Getting Brendan Rodgers to put pen to paper on a new contract that will keep him at the club for an extended period would be Celtic’s signing of the summer, according to former Hoops star Paul Hartley.
The former Celtic midfielder was at Hampden yesterday speaking at a media event ahead of the Scottish Cup semi-finals this weekend where Aberdeen play Hearts on Saturday before Celtic take on St Johnstone on Easter Sunday at the National stadium.
150% guaranteed for one more season
Hartley was asked about the Irishman’s longer term future at Celtic after a weekend of speculation following Rodgers making a ‘change the manager’ remark on Friday that had to be clarified before and after the match against Kilmarnock, with Rodgers confirming that he is 150% guaranteed to be at Celtic next season, his third year of a three year contract which he promised to fulfil the day he returned to the club in June 2023.
Dermot Desmond speaks Brendan Rodgers regularly
Celtic will surely be doing everything possible to retain Brendan’s services for the long term and the general feeling is that Irish Billionaire Dermot Desmond, who is Celtic’s largest shareholder, will intervene this summer to discuss a new deal with the manager, who will know he will not be short of offers from elsewhere.
And there’s no doubt Paul Hartley is spot on in his assessment, although it might be the other signings that signal Celtic’s ambition to allow Rodgers to make further inroads at Champions League level that will actually lead to a new deal being agreed to keep the manager in situ beyond the end of next season.
“He’s box office, that’s what we need here”
“He’s box office, that’s what we need here. We need to always try and talk our game up and then we’ve got to have the best managers possible for that,” Hartley said, as reported by Daily Record.
“So, I think it would be really important that, if they could keep him, then it’s good for everybody, Celtic and Scottish football. He’s got a good team there, he knows how to win. Going for another Treble again, so I think it’s really important that they try and tie him down,” Hartley said.
‘Since he’s come back, he’s shown that quality that he is as a manager’
“There’s a lot of eyebrows raised, obviously, about how he left the first time. But since he’s come back, he’s shown that quality that he is as a manager. He did say that he’d be here for the three years, but if they could try and keep him longer than that, I think it’d be a great bit of business for the club and for Scottish football also.
“There was a lot of fans when he came back that didn’t want him back, but he’s shown how good a manager he is and how well-respected he is. He’s always been a top-class manager. In his first period here, he was outstanding and then, obviously, he left for whatever reason. Going to the Premier League and that can happen with players. If they’ve got an opportunity, then they’ve got to try and take that. But coming back, he’s shown how good he is,” Hartley added.
“You’ve got to win trophies and that’s what he’s done”
“Listen, when you’re the manager of Celtic, you’ve got to win. You’ve got to win trophies and that’s what he’s done. Obviously, looking to go for another treble this season.”
Backing Brendan in the transfer window will be a key factor
Hartley also reckons that the club should back Brendan’s plans to reshape his squad in the summer. “Yeah, I think so. Obviously, they need to rebuild the squad a wee bit again. He spoke about that last week after the St Johnstone game, he wasn’t too pleased with the performance and rightly so.
“You’ve always got to try and improve and get better, especially domestically and in the European stage. But, if they could keep Brendan, then obviously Brendan can attract the top players, that’s for sure.”
Signing of the summer right enough, get it done Celtic!
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