BRENDAN RODGERS CELTIC FUTURE: STICK OR TWIST?
- BY LIAM CARRIGAN
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 15 hours ago
The Celtic manager is the key to everything else that happens this summer, whatever he decides to do next.
In the past 48 hours I’ve seen 12 different players linked with Celtic from various media sources. Conversely, I’ve also read stories of 14 different clubs apparently on the verge of signing one or more of our first team squad.
This is just the warm up. We know from previous years, that this barrage of journalistic effluence will not let up until the new season kicks off in a couple of months.
By then, the Scottish press might be ready to try some actual reporting again, instead of this constant, unsubstantiated rumor and speculation.
However, I believe the key to Celtic’s summer, both in terms of recruitment and retention, lies with the manager almost exclusively.
Brendan Rodgers Celtic Contract Decision Will Influence all Other Summer Business
Our manager is entering the final year of his initial 3-year contract. Despite dozens of strenuous attempts by followers of other clubs, and their lapdogs in the media, to portray this season just passed as some kind of failure, it wasn’t. Celtic won the league comfortably, and we reclaimed the League Cup too.
Yes, losing to Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup Final was a sore one, but the impact is largely symbolic. It will have no influence whatsoever on Celtic’s European prospects or transfer budget for next season.
For Aberdeen on the other hand, it represents a step up to the Europa League from the Conference league, and probably gives their own summer budget a 7-figure boost.
Anyway, I digress.
I said more than a month ago, that Celtic’s summer priorities need to be new contracts for the manager, Brendan Rodgers, and our star player, Daizen Maeda. Then we can look at additions.
The manager’s situation will have a knock-on effect though.
If you’re Daizen Maeda, a player who has never expressed any desire to leave Celtic and seems well-settled here with his family, then a contract extension would be the best move.
However, to look at it from Daizen’s perspective, if the manager who has taken you to this new level of performance in your career is not planning to stay after next season, then why would you extend your own stay? There is always the danger that a new manager might come in, not see you as his type of player, and suddenly you’re in the wilderness.
The same goes for any players we try to sign this summer, or any current squad members reassessing their Celtic futures.
If the manager doesn’t fancy sticking around, then it is naturally going to put doubts in your own mind, either about extending your stay or even joining Celtic in the first place.
There is also a minority, but quite a vocal one, among the Celtic support who are unhappy with the manager at the moment. Yes, we’ve continued to dominate Scottish football and make progress in Europe, but the football hasn’t always been an easy watch.
There’s also the ultimately inconsequential, but mentally damaging fact that we’ve lost two games to one of the worst Rangers teams in their 13-year history.
If Brendan Rodgers does extend his contract, then he also needs to show some tactical evolution. Last weekend’s defeat was the latest in a series of warning signs. Our play has become, at times, stale.
We lack a plan B for when games aren’t going our way. We’ve developed an unhealthy habit of starting games very slowly and sluggishly, particularly in recent Glasgow Derbies.
We also have consistently struggled to kill off teams when we get ahead, Aberdeen being the latest example.
Responsibility for all of the above, ultimately rests with the manager. I believe Rodgers has the capability to overcome these issues, but he needs to show it.
He also needs to sign a new contract, to show the players, whose commitment he has, at times rightly, called into question, that he too remains committed to the Celtic project long term.
Whatever he decides, it needs to be soon. Celtic have, historically, had a disturbing habit of failing to push on from a position of strength.
Despite our wobbles in the second half of the season, we remain in a position of strength. Stability is key to maintaining that, and it starts with the manager.