time.
Not disappointed now , very disappointed the way he left . But the interference of mr L made up his mind . We still got £9m compensation,which is a lot to our club in our league. Onwards and upwards
Also, I love Godfather 2, though I’m not sure it really works as a standalone movie. Perhaps there’s a Brendan returning metaphor in there somewhere.
I agree with John Hughes. I don’t think Brendan Rodgers is a good character.
I can contextualise his departure in 2019 (though there’s no way to make it good). At the time, I justified my anger by saying that I’d have been fine with him leaving at the end of the season, with the job done (as I’ve said before, I have zero problem with anything Ange Postecoglou has done and I wish him nothing but success; incidentally, David Davutovic’s take on Postecoglou is easily the best-informed thing I’ve read on the matter in the last week). I was angry because he left with a league and cup yet in the balance. Well, we won both. So, logically it stopped making sense to keep holding that particular grievance. Everything turned out the way I’d said I’d have been ok with. Appointing Lennon permanently wasn’t Rodgers’ fault, and even that took time to unravel (as it was always going to – hence why you’re always better off with fleeting quality than loyal mediocrity).
But I remember speaking to a very close friend the week after Rodgers left and we quickly agreed that the reason we were so vitriolic was because we always knew he was a frankly unlikable character. Pompous; the kind of person you’d hate to be sat next to at a wedding. The kind of boss you’d leave a job over. Easy to mock. We’d shard ‘deluded Brendan’ tweets throughout his tenure. We’d laughed, because we knew there was something true in there. We went back to the Liverpool documentary clips etc.
I’ll be interested to see whether it makes footballing sense. I know Alan Morrison came out explicitly in favour of Rodgers last week, but he’s analysed the huge differences in styles between Rodgers (control) and Postecoglou (press, create a high volume of dangerous situations) for the last 18 months. I’m not an expert, but obviously I’ve had a season ticket for the whole time. The style and approach are not the same. I really don’t think a lot of the (even very key) players fit the Rodgers style. But, I could easily be wrong on that.
I’m also concerned about the markets he likes to shop in. Even if we give him every penny we can find to do so, I still don’t think they’ll give you the value that the markets Ange was able to tap into gave us. I can only hope that the Head of Recruitment has been picking things up and that Rodgers chooses to engage (though if, as you suggest, the HoR is being overruled by the largest shareholder, then things probably are pretty desperate; billionaires will tend to get what they want, but richer billionaires don’t tend to meddle in such relative pettiness).
But, I’m mainly concerned by the impact this is likely to have on the fans. People do seem to be coming round – that’s fair enough. But when I’m speaking to other Celtic fans, I’m getting the very clear impression that we’re assuming we’re going back to 5-0 thumpings of Sevco and 20+ advantages at the top of the league. Rangers are better than they were five years ago. By miles, and by any measure.
In Rodgers’ second season (when so far as I can see, he was fully backed*: not one significant player from the previous campaign left, including one or two we maybe should have cashed in on, we added Ntcham, we spent a fortune bringing Roberts back on loan, at Rodgers’ public insistence…), we ended up with 83 points. Rangers got 87 last season, and 92 this season. Rangers can, and inevitably will win the league here and there. The same way Feyenoord/PSV or Porto/Sporting will. Rangers have 102 points that they’re favourites for, without having to pick up any against Celtic.
If we bring Rodgers in and there’s even the slightest hint he won’t win the league next season, we should sack him. There’s zero point in having him for any other reason.
I accept that he’s an excellent manager. His record at Leicester was excellent for three seasons. I am amazed he’s interested in coming back to Celtic; he in no way needs to do so, at all. I also think that Celtic fans could do with a manager we know is an arsehole from the off: kill off the manager-is-god nonsense (though I’d hoped that would have happened last time around). But, this could end badly, easily.
*The problems came the following season, clearly. The board didn’t fully back him that summer, though he was also flirting with going to China etc. And that takes me back to my markets issue. Putting McGinn to one side, Rodgers wanted us spending £12m for players that lower end EPL teams were bidding for. Is that the best way for Celtic to spend its money? It’s not what the success of the last two seasons were built on. Were the board in no way right not to back such adventurism for a manager with one eye out the door anyway?
Ach listen pal, don’t you think you may with your many pointed and frankly over egging the pudding attitude be talking slightly less sense than is …… sensible…..feel free to disregard this and stfu.
Not sure I follow, but, no I don’t think I think that.
On balance, probably won’t stfu altogether (though the intensity of my interest as well as the amount of time I have on my hands will come and go).
But, thought it would be rude to disregard altogether.
Best.
Utter garbage, sober up, or wise up, or shut up. Sad you have the time to produce that nonsense. Your message is, Rodgers not for you, that is YOUR opinion, and you, and us unfortunately are entitled to it.
Thanks for the FB. It didn’t take long to write, so no need to be sad for me. Don’t forget your inalienable entitlement not to read it.
Which bit(s) is (are) garbage?
The reasons for my own personal dislike of Rodgers?
That Celtic fans are increasingly assuming that Rodgers is a slam dunk for the league? I could definitely be wrong on that, though it appears to be the verdict according to ACSOM, 20 Minute Tims, The Celtic Exchange etc.
That if that’s not the case, it will be all the more ugly?
That I, personally, don’t think that he’s as likely to cruise to the league title as other Celtic fans appear to?
That Rangers are wildly better than they were when he was last in charge – including during his second, expensively-backed campaign?
That his style is significantly different to Postecoglou’s and the squad will need changes?
That he likes to shop in the most expensive markets possible, whereas I prefer the clubs recent successes in lesser-explored markets?
That a majority shareholder getting directly involved in manager-recruitment makes the club look like a joke?
That the breakdown between Rodgers and the board in his third season may not have been entirely the fault of the board?
This didn’t take long to write either.
I would hope the HoR is someone BR can gt along with and they have a sensible strategy. There is still the (hopeful? naive?) part of me that thinks Rodgers is the safe pair of hands to keep us ticking over while we revolutionise behind the scenes and get a DoF and proper analytics dept etc etc. which is then ready for the next time Brendan chases the knickers of an EPL club.
His markets last time weren’t the right ones for current Celtic, that’s true. Though I would hope our setup will mean the markets we’ve opened remain in place and he just rubber stamps the players we as a club identify, or bins them.
Formation/tactics wise I agree. Though in his defence BR is slightly more willing to change tact than Ange seemed. If he can balance Angeball with a bit of defensive nous and midfield steel we might reap pretty significant rewards.
The biggest worry for me is BR and PL in the same club. That is never going to end well.
On your first point (Rodgers and the HoR), my (possibly and hopefully very wrong) hunch is that this particular appointment would make that less likely. First, the HoR is Mark Lawwell and reportedly it’s Peter Lawwell that Rodgers wants put back in his box (I know that that could be nonsense too, but I’m just going with what’s being said). Much as it might be interesting to see how that Oedipal drama would play out, I just can’t see it.
We could of course appoint a new HoR, but that would be a backward step from the kinds of progress you and I both want to see and had naively hoped was already underway: binning and replacing personnel from the wider football operation at the whim of the new manager. That’s us back to personality cult stuff (which comes crashing down when he troops off to Aston Villa or wherever in one/two years – which I’ve no issue with him doing, but still).
Also, Rodgers is clearly (and, to be fair, with some justification) an obvious egomaniac. In the context of Celtic, I just cannot imagine he’ll fall into line behind any overarching structure. He’ll do the job on the basis that he knows more than everyone else, and that he’s treated as such on an hourly basis. He might very well get on with a HoR on the basis that the HoR does everything he tells him to and is willing to be the fall guy whenever something goes wrong. But that’s not how it works at well run football clubs.
Rodgers also publicly rubbished the very notion of DoFs during his last time in charge – when Cathro was appointed at Hearts. I remember his answer being very defensive and it being pretty obvious that he would not tolerate it happening to him (or certainly not in Scotland, ‘I’m Brendan fucking Rodgers, you know’ type vibe).
If there is to be any meaningful modernisation of the club, it will most likely have to happen after this manager. I don’t get the impression our club will ever get round to doing it until it’s way too late. If we don’t act soon, all of our reasonable European benchmark teams will just keep pulling away from us.
My bigger worry is Desmond, to be honest. The billionaire largest shareholder swanning in does not indicate that the football operation has progressed at all, or that if it has, he doesn’t care, and will maintain his right to do what he likes. This is especially frustrating given that his last big play – for Howe – was a humiliating disaster and led to us going back to the candidate identified by the football operation, which was the better appointment. His hubris cost us two months.
Beyond that, I largely agree with you, as I generally do.
I am probably using too many words to say something like: this just feels off to me. I don’t think it will end well. There are other managers out there. Is it even rational to assume that this was the very best we could do? (If indeed it happens, of course.)
But, I do get it too. He is a genuinely excellent manager for all I don’t much like him as a character.
Obviously (I hope) I wasn’t meaning to imply above that I don’t think Rodgers will win the league. Celtic will be favourites for the league regardless. We have just won the treble, we’re in the CL, we have the best team and squad in the country, without a doubt. We have players tied up on long term contracts; no one good is going for free, and getting money for player sales is good.
I was more trying to stress that he’s not necessarily a gimme. He’s been well-backed against a poorer league (i.e. a league with a much poorer Rangers) and churned out a very low points total in the past. It’s not that I think that’s LIKELY, should he be in charge this season, but the idea of him failing is not out of the question – as it wouldn’t be for anyone. My fear is that HIM, specifically, failing would lead to the ugliest atmosphere I could imagine at the club.
But, again, I could be miles and miles and miles off here and, should he be appointed, clearly I hope that I am.
I`m among those who wold prefer he didn`t become our next manager but am minded that if he does, then so be it. Fans opinions aside, why would HE want to come back? No unfinished business that I can think of and “born into it” ain`t going to cut it this time.
Phil, I’ve read Native Shore but I’m not a fenian. While I’m not a professional reviewer I would heartily recommend it to anyone, especially in the current political climate.
Phil, loved The Squad and as a sequel Native Shore was just brilliant and as you say also works as a stand alone read. Really so much going on throughout, intriguing page turner to the end. Also perhaps more interesting because you describe many familiar Glasgow places with such detail … felt I was there sometimes. I would recommend – Great holiday read.
We don’t and will never know the reasons he left the way he did, my biggest worry is Lawell not Rodgers. If he comes back we all need to realise he’s here to do a job and I think he will do a decent job making sure we stay ahead of them and hopefully be a bit more pragmatic in Europe in other words harder to beat. The rest of the people mentioned give me the fear including the Norwegian guy. I honestly couldn’t see us improving in Europe under Ange so I think Brendan is a no brainer.
I for one am delighted if brendan comes in, alike some..
I reckon lawells interference caused him to leave first time around.
Marian Shved looked to be the proverbial straw..
But with our current squad, topped up with a couple of good signings I reckon he will smash der hun.
If he goes in two seasons hopefully ange will be returning ! 😁
Take emotions out of the equation wish is nearly impossible regarding Celtic we are Celtic not billionaires not management not coaches not players win games win trophy after trophy improve players upgrade keep sevco in our shadow
For me, older wiser heads should always prevail….the project is to culturally destroy ‘The Rangers’.
Rodgers was and is a good manager and his reappointment shouldn’t be left to the tittle tattle and greeting of stupid wee boays with the ‘millenial’ sense of ‘dominance’.
I am so disappointed Celtic have went for this money grabber He is a good manager that’s he is not an Ange with exciting football and positivity,my opinion is we will go backwards. Ye we will beat the ranger,maybe but the team will not forward.Sorry for being negative but an skunard .
We deffo will go forward,he will be given the funds no other celtic manager has,and we will push on in Europe
Go forward like Leicester City, demoted to the Championship. And, funds you write, Leicester City total wage bill for 2023 is: £105,917,760 per year £2,036,880 per week. He would blow that money on the same type of no-marks he brought into Leicester. You provide no reasons or information on your assertions.
To be fair though John, I think anyone we hire would be a step backwards from Ange.
Phil, one of the rumours flying around when Brendan left was that there was interreference from Lawwell. Do you think one of the conditions for his return will be for the board to keep their noses out of team matters?
If he keeps the philosophy of Angeball and adds a bit of sense/steel in Europe we will benefit. But this is surely only as a stop gap while we revamp. We’re surely to God not just doing another 2 year cycle of a manager to be here again when he leaves. We *must* be putting a proper footballing dept on under a director of football in the background while Brendan runs his cycle.
And Lawwell needs to focus on his own role and stay the eff away from footballing matters.
Rodgers was NOT KNOWN for steel in defence. 12-1, 9-0, aggregate defeats to PSG and Barcelona respectively. Compare that to a win and a last minute defeat, down to an individual error, ten years ago, when Iniesta and Messi et al.were in their pomp.
Oh aye, who can forget the mighty Lincoln Red Imps.
Not with Celtic first time, no. But in his first 2 seasons at Leicester their defence did ok. He was better with them in Europe than he was with us or Liverpool too. This suggests growth. His Leicester team only really started to struggle when the players were sold without his blessing or foreknowledge and not replaced. I suspect he will set us up a bit less naively in European games. If (there’s that word from my first post that you overlooked) he can balance it right we may be onto something good.
I do like this optimism btw, Martin, and yes, that would be ideal.
Native shore not on kindle yet ?
Should have taken a signed copy when first published, selling for £50 in oxfam.
Think Brendens therigjt choice, can’t hold a grudge forever
Not on Kindlke and no plans for that as far as I know.
Signed copies still available from the publishers.
I have followed you for many a year Phil . What I have most enjoyed, is the fact that you seem to be a man of Principle…you don’t seem to be railroaded by public opinion , but you stick to the Facts of a situation and moreover the Credibility or otherwise of the characters involved .
This is why I simply cannot believe that you seem to be falling into line with the ‘ collective amnesia ‘ which seems to have swept over much of my fellow Celtic supporters .
It has become patently clear , according to some fans , that the deep pain and hurt caused in February 2019 by this ex-Leicester manager (whom we now seem to be desperately pursuing ) does NOT have to be addressed by this ” NEVER a Celt , ALWAYS a fraud ” ex-manager…..
All he seems to have to do , is walk back in , start winning matches and hey-presto , the way he used and ultimately abused both our support and our club , will simply be forgotten .
I believe strongly in Forgiveness , Phil….it’s one of the bedrocks of trying to be a decent human being .
However, Forgiveness must be sought …one has to recognise , accept and acknowledge the hurt and pain we have caused others BEFORE we can even hope to be Forgiven .
This particular individual has not only failed to show a scrap of remorse , contrition or a semblance of apology for his actions of February 2019 …he rubbed our noses in it by disgracefully writing an article in the Daily Ranger towards the end of 2019 , whereby , because his Leicester team were sitting 2nd in the EPL , he now expected the Celtic support to understand and accept why he left our club with 10 games to go in a season !!….
This self-absorbed
, narcissistic attitude of this person knows no limits Phil .
No apology , no acceptance of hurt caused…Nothing !!!
And yet…here we are as a club , ready to welcome this non-Celt back into the fold…practically begging him to come back…
If he were to make a full , unconditional and genuine apology then I would IMMEDIATELY accept this act of contrition and move on .
…however I won’t hold my breath…because of the person he is !
We have to be , we MUST be , a club and a support that is far more than about just winning football matches…we have to have self-respect and standards which do not allow for people who abuse our support and our club , to return without apologising in full for their disgraceful behaviour in the past .
I hope you , and maybe some other fans who may read this , can reflect on this Phil…
Otherwise…
We will go from being..
” A Club Like NO Other “…
to…
” A Club Like ANY Other ”
☘️🇮🇪
Welcome to the real world old oldbhoy.
Welcome home Brendan, finish the job!!
I’m a bit confused why you would accept an apology from someone like Rodgers. To me it would mean nothing so I would not want one as it would be meaningless.
Your feelings are your own but disappointment is part and parcel of being a football fan. Betrayal also is there.
People will say “What about the way he left ?”
I was there the night Celtic fans booed Dalglish in Jock Stein’s testimonial. Charlie Nicholas, Maurice Johnson, Brian McLair, the Three Amigos………. the list goes on and on culminating in Ange.
Our fans need to get their head round the fact this is a mercenary sport. Very few with the exception of Forrest, Brown, and McGregor stay into a second contract.
The fact we are successful actually dictates that because the more successful we are then the more wealthy clubs come in to buy our players and managers.
That’s why Tavenier has been with The Rangers for seven seasons.
I’d prefer Rodgers to most of the other candidates I’ve heard us linked with.
Well said! You’ve saved my single digit typing finger a lot of grief. You’ve summed up my feelings accurately. I don’t think I could add to that.
When he was appointed first time round I was ambivalent about it. Something about, the guy just rubbed me the wrong way. My, since departed, Irish mother who was 90 the year he arrived, said after the first TV interview she watched, “I would not trust that man as far as I could throw!”
And she was right
Okay, just so long as he keeps his right hand away from slapping the badge on his jacket. We can do without all that crap now.
It can be if he has guarantees his plans will not be kyboshed by you know who?.
Get Calmac further forward…
Since no one actually knows who the available list of candidates might really include, other than those speculated about on websites, it is difficult to say absolutely that he is the best choice. He might be Dermot’s choice – the 2 are not necessarily the same.
Absolutely. That things are coming down to Dermot’s preferences shows us up as a bit of a basket case vanity project.
Disappointing given that the board didn’t need to pull a rabbit from a hat this time. The season ticket money was in.
They could just have ignored us, made a well-considered and well-researched appointment like a proper football club does.
But, nope, back to Dermot – who’s not a football professional and whose contacts appear to be rich-guy golf tournament buddies – knows best.
Looking forward to the return of Brendan. At the end othe day it’s a business and he is the best man for the job. That’s how it works normally. But then again that’s not always the case in this fair land. Also looking forward to the next book. I found the previous ones unputdownable. If that’s a word.
Rodgers return will see a definite change in the shape of the team. I very much doubt he will surrender the centre of midfield the way AP did in favour of overloads down the flank. It will be interesting to watch that is for sure
Rodgers won 7 trophies in a row. If I’d been asked to pick between one of them returning I’d have picked Rodgers over Lawwell.
I see it this way, we need a manager, we have by the looks of it found one. OK he left, not a great thing to do. But he is still a good manager. I really do think he will be a good signing for Celtic (again), will he leave again likely, hopefully not during the night.
I support Celtic, I always will. People come and go, fact of life.
He knows he has a lot to do to win over some of our support, but we need to back him, or we give ammunition to those that hate us.
Keep at them Phil.
TAL 🇮🇪
Phil, now, maybe I am just cynical but I believe their is a 2 week cooling off period for season ticket renewals after the season ticket renewal date.
That cut of time just happens to be today.
Tomorrow they will unveil Brendan.
Maybe they were expected some people to hand their season tickets back !!!
Cynical business football.
BTW….I support Brendan coming back, I think he’ll be even better the 2nd time around.
Yep, you are cynical.
Video celts announcing it’s a done deal, the day people can no longer cancel their season tickets….I dont think I am the cynical one.