Brendan Rodgers is delighted to hear the Celtic support once again chanting his name but as long as the support is backing the team on the park, then any personal adulation coming his way is no more than an added bonus for the Celtic manager, who is settling into his second spell at the club and has the fans chanting his name just before the Last Christmas chant gets going again.
Of course with both sets of Ultras missing the match against Aberdeen tomorrow that chant and many others may have to wait a week or two yet before they’re heard. The Green Brigade are still suspended while the Bhoys Celtic group, who are usually found at the opposite side of Paradise, are boycotting tomorrow’s game in a solidarity with their fellow Celtic Ultras.
Talks between the club and the Green Brigade appear to be edging closer and hopefully a resolution can be found sooner rather than later.
Asked by a member of the Celtic fan media if he was pleased to hear the supporters chanting his name again in recent weeks, Brendan Rodgers once again made it clear that he understood the hurt that his sudden departure in February 2019 caused within the Celtic support.
“It is great. Listen, I understand that it was going to be different from when I first came in because of the hurt and everything that was there,” the Celtic manager said.
“I always felt that time would hopefully resolve that. I would hopefully show my commitment to being here but I understood it. There are people who will never get over what happened when I was here the first time and that is the reality of it.
“It is great. If you are a club and you are together as one then that unity really allows you to go forward. I know being a Celtic manager having that support and what it gives the team.
“That strength that you get from that is very important. I am blessed to work at a club where the support makes a genuine difference to a club and its performance.
“More often than not this season the team have performed well and it is great for the team to have the backing, of course, if it comes to the manager then great. As long as the players get it that for me is what’s most important,” the Celtic manager said.
