If you don’t think that Brendan Rodgers was having a dig at the Celtic CEO earlier today when talking to Sky Sports (see below) they you haven’t been paying attention. Rodgers last game as Celtic manager was two years ago to the exact day that Neil Lennon ‘resigned’ as Celtic manager.
Rodgers. many people believe, left because of too great an influence from the boardroom at Celtic Park into the players coming into the club or indeed going out. Rodgers believed that this was his domain as ultimately he had the responsibility as the Celtic manager for the results on the park. And by the time this had become an issue he had more than enough success on the park to justify his stance.
Sadly that was not something that the Celtic CEO Peter Lawwell was ever going to allow. Rodgers had been indulged early on but after a few dodgy signings the ‘I Know Best’ CEO started to increase his involvement in the football operation and this was something that an elite coach such as Brendan Rodgers was never going to allow.
And today Rodgers did our club a massive favour by outlining the modern structure that Celtic is going to need if we are to attract a top class elite football coach. None would work under the terms and conditions that Neil Lennon – who had the weakest of hands in February 2019 after his mutual contesting exit from Easter Road. Not allowed his own backroom staff, or scouts, given a boardroom selected coaching staff including the Lawwell prodigy John Kennedy, he was expected to deliver if he wanted the job permanently. It worked, another treble was won and the compensation from Leicester City was already banked.
“Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the cleverest CEO of them all,” could have been heard in the Lawwell household. “Don’t know about cleverest but certainly the highest paid” might have been the answer from the mirror.
Neil Lennon ultimately failed but he was only part of the failure that has its origins in the summer stand-off in 2018 between Rodgers and Lawwell. There was only ever going to be one winner and for a while Peter was convinced that was him. Today without mentioning names, Rodgers declared himself the victor and in doing so et Celtic on a path we should have continued on two years ago today.
“In the modern game, to have a director of football, especially at a club like Celtic, I think it’s absolutely critical to have that,” Rodgers said to Sky Sports
“The manager has to be able to bring in the players he wants to,” the former Celtic manager continued.
“He’s accountable for the football results on the pitch, so he has to have that say and that accountability bringing in the players.
“If the manager can work alongside someone like a sporting director then that will aid the football department.
“I’m pretty sure that would be something Celtic are looking at as the way forward for a club of their size and stature.”