Brendan Rodgers Discussion Thread

Most likely. I think the St Mirren game at the weekend is more likely to be the cup final lineup or very close to it.

 

Yup would agree with that

 

Rodgers clearly fuming at the assault on Hatate and rightly so, I thought Brendan was heading for a booking but he checked himself, definitely good to see his passion

 

I felt like he was * about too much today..

Forrest was terrorising the right side so much so that he stuck him on the left where he and Yang weren't really effective, then he continues to murder them on the side he came on in..

The Taylor in midfield switch didn't work at all for me..

 

Brendan Rodgers enjoyed his fourth Trophy Day as Celtic manager after guiding the Hoops to yet another Premiership title.

His Celtic side have dominated the campaign, ultimately finishing 17 points clear at the top of the table.

It was a dominant season for the Hoops, who also won the League Cup back in December. And there’s still one more trophy to play for, with the Scottish Cup final against Aberdeen at Hampden on the horizon next Saturday.

Winning that would be another treble, and make Brendan Rodgers the first Celtic manager to win three domestic trebles.

For today, however, it was all about celebrating the Premiership title, with the trophy being lifted at Paradise following a 1-1 draw against St Mirren.

Speaking to Celtic TV after the game, the Celtic manager said: “It’s been brilliant and the guys deserved to get something from the game.

'The consistency overall, and with consistency that’s about mentality, and the players every single day deserve so much credit.'

“We’ve pushed them, they responded from mistakes and you can only be as good as we’ve been this season because of the players.

“They’ve been absolutely incredible, but I think there’s been a real connection with the support and the team, and that’s been great to see.”

Celtic’s equaliser came late in added time at the end of the game and it was a fairytale ending to the match as James Forrest scored.

It was his first goal of the campaign but, more importantly, it meant he has scored in 16 consecutive seasons for Celtic, taking him alongside Paul McStay and Jimmy McGrory in achieving that feat.

And his manager was delighted to see the winger get the goal.

“In the second half we were better, created a lot of chances and then what a story at the end,” he said.

'It’s just incredible really and it’s so deserving, and it means everybody leaves here a champion but also seeing James score, so it was amazing.'

“Ali did so well because I was thinking it’s opened up for him and he’s got a good strike on him, but it was really good composure and, also for James, he could have just lashed at that but it was a nice touch, good composure and it hit the target and went in.

“It’s important to celebrate this achievement because to be as comfortable as we’ve been throughout the season – that takes a lot of work.

“However, we’ve kept going, kept focused and now we’ve got one more title to try and aim for, but we’ll celebrate this and then get ready next week for next Saturday at Hampden.

 

Brendan Rodgers savoured his 'most satisfying' title as Celtic boss - then confirmed he’ll sit down with Dermot Desmond this summer for talks over his long term future.


The principal shareholder was in the stands to see the Hoops celebrate four-in-a-row and a 13th title in the last 14 years


James Forrest’s dramatic injury time equaliser against St Mirren headlined a trophy day that saw the club’s most decorated player ensure his sensational run of scoring in every one of his 16 seasons continues.

Rodgers lavished praise on the 33-year-old. And he revealed he will now sit down with supremo Desmond to begin preparations for next season

The manager is entering the last year of his contract and asked if his own future would be on the agenda he said: “Yes, listen, it's up to the club. The club might think, three years is enough of me and that's it.

“But yes. I think one, we'll speak around the team. And obviously, it's always what is most important for Celtic

We'll catch up over the summer. But the idea was to just make sure, I wanted us to focus on this season and have no distractions, just focus on performance, focus on winning. And then when there's a bit of spare time at the end of the season, we can chat around that. It's great for him. I'm so proud for him.

The belief he's had in myself to bring me back and the confidence he gives me in that belief allows me to maximise how I do the job.




Forrest climbed off the bench to net with almost the final kick of the Premiership campaign to ensure St Mirren never spoiled the trophy day party.

Rodgers admitted it was the perfect way for the 33-year-old to clinch his 26th major honour for the club - with the man he surpassed as the most successful Celt, Bobby Lennox, watching from the stands.

Celtic fans unfurled a second half banner in tribute to Forrest and took the roof off the stadium when he netted.



And Rodgers says the 33-year-old winger has given him food for thought ahead of next week’s Scottish Cup Final.

He said: “Well, yes. The whole idea was to get to the end of today, having players perform and then give me some food for thought. There's no doubt we have a wee bit of thinking to do for the game.

“James has created the narrative today. It was a brilliant way to end what has been a fantastic league campaign for us. I wasn't sure if he was going to do it.


“I think that's significant Bobby being here. It was really, really nice and having been that record holder for so many years and passing the baton on to James, it's really special.

“To score 16 seasons in a row at any level.. to do it at a club like this here and at any big club where there's pressures, it's a remarkable achievement.

“It's a testament to him and his hunger, his desire, his professionalism, all the things that it takes to be a top player


“You think as a wide player as well, at a club like this where there's a constant stream of wingers and people coming in to take your place.


“The banner and chants will warm his heart and his family's. As I said, he puts so much into his profession. Sometimes guys that come through the system, they can get taken for granted a little bit. People will be idolised that maybe have only been here for a season or a couple of seasons


Rodgers is now Celtic’s most successful manager in living history. And asked where the title ranks he said: “This is certainly the most satisfying.

“When I came in here in the first season, obviously I'm getting to know everyone in the club and the feeling.

“But now, especially coming back the second time, I can really embrace it more and enjoy it and just see it obviously as well how the team have been performing.”

 

Just off the top of my head: Dembele, Tierney, Edouard, Forrest, McGregor, Armstrong all improved massively during his first spell, with guys like Roberts, Sinclair, Boyata and Griffiths being honourable mentions.

Maeda, O'Riley, Johnston, Kuhn and Scales (No laughing, he did improve massively under him!!) so far under this stint have went up leaps and bounds, with guys like Engels, McCowan and Yang also benefitting from having a guy like Rodgers coach them.

There might be questions over tactics or our style of play (which the criticisms have always went overboard) but he's world class at improving players.

 

Brendan Rodgers insists there's no barrier on what he wants to achieve with Celtic as he targets an even better run in the Champions League next season.


The Hoops are on the verge of clinching another Treble and this season reached the knockout stage of Europe’s premier club competition for the first time since 2013.

Only a 94th minute Alphonso Davies goal stopped them taking Bayern Munich to extra time in that round of 16 play-off clash in the Allianz Arena. And asked if it was realistic to target going even further in next season’s Champions League, Rodgers said: “Yeah, you have to dream of that.


“I don’t think we can put any sort of barriers on what it is we want to achieve. But you have to be realistic as well.


“We had a great feeling, we saw how close we ran Bayern Munich over two legs. That will hopefully give us a good feeling and we have to continue to recruit good players that allows us to grow and develop at that level.

“The next phase will be seeing if we can continue with the impact in Europe. That felt really good this year. The performance levels in some of those games were absolutely great.

“We want to be a team that consistently does that. It’s really sustaining this club as a really respectable competitive club in European football at the highest level while continuing to be hungry to dominate domestically.

“On a personal level it’s more than the trophies it’s how much money can I help bring in to the club through the sale of players, improving players, young players, establishing the academy so we can get young players through quicker



Rodgers can eclipse Jock Stein as the first Hoops boss to win three Trebles if his side beat Aberdeen in next Saturday’s Scottish Cup Final


And he knows he’s on the cusp on something special. He said: “You never get tired of it.

“It’s a symbol of your work and that you are working well. The first time coming towards that first treble you’d be so focused, then when the final whistle went against Aberdeen I knew I was joining the ranks of some incredible managers who had gone before me.

“So I know the narrative around this one being the first manager to win three trebles. That will probably only sink in - if it happens - later on.”

 

Brendan Rodgers has just been named SFWA Manager of the Year. In a candid new interview with reporters to mark the occasion, he reflects on his managerial journey, his joy at Celtic, and where he wants to take the club next.






The adulation that greets Brendan Rodgers at Celtic Park these days is warm, sustained, and sincere. It’s a far cry from the rancour that coloured his departure to Leicester in 2019, demonstrating how successful his second stint in Glasgow has been.

Now, as he approaches 800 games in management and prepares for a final which could land another Scottish treble, Rodgers finds himself in a reflective mood, not just about where he’s going, but how far he’s come.

When collecting his latest Manager of the Year award - this time from the Scottish Football Writers’ Association - his instinct is to deflect the credit.

“My thanks on behalf of everyone. When you receive any award I always think it belongs to everyone at the club,” he says. “I am always hugely honoured to receive any awards. On an individual level it is a nice honour and I am very grateful for that.”

Some observers on the outside reckon that 2024/25 has looked all too easy for Rodgers, his staff and players - but the Celtic boss is quick to address that narrative despite finishing so far ahead of the rest.

“It maybe seemed smooth this year but obviously there is a * of a lot of work that goes on,” he explains.


“Last year coming in, it was interesting how it began. I had a lot of observation to do, seeing the players and their habits. Then there comes a point when you have to put your slant on it. It was a different feeling to this year but we ended up with two out of the three trophies plus a lot of learning to take into pre-season.

“I have loved every moment of being back, not just on a professional level but on an emotional level too. Since leaving Northern Ireland at 16 I have lived all over the UK: south of England, south of Wales, Cheshire, the Midlands, Merseyside and I can say that up here feels like home. So, the journey on and off the pitch has been enjoyable, hopefully that may continue


From forklifts to footballing fortunes
Rodgers understands what it means to endure in football management, and to evolve. His coaching story begins not under floodlights or in front of full stadiums, but at six in the morning, behind the wheel of a forklift.

Long before the roar of the Celtic Park touchline, Rodgers was working shifts at the John Lewis distribution centre in Bracknell. He coached in the evenings, scraped together money to pay for his coaching badges, and played part-time wherever he could, including trips to the Isle of Wight to keep his dream in the game alive, following injuries that ended his hopes of a professional career.

“Yes, I was fully qualified on the old forklift,” Rodgers reflects. “I would do six in the morning until six at night. Then I would go coaching at night and do the courses and try and play.

“You know what? That made me what I became. Being in there with some amazing people, the John Lewis Partnership were brilliant to work for and I would see staff that, after they worked there for 25 years, would get six months’ paid free holiday.

“I worked with guys that were approaching that stage and in the back of my mind I was thinking, ‘I don’t want to be that guy.' I loved football and that made me realise how much I loved it. It paid for me to get my qualifications and then eventually I was offered a full-time job at Reading.”

Rodgers' break into full-time coaching at Reading opened the door, and the mindset that got him there never left. Even as the stages grew bigger and the pressure became greater, from youth setups to Watford, Swansea, Liverpool, Celtic, and Leicester, his desire to work in football has never waned.

“I never set out to be a manager,” he says. “I set out to be the best youth coach I could be. I loved working with young players. Could I inspire them? Could I motivate them? Could I teach them?

“Then it grows and you get asked to take on different roles and before you know it I was working with some of the best players in the world at Chelsea and those guys really dropped the seed in to manage.

“I’m so appreciative of my journey. There are so many moments where I know I’m very lucky. I know I’ve put a lot into it, a lot of work and sacrifice.

“It’s been an arduous journey for my family too. All the hardships that come with it. It’s not all plain sailing. When I left here the first time there was a lot of hardship for them. I’m built to deal with it, but it’s hard for them.

“I’m very thankful, I love football. To throw my life into it, to get the opportunity to manage the clubs I have, I’m very proud of that.”

Saturday's draw with St Mirren was his 795th game as a manager. He’s getting closer to the milestone he once set for himself. Back at Celtic, he's happier than ever.

“My initial target was 1000 games, the inspiration was to get to that,” Rodgers states. “Naturally, as you get closer, you want to continue the journey. As long as the passion is there and I can work the way I want to with professionalism and commitment, I will carry on.

“I also know life is short. There are things I would like to be able to do more of, with regard to family and spending time with them. That is why I was going to have a break before coming back to Celtic. Now I am in, I am loving being here.


Pushing on from historic Celtic success
Across two spells at Celtic Rodgers has racked up an impressive trophy count - 11 in total - dominating the domestic scene. A Scottish Cup final against Aberdeen next weekend is now the only thing standing in the way of him becoming the first manager in the club’s history to win three trebles.

“You never get tired of it,” Rodgers says. “It’s a symbol of your work and that you are working well. The first time coming towards that first treble you’d be so focused, then when the final whistle went against Aberdeen I knew I was joining the ranks of some incredible managers who had gone before me.

“So I know the narrative around this one being the first manager to win three trebles. That will probably only sink in - if it happens - later on.”

Rodgers’ third treble would be a historic achievement, but he also points out that silverware alone doesn’t define success. His ambitions stretch beyond domestic dominance into Europe, into player development and into building something that lasts.

“The next phase will be seeing if we can continue with the impact in Europe because that felt really good this year,” he says.

Celtic’s Champions League performances this season offered encouragement, even against elite opposition. Rodgers knows the margins are fine, but the belief is there.

He continues, “The performance levels in some of those games were absolutely great. We saw how close we ran Bayern Munich over two legs. That gives us a good feeling, but we have to keep developing, keep recruiting well. There are levels within the Champions League, and we want to keep climbing them.”

Rodgers hints that he wants to build a legacy beyond even that, stating, “On a personal level it’s more than the trophies, it’s how much money can I help bring in to the club through the sale of players, improving players, young players, establishing the academy so we can get young players through quicker.”

As he works towards those goals, Celtic fans are fully back on side, a fact not lost on Rodgers.

He smiles about the recent celebratory banner of him smoking a cigar in the stands, joking, “It's better than what it was a few years ago! It certainly warms the heart more than the banner at Tynecastle when I left. But I’m not Michael Jordan, I’m not a smoker!”

Behind the humour, though, he fully takes to heart what that backing offers him.

He concludes, “When you feel appreciated, it gives you that motivation and commitment to do even more. Celtic have a fanatical support base and they deliver an expectation on you. I know what they want and that gives me that drive to make them proud and be the best I can be

 

We’re lucky to have him and he’s lucky to be at Celtic.
It just works. Long may it continue.

 

Has done well this season to keep us going until the end and to get us regrouped after Europe and some of the losses we have suffered.
Still concerns me that he doesn’t react in games to change the system or get us playing with more intensity.
Yesterday felt a bit like the performances we seen in our dips in form when the build up was too slow and wingers always wanted to come inside.
But all in all a successful season and we need to get our recruitment right in the summer

 

Hopefully he's backed during the summer and pushes us on further. Now is the time to give him the tools he wants for even greater success. More titles, greater success in Europe, Brendan is one of the few managers in our range that can deliver on these. Open the cheque book for him.