When Brendan Rodgers did his midnight flit to the English city of Leicester back in February 2019, for a while it became the Winter if Discontent as it had left the supporters and the Parkhead powerbrokers visibly aggravated and shaken. The Northern Irishman gave no notice as he upped sticks at the drop of a hat and decided that the allure of the Premier League was just too much to turn down – even if it did leave Celtic high and dry at the time.
The subsequent onslaught and tirade of abuse the ex-Celtic boss received from various quarters was acute as it was unforgiving. Many claimed that Rodgers had been working his ticket for some time and that is why then CEO Peter Lawwell declined to release funds during the summer of 2018. The club’s fabled pursuit of John McGinn, untimely exit in Champions League qualifying to AEK Athens and then sale of star striker Moussa Dembele ensured the heat was turned up on everyone associated with portions of power within the club.
It was a strained period of time during Rodgers’ tenure as he had one eye on the departure lounge at Glasgow Airport. The former Liverpool boss has spoken out again about his decision to quit the club he supported as a boy on Kammy and Ben’s Proper Football Podcast: “Challenge. I think we had qualified for the Champions League two seasons running. We’d won the Double Treble, we’d brought great investment into the club”, as reported by Football Scotland.
“But I felt to make the next steps in Europe, we needed investment. It was a little bit of…I don’t think the club had that investment to put in, to compete at that level. It was also the challenge. It was such a difficult thing to leave because of the friends, the club and everything.
“But the number one thing for me in my life is to take on a challenge. And I felt that it wasn’t the ideal time to leave, but where I’d left the club from when I came in, the club had won seven trophies on the spin with the records and everything that we’d done. We filled the stadium again. We gave the team back hope because when we first came in we’d just lost to (the)Rangers and (the)Rangers were coming into the league. I felt we’d built up a great togetherness there.
“When I left, we were eight points clear and in the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup. We’d already won the League Cup and we were in a really good position in the league. Neil (Lennon) came in, he did really well and won the league and Scottish Cup. The team finishes nine points clear and has a good foundation for the following season. Me coming into here (Leicester City), the challenge was could I disrupt the market? Could I bring a team into the top-six. The top-six had been very set here in the Premier League for a number of years. I think the only team who did beat that when they won the league was Leicester.
“So the challenge coming to here was, I felt it was a good squad and a fantastic owner. They had the plans for the training facility. Could we go into somewhere that gives us the chance to break into the top-six, even though it was going to be a huge challenge? That was the reason I left. It was such a hard one, such a difficult one. But I only look at the great memories, the great people, the great friends I’ve made there, the happy moments that I had. And then it was the next step in the journey.”
There is always two sides to every story and I firmly believe that it is somewhere in the middle. Rodgers would always have wanted to take that huge ego of his back into the riches and exposure of the English Premier League. However, at the same time, there is no excuse for Peter Lawwell failing to sign John McGinn as he would have been a long-term solution to Celtic’s midfield problem and would have definitely made us a profit somewhere down the line.
Sometimes for the greater good of the club, people who are in positions of responsibility should let there narcissism and internal politics rest. That was not the case in this situation. Two men with ideas above their station deficated on the beautiful crest of our club and history will never forgive them for it. In many ways, it was the chain reaction of events from this seminal point that cost us an unprecedented Ten-in-a-row.
Paul Gillespie
Who cares, your just like rangers to me now…
An excellent piece. The lack of investment at Leicester this summer has been the product of financial fair play as much as a lack of money or a willingness to spend by the club’s owners. As in Scotland, what Premier League clubs are allowed to spend is related to their revenue. This is designed to prevent rich owners from using their own money to bankroll a club whatever it is able to bring in through broadcasting rights and commercial revenue. The revenues of the rich 6 clubs are much higher than Leicester’s and they are thus able to spend more on players and wages (together with, in the case of Manchester City, some dodgy deals and the employment of good lawyers). Rodgers’ future at Leicester will depend, to a large extent, on the degree to which the fan base understands the financial predicament the club is in.
He was shafted by Lawwell in both windows. If he had gone at the end of August ‘18 I’m sure he would have been shown a lot of sympathy and understanding following the treble treble. He should have had the courage to walk then showing two fingers to the arrogance of Lawwell. I like many many others gave up partially paid season tickets at that point in protest. Instead he waited on an EPL vacancy and upset thousands p, which I understand. However, his achievements are legendary and, are unlikely to be ever repeated, he will forever have an elevated place in the history of the club.
Couldn’t agree more Lanarkbhoy. I wasn’t one of them, but I know a lot of people were super pissed at Rogers leaving in February with no notice. However, he had won everything domestically, and Leicester weren’t willing to wait until the end of the season to get their man, so that’s something I can fully understand. Of course I was disappointed with everyone else, but never to the point that I felt hate or wished bad things on the man. He’s absolutely 100% correct. He left us in a wry much better situation than what he inherited when he came in, and for that alone, he should always be welcome and have forever legendary status.
HAIL HAIL
KEEP THE FAITH🍀🍀
No, he was the one doing the shafting!
He has been coming up with a variety of different “reasons” since he ran away to the mediocrity of Leicester City. He went for one reason and one reason only. Greed, personal greed.
For some reason many we continue to read how “Lawwell” ruined so much.
Peter Lawwell is responsible for making us the club we are today and has ensured that unlike the old extinct club who used to hail from Govan, we will not be in danger of going under and disappearing down the sewer.
Too many fans don’t see the good business work that Peter Lawwell has done simply because they don’t understand it.
Rodgers stabbed the club, board and fans in the back. He blatantly lied in the faces of fans worldwide.
Sure, Lawwell might have done a few things better, but overall he removed our debt and put us in the very strong operational position of today.
We are who and what we are because of Peter Lawwell.
Maybe one day rodgers will decide which one of the excuses he is giving as his favourite.
He has tried exactly the same tactics at Leicester! He’s tried the oldest trick in the book to let other clubs he’s ready to jump ship there too! Reverse psychology!
“Why would I want to move from here?” “This is my dream job”.
In other words, I’m ready to walk away for a bigger payday”. “Just call me”.
Rodgers is a low life scumbag.
Disagree with you completely there. Why isnt Gerard getting the same vitriol for upping sticks at rangers in mid season and going to villa. Unlike Celtic they failed to retain their title. There is always more to every story. He led Celtic to the treble twice won the lot and had them playing a nice brand of football. This thing of calling him a scumbag is just vile and undeserved. Fair enough you were disappointed with the way he left but he still done great work at parkhead.
Totally agree with you Joe. Peter lawwell did a great job for Celtic and that should never be forgotten.