Imagine Brendan Rodgers was tonight facing a second leg Champions League qualifier away from home under added pressure due to a poor first leg showing in Glasgow. The chance of a multi-million pound bounty hanging by a thread. Money that is vital to the club’s financial status. All this on Brendan’s shoulders.
Celtic v Ross County – cinch Premiership – Celtic Park Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers arrives for the cinch Premiership match at Celtic Park, Saturday August 5, 2023. Photo Steve Welsh
Add to that an opening day defeat that sees him cut adrift from the top of the table after only two games, despite spending many millions on virtually a new side. Imagine.
The media would have Brendan’s jacket on a shoogly peg already. The knives would be out as back page after back page would be negative news about the ‘under pressure’ Celtic manager, the players and the club. Well, they are actually doing it currently and we sit top of the table with two wins from two and have guaranteed Champions League group stage football to look forward to.
Michael Beale, Manager of Rangers, reacts during the Scottish Cup Semi Final match between Rangers and Celtic at Hampden Park on April 30, 2023. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
So why does Michael Beale who is currently facing that kind of pressure moment enjoy such a free ride? He’s been in the job nine months, and he’s so far failed at all his meaningful tasks. Failed to win the League Cup Final against Celtic, failed to win narrow the gap on Celtic until after the league was lost, failed to save their season when losing to Celtic in the Scottish Cup semi-final back in April.
He’s crowed on about having more money to spend than any theRangers manager in recent times. Yet he’s lost his first league game and heads to Switzerland tonight holding a slender lead after struggling to overcome Servette’s second string.
The media’s narrative is clear for all to see, not that any Celtic supporter should be surprised.
Just an Ordinary Bhoy
Meanwhile, check out Matt Corr speaking to the one and only Martin O’Neill on The Celtic Star Podcast…
