Peter Lawwell, Michael Nicholson and Chris McKay applaud during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Livingston at Celtic Park on August 23, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
It looks increasingly like the board is daring Brendan Rodgers to walk away. Perhaps they believe the relationship is now too fractured to repair. Perhaps they hope to save themselves the cost of a severance package. Perhaps they simply tried to rehash a 2019 play – avert eyes, divert blame – carry on regardless.
Either way, they have left Rodgers to manage a weaker squad, out of the Champions League, with a daunting Europa League campaign ahead—and all while his own employers seemingly undermine him.
Rodgers, for his part, may have three million reasons to remain in the job. But what message does it send when your own board makes your position untenable in public?
Celtic fans protest during Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Livingston at Celtic Park on August 23, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
To be clear, Rodgers has not been free from criticism. Post-Munich, there were valid complaints. Celtic have yet to defeat theRangers in 2025. Other than that stunning display in Munich, big-game performances and wins have been thin on the ground. The Scottish Cup final loss on penalties defeat to Aberdeen was a bitter pill.
But context matters. After Munich, with little jeopardy left in domestic football, it is perhaps inevitable that motivation dropped. Returning to Scotland after Bayern, when the league was already wrapped up, was always going to be a motivational struggle. The cup final may have been the unfortunate culmination of that – dropping off, then just falling short when they needed to pick things up. Excuses? Maybe. Reasons? Just as valid.
This summer brought new challenges. Kieran Tierney –replaced Greg Taylor ,and Benjamin Nygren – arrived, on paper replacing Nicolas Kuhn. But in truth only those two genuine first-team starters were added.
Benjamin Nygren celebrates scoring during Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Livingston at Celtic Park on August 23, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Adam Idah was sold. Shin Yamada it could be argued was his replacement. £7m in, £1.2m out. Both could be considered back-ups for a main Celtic striker, a talisman. Kyogo having left in January window for £10m, was replaced after the summer window closed, by a free transfer.
Rodgers comments that had everyone remained, he needed three players to progress in Europe were ambitions not matched in the boardroom.
Summer ‘23 projects who failed were moved on, replaced by new projects, and the tell-tale loans and short-term contracts arrived for a season of drift as a manager runs down his contract.
Article continues on the next page…
Same old story!
Brendan tells the truth he the bad guy
Brendan says nothing he the bad guy
At least he has the balls to turn up and face the issues!
Can the same be said of Nicholson and his crew?
We the fans will always back the team, same can’t be said about the charlatans, parasites, egomaniacs that run our club. They can sit in their ivory tower and try to ride out the storm of their own making while the peasants revolt . BACK THE TEAM SACK THE BOARD.
Because someone thinks different from you they are a Charlton / parasite ( even though wages not that high, for any big club).
Funny how club for all , changes when you don’t get what you want.
Board have been best thing at Celtic for 20 years.
Hatred of Lawell started all this 15years ago, it has slowly grown not because of any truth but because most fans don’t think they follow the crowds.
All the things you are saying were said about “Fergus McCan” + lot more !! YET 15 years later fans understand he changed the club for the better “LONG TERM”.
The boards job is NOT to win every season.
The job is to win as much as possible over a period of time, be that 10-15-30 years . They gave done that, that’s what “fans” shareholders the board want.
Yes they need to communicate & alter few things, but rest if lot of crap.
Board are our strongest player, just like Fergus was, it was horrible watching Fergus era, BUT it was worth the pain !!
Got to trust the process
Process, what process ? Take big wages and bonuses while selling anyone worth any money and replace them with PROJECTS and expect the manager to work miracles with them whilst undermining him through their favourites in the media who hate us with a passion. The Fergus years were hard to start with as we were skint but we got through it, this time we have up to 100 million sitting in the bank gathering dust and paying corporation tax and big fat bonuses to the charlatans/parasites and all the while they insult us and clubs with derisory offers for players , always taking the cheap option and hoping to get a massive profit on them. Just you keep on happy clapping and your head in the sand and maybe the charlatans/parasites that run our club will come good ( in your dreams ) .
On a different note .
If there ARE 18,000 on the waiting list would it not be prudent to offer them tickets for matches that have 4/5000 people unable to attend.
Mainly due to SKY DECIDING WHEN WE CAN AND CANNOT PLAY OUR FIXTURES .
Some of the kick off times are beyond ludicrous.
Especially for supporters from Ireland, England and Wales
Not that our board are interested!
CamdenNWI
You are talking MINCE!
The boards job is to make everyone accountable.
If they are failing to do this then they leave
If they are doing their jobs then it is their duty and responsibility to inform everyone.
This is true whether you have 30,000,000 shares , one share or in some cases no shares but have the clubs best interest in mind