“The Facts Did Not Match His Public Narrative” – Dermot Desmond Scathing Rodgers Statement
Dermot Desmond says that former Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers’ comments have ‘contributed to a toxic atmosphere’ around Celtic amid the Northern Irishman’s resignation. The Hoops minority shareholder released a statement to Celtic supporter’s after the shock announcement in the wake of Celtic’s 3-1 defeat yesterday away to Hearts. A breakdown in relationship between Rodgers and the boardroom has led to a number of fan protests this season, but Desmond has appeared to reserve the blame for the outgoing manager. The full statement reads: “I want to acknowledge Brendan’s contribution across his two spells as Manager, during which he helped deliver success that forms part of the club’s modern history. However, I must also express my deep disappointment at the way the past several months have unfolded. “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 months have not reflected that trust. “In June, both Michael Nicholson and I expressed to Brendan that we were keen to offer him a contract extension, to reaffirm the club’s full backing and long-term commitment to him. He said he would need to think about it and revert. Yet in subsequent press conferences, Brendan implied that the club had made no commitment to offer him a contract. That was simply untrue. “We met with Brendan regularly, including in December last year and at the start of the summer, with regular dialogue in between, to discuss and agree our collective strategy, priorities, and approach. Every player signed and every player sold during his tenure was done so with Brendan’s full knowledge, approval, and endorsement. Any insinuation otherwise is absolutely false. “His later public statements about transfers and club operations came entirely out of the blue. At no point prior to those remarks had he raised any such concerns with me, Michael, or any member of the Board or executive team. In reality, he was given final say over all football matters and was consistently backed in the recruitment process — including record investment in players he personally identified and approved. “When his comments were made publicly, I sought to address them directly. Brendan and I met for over three hours at his home in Scotland to discuss the issue. Despite ample opportunity, he was unable to identify a single instance where the club had obstructed or failed to support him. The facts did not match his public narrative. “Regrettably, his words and actions since then have been divisive, misleading, and self-serving. They have contributed to a toxic atmosphere around the club and fuelled hostility towards members of the executive team and the Board. Some of the abuse directed at them, and at their families, has been entirely unwarranted and unacceptable. “Every member of the Board and executive team is deeply passionate about Celtic and acts at all times with professionalism, integrity, and a shared desire for success. What has failed recently was not due to our structure or model, but to one individual’s desire for self-preservation at the expense of others. “Celtic’s structure — where the manager oversees football, the Chief Executive manages operations, and the Board provides oversight — has served the club with great success for more than two decades. We all share the same ambition: to ensure Celtic’s continued success domestically and to achieve further progress in Europe. Every pound generated by the club is reinvested towards those goals and the continuous improvement of Celtic Football Club. “Celtic is greater than any one person. Our focus now is on restoring harmony, strengthening the squad, and continuing to build a club worthy of its values, traditions, and supporters.” Rodgers will be temporarily replaced by former Celtic gaffer Martin O’Neill and former player Shaun Maloney as the hunt for a replacement gets underway.
Brendan Rodgers Resigns As Celtic Manager
Brendan Rodgers has resigned from his position as Celtic manager. The Northern Irishman leaves under a cloud despite winning four trophies in a second spell, with a rocky relationship with the club’s hierarchy being well documented. A club statement said: “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 underway 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.” Celtic host Falkirk on Wednesday night, before facing Rangers at Hampden in the Premier Sports Cup semi-final on Sunday.
Brendan Rodgers Stands By ‘Honda Civic’ Comments
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has doubled down on comparing the Celtic squad with a Honda Civic in his comments that came after a surprise 2-0 defeat to Dundee on Sunday. The Northern Irishman’s comments were in reference to the star-power he has not had adequately replaced in talisman Kyogo Furuhashi, German winger Nicolas Kühn, and Irishman Adam Idah, who left in January and July respectively for a reported combined fee of £36m. Rodgers said that “there’s no way you’ll go into a race and be given the keys to a Honda Civic and say, ‘I want you to drive it like a Ferrari, it’s not going to happen” following Sunday’s defeat which seen him turn to the likes of Johnny Kenny and James Forrest to save try the game from the bench. But the Celtic gaffer has no regrets and stands by what he said. “It [Honda Civic comment] was based around the speed in our team. Clearly, it’s not the same as what we had last season.” Rodgers told the media. “I’m pretty sure both of those cars go at a different speed, so that was the reference to that. It’s something that I said at the time, and I said it because I felt it, so I’ve got no regrets, no. “I’m not really worried [about offending the players], to be honest. You can’t please everyone and nobody’s trying to do that now. The players know that I’m with them, I’ve always been with them.” Celtic defender Liam Scales says that he hadn’t even caught wind of the comments, and dismissed the possibility of them upsetting the Hoops dressing room. “Look, I didn’t even really know about those comments. I don’t look at football outside of the team, and I didn’t know about them until I was told they might be brought up in this press conference. “So that’s how much it was thought about by me, at least. I don’t know about others in the dressing room, but for me, it’s not going to affect me, and it wasn’t a talking point among the players. “We know it was a disappointing result, and if that’s a way to motivate people to do better, then that’s the only way I could really look at it.” Celtic host Austrian side Sturm Graz tomorrow night in Europa League action, who defeated a Russell Martin Rangers side 2-1 on match day two, before travelling to Tynecastle this Sunday to take on high-flying Hearts.
“You Can’t Drive a Honda Civic Like a Ferrari” – Brendan Rodgers
Celtic failed to trouble a Dundee side who sat joint bottom of the league before defeating the champions 2-0 today at Den’s Park. A header from Clark Robertson and an own-goal from Cameron Carter Vickers gave Steven Pressley’s side much needed relief following a torrid 4-0 loss away to Aberdeen before the international break. It marks the first domestic defeat for Brendan Rodgers’ side this season, but there is a growing discontent amongst the Parkhead club’s fanbase surrounding levels shown in performances. “We had enough of the ball, and were arriving into the areas often enough but failed show that bit of quality that allows you to get the goals that you need and that’s where we’ve suffered up until now.” Rodgers said post-match. “I need to find the solutions in order for us to get scoring goals again. “It’s been a struggle from the beginning of the season. However, we have to stay together and we have to find a way to get the results and the confidence in the team. We’ve lost a lot of speed and a lot of goals out of the team, but that doesn’t matter.” When asked if the headlines between the fans and the board were becoming a distraction, Rodgers was not keen to use this as an excuse: “It [fan protest] was right at the beginning of the game and we’ve still got a long, long way to go after that. It doesn’t stop you giving the ball away, it doesn’t stop you losing a goal on the counter attack, it doesn’t stop you getting blocked off on the pitch. “It’s been simmering really, all summer and into the beginning of the season. However, we can only focus on the pitch, and we can be better on the pitch – for sure. “I’m not going to tell the supporters what to do. they’re frustrated, of course, they are the heart of this club.” The Northern Irishman also faced questions around how much responsibility he accepted and admitted that there is pressure on him also: “When you’re at a club like Celtic, it’s [pressure] always on you. It was on me when I first came back, we got through that. It’ll be on us now when we are not at our best level, and we will get through this as well. “For the new guys coming in, it’s a real eye-opener to the pressures of being at a huge club and you never know that until you’re in and you go through the demands of what is required.” The Celtic manager was also questioned if this was the most worried he had ever been across both his spells in charge, and says it was clear in the summer that reinforcement was necessary: “I think the challenge from the summer now leading into here where we lost a lot of firepower and goals from the team. “There’s no way you go into a race and be given the keys to a Honda Civic and as you take off say I want you to drive like a Ferrari – its not going to happen. “It was clear in the summer but its really the past now. There’s nothing we can do about it. We had the opportunities to do what we needed to do, didn’t happen, so now it’s finding ways.” Rodgers made it clear his focus on Celtic is on ‘the now’, as his side prepare to host Sturm Graz in Europa League action, before travelling to league leaders Hearts a week today.
