Pants On Fire – Brendan Rodgers versus Dermot Desmond…
The shock of – once again – waking up here in Brisbane to the news that Brendan Rodgers had ‘resigned’, has been tempered by a sense of relief. Not personal against Rodgers, but hopefully the end of an internal feud which has the whole club at odds with each other, particularly the support.
Here’s my devil’s advocate take…
The Celtic Board at Tynecastle.. Hearts v Celtic, 26 October 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)
THE BOARD; The board has been under fierce attack for some time, particularly overseeing a shambolic transfer window – or two, most recently culminating in Celtic’s appalling exit from the Champions League against Kairat Almaty, not Real Madrid.
The infuriating collapse in this term’s league campaign has been gut-wrenching, despite being only nine games in. Hearts forging eight points ahead of us at this stage, and the manner of our capitulation is more than worrying; it’s deeply concerning.
Peter Lawwell, Chairman of Celtic, Dermot Desmond, Non-Executive Director of Celtic, and Michael Nicholson, CEO of Celtic, are seen in attendance prior to the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and theRangers at Celtic Park on March 16, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Rodgers has consistently pointed the finger at the board, citing a lack of leadership and support from his paymasters. He continually points out that he can only work with the tools he is given, and they are substandard, to say the least.
SOME support groups are at pains to demonize the board, and have demanded their immediate exit from the premises. Others say they are upholding the financial stability of the club, are wizened in their approach to wheeling and dealing, and the fundamental aspects of long term sustainability.
The board have always defended their stance, claiming to be ‘Celtic supporters one and all, and with the good of the club at heart’. There has always been an invisible chasm between the two parties, but the latest damning statement from Dermot Desmond has caused shockwaves around the world of football, not just in the Celtic camp.
Calling out Rodgers as a liar and a manipulator is cause for a major lawsuit – should there be no provable substance to those claims. That is massive!
Brendan Rodgers talks to the media after the match. Hearts v Celtic, 26 October 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)
THE BOSS; Brendan Rodgers has assimilated more trebles over his double-tenure at Celtic than most clubs have trophies over a lifetime of trying.
Some say that the majority came after the death of Rangers FC, as the Ibrox phoenix club were new arrivals to the Scottish Premiership, giving him a free shot at glory, with the new entity struggling to catch up, cementing their existence in the game as also-rans for the most part.
This new Hearts challenge has ramped up their view that Rodgers is incapable of sustaining a credible challenge when the going gets tough, and seeks to deflect blame onto others for his failings. An elite manager he is not, in their opinion.
No matter which Celtic team you have at your disposal, you should still have enough to beat a Kazakhstan outfit over two legs, and extra-time. Don’t mention Dundee…
Dundee v Celtic. 19 October 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)
Did he, or did he not, sanction the invisible men he claims were ‘club signings’? That may come out in the wash.
The accusation of trust and honesty has cracked open the shell of transparency; Rodgers’ critics harking back to ‘blatant lies’ in the past. Danny McGrain’s denial of what appears to be a made-up conversation has never been challenged, leaving us to believe the legend, rather than the story-teller.
The boss’ private life has been under scrutiny too, and his track record is not good in terms of what is expected from a Celtic ‘great’. That’s his business, but others see it as theirs too.
Brendan Rodgers. Dundee v Celtic. 19 October 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)
Whoever you see as the main culprit in this sorry saga is entirely your choice, and should be viewed according to your own conscience. Has the board been playing Brendan, and thrown him under a bus in the same way as he did recently with his under-fire, underperforming squad?
Or, has Brendan been found out as a deceitful, self-seeking liar, and a manager who only wins against substandard opposition? That will have to be proven rather than a petulant throwaway accusation.
Rodgers clearly has the right to reply, and it will be interesting to discover things we may not yet know, and he is entitled to defend himself as vigorously as he feels necessary.
Michael Nicholson and Chris McKay. Dundee v Celtic. 19 October 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)
As lifelong supporters we are all entitled to our views, but we must unite now, more than ever, to help bring Celtic Football Club through a period of angst, and instability not suffered since the failed ten era.
Martin O’Neill and Shaun Maloney are Celtic men to the core, the former a name etched in legend at Celtic Park, the other a former assistant manager with a brilliant Belgium squad.
Can they help turn around a floundering supertanker? Sanity prevail.
Hail Hail!
Eddie Murray
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Celtic in the Eighties and Willie Fernie – Putting on the Style both by David Potter. Photo The Celtic Star
Danny McGrain signing copies of Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter. Photo: Celtic Star Books
If you hadn’t mentioned Brisbane I’d have assumed you lived on the moon, you have no idea what Celtic supporters feel and believe and your complaining about Rodgers private life is a low blow and you’re a disgrace
Charlie, in my opinion when you are found wanting in your private life then you are unlikely to be trustworthy in public. Did you forget that he snuck out the back door mid-season in the middle of the night to leave us hundreds of thousands of fans devastated? I’ve said what I’ve said. Others can make up their own mind. The word, conscience comes to mind.
No, he didn’t.
He left on mutual agreement, after £10m in compensation was paid.
You are entitled to your opinion but not Board stupid lies.
“SOME support groups are at pains to demonize the board,”
The ones that oppose the board count tens of thousands of supporters, clubs and affiliated orgs amongst their numbers.
The board supporters? There are various Lawwell messengers, websites, numbering a few dozen, maybe into the low hundreds but mainly on the sidelines, usually anonymous, but never visible at matches, meetings etc.
Yes, maybe stretching as far as Australia but thousands of miles of wilderness in between.
As for gutter innuendo regarding Rodger’s private life, absolutely reprehensible but par for the course for Board and their acolytes.
The one thing i will say about Desmond’s statement is the accusation that Rodgers made comments aimed at the boards’ families. As far as i’m aware that was him getting at Lawwell’s son, a grown man. But Desmond wants it to come across worse than what it was. A nasty and sleekit move by Desmond, no doubt driven by Peter Lawwell. Rodgers isn’t the only one who should be driven out. And until those parasites are removed then disharmony will reign supreme.
Brendan was forced to jump before he was pushed. No one can deny the lack of quality replacements for Kyogo, Matt O’Riley and Kuhn. Its clear Maeda was promised a move, -who was lined up to replace him? Isn’t it incredible that Dermot has managed to make a lengthy statement after weeks of the support asking for his comments on the shambles that is our recruitment in the last few windows? If things have got so toxic at the club then there’s more than Brendan who need to leave our club. All of them claim to be supporters, but each of them are paid to turn up to Celtic Park, -only the fans pay to watch our team and if the powers that be don’t reinvest in the team, (not project/punt signings) then I won’t be giving the Board any more of my hard earned money!
The key to this drama is the statement issued by DD…If it is inaccurate and misleading…then I would expect a legal challenge from BR….and I await his response with great interest..If, however, it is accurate and true…then BR had to go…No other solution would suffice…But one area has rankled me for a long time now …So who was responsible for spending £20 million pounds on Engels and Idah ?….Whoever it was knows nowt about players IMO…’cos those two were not remotely worth the vast sum of money we paid for them…and I would love to know how the signings came about…DD suggests BR was fully on board with this…and if that’s the case …BR has a lot to answer for…But I now await his Legal rebuttal ..Bottom line is that change was badly needed..and time will tell if this was the correct change.
No surprise Brendan has walked. The Board totally failed to back him in the transfer window. Back to the biscuit tin mentality which unsurprisingly coincided with the return of Peter Lawwell. Get rid of him for the good of the club he is acting more like a banker (or should that start with a W?).
Brendan must have a job lined up already if John Kennedy is leaving with him.