Brendan Rodgers Discussion Thread

It's been a strange, strange season.

I was vehemently against his reappointment, and I've been very vocal about not enjoying his football this year. We've been poor for the vast majority of the season. Now I know there have been confounding variables (injuries, poor transfer windows), but I still think we've underperformed. We've dropped so many points needlessly, many from winning positions. He has to take responsibility for that.

Given the huns' tragic start to the season, we should have never been in a position where we're fighting for this title. They are rank rotten and have a worse squad than ours (I've said this all along), so I'm wary of giving him massive amounts of credit for doing what was expected. We need to be careful about overpraising him and not forget how poor performances have been this season. Some will say winning the league is all that matters, and while that's true to an extent, we need to set our sights higher.

Before his return, my minimum expectations were a double and progression in Europe. Now unlike others, I didn't see this massive improvement in Europe. We won a dead rubber that lifted our spirits and got the winless monkey off our back, so I think that's positive. I still think we could have and should have got more points from that group though. After deliberating on it, I'm willing to give him a by for Europe this year due to the quality of the squad, but I won't be so forgiving next year.

The league is not over yet, however I will praise Rodgers for how we've performed in the last couple of games. Again, we shouldn't even be in this position, but there is a job to be done and I think he deserves some praise for seemingly getting our act together at the business end of the season. The games against them have been very good for the most part, and I think that's basically kept him in a job. I want to see those types of performances consistently, not just against them.

I'll be honest and say I'd still rather we look for someone else in the Summer, but if he delivers the double then I can't begrudge him staying. It may sound spoilt, but winning the league alone isn't good enough these days. I'm not saying he should be sacked for not winning the cup, but those are just my expectations.

If Rodgers stays, there will be little room for mediocrity next year. We need to get the rebuild right and start behaving like a proper European team with genuine ambitions. If he can drive that, then great. But I don't want to hear a million and one excuses for him next year if we have another underwhelming season.

 

I have been massively critical of him, around December time and as well just after the break with the lucky/scrappy wins against County at home and at Hibs. His attitude and the football on display were both dreadful - the team reflects the manager after all. For me, even with our second string, we should have been playing significantly better than we were domestically (actually didn't do too bad in Europe considering those same players were still on the pitch in the CL against far superior sides) so he has to take praise for the good and flak for the bad in equal measure, it can't be one way.

My biggest disagreement was this idea that he's separated from any criticism regards recruitment, which as you say his mood seems to have lifted since mini Lawwell has been punted, so clearly there was an issue behind the scenes (which nobody can claim to have known or not). The uplift in performance has coincided with his own demeanor... but... he has been let off a great deal by the Huns doing their usual bottle job.

Credit to him that now he's had his better players to field the football has markedly improved and the results have been good enough to keep pressure on those *. Still a lot of work to be done, but I'm not very optimistic about next season unless we see a huge shift in our recruitment strategy. Need to be singing from the same hymn sheet and identifying quality - particularly if we lose some big hitters from the squad.

 

Also just for the record (and I don't know if anyone else finds themselves in the same boat) but I wasn't bitter or unwilling to praise Rodgers because of the way he left the first time. Its in the past and at the time I actually thought Lawwell and the lack of ambition were to blame for him sticking his two fingers up at them on his way out.. still doesn't look good on him but it is what it is - there's no loyalty in football.

I will happily praise him and give credit when he deserves it, and feel people claiming he was getting pelters just because folk are bitter or "jilted exes" is pretty condescending. I could make the counter-argument that people thinking it was a great appointment were stuck in the past and naively thinking he'd clean house again cause he did before. Neither are really relevant to how he performs/has performed in his role this time around though.

I'll judge him by the football on display, results and trophies won - and he will deservedly receive criticism if he fails to deliver on those fronts.

 

Couldn't agree more.

 

We could have equally had a rotten start to the season though. We had a very tough run of fixtures and we had a starting eleven that was absolutely nowhere near the level of last season due to injuries and signing 9 projects last summer. So he deserved a lot of credit for that start. The football wasn’t brilliant, I would never pretend it was, but I think he done remarkably well to pick up the number of points we did. I think in the end injuries and recruitment caught up with us, and to be honest, given the teams we’ve had on the park this season, I’m not overly shocked by the number of points we’ve dropped.

I wouldn’t say there was massive improvement in Europe. I think it’s realising that we achieved more points than last year with what was a worse team. That’s what * me off. Because had we actually backed him last summer, I think we could have gotten through our CL group, or at least get 3rd and stay in Europe.

The bottom line is, as long as we win the league, it doesn’t really matter how. That’s the long and short of it. Yes we all want to see great football, but when it’s all said and done, as long as we are lifting the trophy, that’s really all that matters. I’m not saying winning the league alone is enough, because I’d probably expect one of the cups as well, and this could still happen.

 

Was quite happy with Rodgers getting the job in all honesty. Just been less than impressed with his first 6 months. His lack of engagement with the job and the style of football over that period being my reasons. Things are getting better but not to the point I want him here next year. I had high expectations and he's fallen short not really more complicated than that.

If he is here next season it's not a disaster and maybe he'll be more convincing.

 

He still needs to get us over the line, before we start to critique his season.

 

Injuries and recruitment have impacted us massively. I hope these wont repeat and us to push on next year. If he's not given assurances over spend then I expect him, rightly, to walk in the summer.

 

Mate, about a month ago the poll on the other thread read something like 40% that we'd lose the league, and 20% that we'd DEFINITELY lose it... The 'love-in' is a mixture of pure, raw relief and the usual 'windsocks' we always have in our support...

Personally, I never moved from that we'd eventually overcome them, because anyone with basic knowledge knew that they were overinflated on actual skill/talent, and that they've more broken bottle than a bottle bank... But it's still tight, and we need to keep the head screwed on!

Let people have their moment, and then start slapping heads after the cup match!

 

Testing time for him now.
The huns meltdown puts us in a good position but were not there yet.Its down to Rodgers now,he needs to get the bhoys focused on the job in hand and make sure we dont * ourselfes like hun did.

 

Think he has us playing well the last month or so, for most of the season the football has been terrible though. He’s been unlucky with key injuries and the transfer windows were pathetic. Still not convinced, but fair play if he wins the league when it looked pretty unlikely for a while.

 

He's experienced in what it takes to win this league.. having a right go at beaton and the SFA has helped galvanise the side and in doing so has meant putting results together and piling the pressure on the Huns who are now cracking all over the place and their manager who hasn't got Rodgers experience doesn't know how to fix it and throw in their fans turning on them it can only be good for us.

 

If we win the league, he basically gets another window and a bit, but that's about it.

The performances against diddy teams this year haven't been up to par regardless of the squad. It's a long way off where we should be. I think of it like Deila. He might have won but it wasn't in the fashion we expect.

Need to see a rejuvenated squad next year, new players, new approach to our football as well ideally.

 

he had no striker this season
Kyogo was hit and miss and less said bout oh the better
Idah has to signed in summer or someone same quality.
We need gg for small teams that park bus.
Be able throw crosses in for him to head or knock down to midfielder coming into box.

 

Right now I just want us to get over the line in the league and win the cup. Then I’ll properly reflect on the season.

My personal feeling is I’d rather someone new came in this summer, but obviously if we win the league that’s never going to happen. So I hope we get most of our recruitment right in the summer, assuming there will always be a couple of signings who aren’t be a success.

 

Would be such a sweet title for him and well deserved for having the balls to come home.

He was getting treated like an enemy this season despite beating the Huns etc. It was a witch hunt from the media and emotionally unstable fans. Everyone who didn’t believe this Huns team was anything worth worrying can trust their judgment. Proud to have been called a Rodger’s fanboy Get it up them Brendan.

 

Didn't want him back but never had any hatred for him. Think his system has been awful most of the season, playing Kyogo out of position and basically messing up a winning Ange system, the football has been dire but the board have been awful too...fair play to him for keeping a cool head and if he wins, he may well walk anyway.

 

Here for 10 in a row part II……lol