‘He was the spirit and heartbeat of an iconic team – the Lisbon Lions,’ Brendan’s Better Late than Never Tribute to Cesar

BRENDAN RODGERS finally got round to paying his respects to Celtic legend Billy McNeill who passed away on Monday night. We have been critical this week regarding the silence from Leicester City – one of the view clubs which failed to post their condolences via heir social media channels – and also their manager, who like Billy is a former Celtic manager.

Billy managed both Manchester City and Aston Villa in between the two occasions he managed Celtic and the Birmingham club have announced that their players will wear black armbands on Sunday in their match against Leeds Utd.

Disappointingly Manchester City failed to show the same level of respect to their former manager – Billy was at Maine Road from 1983-86 – when they played at Old Trafford this week. Too much money and not enough class.

Rodgers was asked earlier today if he agreed with Neil Lennon who yesterday supported the idea that Celtic should retire the Number 5 jersey as a tribute to Billy McNeill.

“Neil has got a point and you see it with those clubs around the world with iconic figures,” Rodgers said to the media, as reported in Daily Record.

“It is a sad day when you are aware of Billy’s history as a player and a manager.

“He was the spirit and heartbeat of an iconic team – the Lisbon Lions, the first team in Britain to win the European Cup and he was the leader of that team.

“He was an iconic symbol for Celtic supporters growing up who played for the team and went on to manage them.

“Like Celtic do, the football club are absolutely brilliant looking after the families of the legends.

“I was fortunate to have met Billy when I was there and his legacy was pretty clear.”

Martin O’Neill, another former Celtic manager working in the Midlands, was quick to pay his tribute to Cesar in an emotional, heart-felt interview on Sky Sports. So today’s comments are a case of better late than never from Rodgers.

About Author

The Celtic Star founder and editor, who has edited numerous Celtic books over the past decade or so including several from Lisbon Lions, Willie Wallace, Tommy Gemmell and Jim Craig. Earliest Celtic memories include a win over East Fife at Celtic Park and the 4-1 League Cup loss to Partick Thistle as a 6 year old. Best game? Easy 4-2, 1979 when Ten Men Won the League. Email editor@thecelticstar.co.uk

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