Rodgers not an elite manager, say some. Be careful for what they wish for, say I

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The Celtic Star

·8 April 2025

Rodgers not an elite manager, say some. Be careful for what they wish for, say I

Brendan Rodgers is an elite manager, questioning his credentials is just silly. Once he’s gone we’ll find it difficult to replace him. Be careful what you wish for…

Celtic Manager Brendan Rodgers St Johnstone v Celtic, Scottish Premiership, McDiarmid Park, Perth, 06 April 2025. Stuart Wallace . Photo IMAGO/Shutterstock

As usual there are repercussions after yet another defeat, with criticism arriving in all shapes and forms from within the Celtic support and of course across the media with the hacks and pundits all piling in.

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Much of the criticism is reasonable enough and fully justified, but some of it, as you can imagine, is well over the top to say the least or to put it politely.

A Celtic support accustomed to sustained and incredible success

We a supporter base that has become accustomed to success that we have a tendency to overreact when things don’t go our way. No other generation of Celtic supporters has ever send a consistency in trophy winning as the support of today.

Maybe that’s amplifies the criticism when a defeat comes around, although it has to be said that three defeats in six league matches is NOT what you would expect from Celtic. The criticism is just the way it is, and something the more calmer of us have to adapt to as it isn’t going to go away anytime soon.

Celtic Manager Brendan Rodgers St Johnstone v Celtic, Scottish Premiership, McDiarmid Park, Perth, 06 April 2025. Photo Stuart Wallace/IMAGO Shutterstock

Some now questioning Brendan’s future at the club

On the back of the shock defeat by St Johnstone some of the critics are not only questioning Brendan Rodgers future, but his overall ability as a coach.

I myself have been critical of the manager, and indeed the players performances and attitude not just on Sunday, but the last few weeks that has seen us on the end of a loss three times in the last six league fixtures. That is because like everyone else I can see that with my own two eyes. We have been poor and we have been inconsistent. There is no fire in the belly, not enough will to win. There is no getting away from it, and they all, whether that be the players, or the coaching staff, all need to share the criticism coming their way.

Some have gone way too far in their post mortem

However, some have gone way too far in their post mortem of yet another disappointing result for Celtic. When you start questioning the ability of a man who has led us to 11 trophies in his two spells at the club, and is on the verge of making that 12, and hopefully 13 with yet another treble, it’s rather silly to say the least. Brendan Rodgers has never lost a match at Hampden whereas before he arrived in 2016 we were all thinking that the National Stadium was jinxed.

Brendan Rodgers, Manager of Celtic, looks on prior to the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and theRangers at Celtic Park on March 16, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Brendan has also improved us on the European front this campaign which was one of his major challenges. Yes we can get frustrated about his tactics some times, but those tactics have led us to unprecedented success, don’t forget that.

The new-look Champions League factor

This year Celtic played in the new format Champions league from August to February and the relentless fixture list up until that heart-breaking 1-1 draw away to Bayern Munich has clearly taken its toll, mentally and physically, on this Celtic side.

Brendan is an elite manager, and like every manager in the Champions League this season, this was his first experience of the difference the updated format has caused. He’s be better prepared for the post-UCL situation next season.

Brendan Rodgers shakes hands with Scott Brown, whilst Neil Lennon pats him on the back Celtic v Hibernian, Scottish Cup, Quarter Final, Football, Celtic Park on 9 March 2025. Photo: Stuart Wallace Shutterstock

Celtic will struggle to match Brendan’s quality when he leaves

Yes, he is an elite manager and we would cleary find it difficult to replace him when he eventually decides to call it a day. He has one more season on his contract and has always said that he would certainly see that out. Beyond that is going to be down to Dermot Desmond and the Celtic Board to decide alongside Rodgers himself.

For those within our support who don’t rate Brendan as highly as me and many other Celtic supporters all I can say is be careful what you wish for.

Just an Ordinary Bhoy

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