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  • 3 months ago
Celtic fans react to Brendan Rodgers leaving the club

Brendan Rodgers in sensational Celtic exit as Martin O'Neill comes in as caretaker

Celtic sack Brendan Rodgers - reaction and analysis
Defending champions turn to former manager to hold fort
Brendan Rodgers has resigned from his position as the manager of Celtic.

In a dramatic 24 hours in the wake of losing 3-1 to Hearts and falling eight points behind the Tynecastle outfit in the Premiership title race, Rodgers and Celtic have parted company - with the the 52-year-old resigning from his post.

Celtic have already put contingency plans in place for such an eventuality and former Celtic manager Martin O’Neill, who took charge of them between 2000 and 2005, has come in as caretaker manager.

The 73-year-old won seven trophies in a decorated spell in charge of the club and will be assisted by Shaun Maloney, starting on Wednesday night against Falkirk in the club’s next league match.

A club statement read: “Celtic Football Club can confirm that football manager Brendan Rodgers has today tendered his resignation. It has been accepted by the Club and Brendan will leave his role with immediate effect.

“The Club appreciates Brendan’s contribution to Celtic during his two very successful periods at the Club. Brendan leaves Celtic with our thanks for the role he has played during a period of continued success for the Club and we wish him further success in the future.

“The process to appoint a new permanent manager is under way and the Club will update supporters further on this as soon as possible. We are pleased that during this interim period former Celtic manager, Martin O’Neill and former Celtic player, Shaun Maloney have agreed to take charge of Celtic first-team matters. Further details will be confirmed shortly.”

Desmond Celtic statement
Rodgers departed Celtic amid dramatic accusations from principal shareholder Dermot Desmond that he had stoked division.

The former Liverpool manager had consistently insisted he would only leave before his three-year contract expired if he was “emptied”, and his departure has opened the lid on the extent of internal strife.

Desmond delivered a withering statement in which he accused Rodgers of being “misleading, divisive and self-serving”.

The Irishman said: “When we brought Brendan back to Celtic two years ago, it was done with complete trust and belief in his ability to lead the club into a new era of sustained success. Unfortunately, his conduct and communication in recent

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Transcript
00:00.
00:15Really the letters pointed. I don't see Celtic bringing in a manager of Brendan's calibre again.
00:21Happy and quite sad because the way he left wasn't ideal but we just need to rebuild for the rest of the season there.
00:28I didn't hear it till this morning. Till when I got up. It was the wife that told me. I never even checked my phone last night at all.
00:34I was quite shocked actually. I wasn't expecting it at all.
00:37I think Brendan Rodgers is an accomplished manager. I believe him when he says that he loves Celtic.
00:45I think it was time for him to go. His tactics had gone stale.
00:49I thought he did okay up to the end of last season.
00:53I thought he was successful but this season has just been a mess from the start to now. So it can only get better.
00:59I can see his frustration not getting the quality of the player in. He's not been able to develop the team again.
01:04I would say since RB Leisberg in maybe the second half, first half against Bayern Munich away.
01:11There's been some really poor performances. The style of football is hard to watch. It's not been a great watch.
01:16So I think he does have to take some blame. We keep hearing this elite manager.
01:21He's got good players there. He should be getting more out of them. But I do think all this leads back to the board.
01:27I don't think the Celtic fans and the Celtic fan collective will let this lie. I think there's a lot of answers to come.
01:34It'll be interesting to see if Rodgers comes back with a retort from the statement last night.
01:39Where do you think it went wrong with Rodgers?
01:42Communication with the board and backing with the board. I don't think from day one they really gave him what they should have.
01:50For the same reason he left when he went to Leicester. He left because he really wasn't getting what he was looking for out of the club to progress.
01:59What did you think Dermot Desmond's statement about Brendan Rodgers?
02:03I thought it was disgraceful.
02:05One for me Dermot Desmond shouldn't have come out and aired his dirty linen in public. I think that should have been kept in the house.
02:12I think it was inflammatory but I think there's probably a little truth to it.
02:16I just think he's fired shots. He's assassinated Rodgers in that. And it'll be interesting today if Rodgers, has he signed an NDA? I doubt he has.
02:25Will he come out and do an exclusive? Time will tell. But if that was me, I'd be wanting to come back and defend my case.
02:34Because that could affect his career moving forward wherever he goes.
02:37Why would he come away with stuff like that if it's not true?
02:39What do you feel about the club appointing Martin O'Neill?
02:43I'm delighted with that. I love Martin. A great manager, great memories with him.
02:49But it's a temporary solution. Looking forward, I'm not too confident in where we're going to go from here.
02:58Who would you like to see as the next Celtic manager?
03:01I mean, in my heart I'd love to see Ange back but I don't think that's going to happen.
03:05I'd like the Bodo manager. I think he's turned down Roma already and their team are currently in the Champions League.
03:12It's hard to say because every manager's a risk but I do like him. I do like what I see on the park.
03:17Could he get a tune out of this team? I think he could. And we need a sort of different, sort of fresh idea in there.
03:24I think now I've seen John Kennedy's left as well, which is quite significant.
03:27I wouldn't mind Ange but I would rather Robbie Keane.
03:30Why do you want Robbie Keane?
03:32Well, I saw what he's doing with Ferran Fagos. He's doing no bad in the Europa League so aye.
03:36I would take him. And he's young, he's fresh and aye. I think it would be good for the team.
03:40We need a manager in now that can make a difference to this team.
03:44There's a long way to go in the league. I know Hearts are eight points clear but, you know, Rogers was right on that.
03:50There is a long way to go in the league. So it needs to come in and make an impact.
03:53So it has to be top calibre for me. I've just actually listened to Martin O'Neill.
03:57He did his first interview and said that he's in the interim until they appoint a young manager.
04:03So that wording is quite key. Young manager. So it leads me to think what direction they're going to go in now.
04:09Scott Brown will be mentioned. Kieran McKenna has been mentioned this morning.
04:14Sean Maloney is coming in with Martin O'Neill. My worry is it will be something like that.
04:21And I love Scott Brown to bits. But do I think he's right for Celtic at the moment? No. I think he should stay at the air.
04:27What are your hopes for the rest of the season?
04:29Stabilise. Can they come back and overtake Hearts? Of course. But I think the likelihood is probably not there.
04:37I don't think Rangers will take the league. I think if Hearts are going to do it, this is the year for them to do it.
04:43I've got a feeling inside it will happen just because I feel like Hearts will probably fall away the further the season goes.
04:50Do you think this squad is capable of winning the league? I don't know. We'll find out over the next few weeks I suppose.
04:56Because if they don't, we've got some important games coming up. So we'll find out quite soon.
05:03We've got to get back to business on Wednesday. We've got a big game now against Falkirk and then we've got the semi-final on Sunday.
05:08So there's not really any time to be dwelling on this. We need to get back to the football.
05:14Some of the board members have been here too long. The Celtic Fans Collective have mentioned it.
05:19The club from that side of things, it's okay having 77 to 100 million in the bank.
05:24But the rest of it needs a reshaping, some fresh ideas.
05:28I think Dermot Desmond has to go. I think Peter Lowell has to go.
05:31If we can stay in touch in the league, don't want to get too far away from us, then it's still all to play for for me.
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