Following Brendan Rodgers’ resignation as Celtic manager, the Scottish champions are still reeling. In a detailed statement, the club’s main shareholder accused Rodgers of “divisive, misleading, and self-serving” behavior.
The club’s initial statement on Monday evening was unspectacular, containing the usual platitudes accompanying a departure. Brendan Rodgers had submitted his resignation as head coach of Celtic Football Club on Monday, and the club politely thanked him on its website for three titles in two years.
Anyone who thought this would be a quiet departure was proven wrong. Shortly afterwards, Dermot Desmond, the majority shareholder of the reigning Scottish champions, published a statement on the club’s official website that packed a punch. A full 551 words about Rodgers’ alleged misconduct.
Rodgers had repeatedly caused a stir with his public statements in recent weeks and months. For example, he complained in the media about the lack of new signings. Then, in mid-October, after the first away defeat in Dundee in 37 years, the 52-year-old said: “You would never get the keys to a Honda Civic in a race and be told, ‘Drive it like a Ferrari.’ It just doesn’t work.”
Celtic sees trust violated
Desmond has now accused the former coach of “divisive, misleading and self-serving” behavior. He said he was “deeply disappointed” by what had happened in recent months. When Celtic signed Rodgers two years ago, it was done with “complete confidence and belief in his ability to lead the club into a new era of success.” “Unfortunately, his behavior and communication over the past few months have not reflected that trust.”
There had been regular communication between Rodgers and the club’s management regarding the sale of existing players and the signing of new ones. Celtic’s transfers had taken place with Rodgers’ “full knowledge, consent, and approval.” “Any other suggestion is completely false,” Desmond said. Rodgers’ comments came “out of the blue” for him, as the coach had not previously expressed any concerns to the decision-makers. Even in a personal conversation after his public statements, Rodgers was unable to cite any instances in which the club had not supported him.
In addition, the club’s management had held out the prospect of a potential contract extension to Rodgers, but in a later press conference, the coach had suggested that he had not been offered a new contract. “That was simply not true,” said Desmond.
Rodgers’ successor still unknown
Rodgers’ behavior contributed to a “toxic atmosphere” at the club. “Celtic is bigger than any one individual. Our focus now is on restoring harmony, strengthening the squad and building the club in a way that is worthy of its values, traditions and fans,” Desmond concluded in his statement.
Rodgers has yet to respond to these allegations, but the departure is likely to cause further unrest in the coming days. The next league game is already scheduled for Wednesday, at home against newly promoted FC Falkirk. Martin O’Neill, 73, who was already on the sidelines at Celtic from 2000 to 2005, will take over. However, the new role as interim coach will only be short-term, O’Neill said on Tuesday. It is not yet clear who will take over in the long term.
