Brendan Rodgers stands at the peak of his powers right now, like a newly elected President or Prime Minister sitting atop a major legislative majority.
That’s the point where a good leader will press the advantage, the point where he or she can influence everything.
Brendan Rodgers has a chance to reshape Celtic entirely in his own fashion, and he’s grabbing it.
Even as I write this, the turf is being torn up. That’s his spanking £2 million pitch being laid. John Park had departed already, when his own influence at the club was cut down to size but now, today, we learn that David Moss has gone too.
Lee Congerton has already been appointed to replace Park. A replacement for Moss will be appointed in time. Moss has gone to Huddersfield. Park is still without a club. There is no question that these guys left to “better their careers”; they were no longer required. Moss at least had the benefit of time, and he crafted an exit. It’s not clear whether Park jumped or was pushed, but either way he was gone before he had something else lined up.
Brendan can make quick decisions.
With others he takes his time.
But Brendan gets what Brendan wants, and that’s an acknowledged fact.
When Ronny Deila arrived at Parkhead he was immediately told that he had to appoint a “local” presence to buttress his regime. Brendan Rodgers got to choose his own, and made no bones about that being a key feature of his plans.
You can see how effective and Chris Davies are; watch them in the Scottish Cup Final after Celtic scored the winner; there’s a moment where both celebrate, and then get right back down to business, making a substitution and nailing down the win.
The tweaks to the backroom are going on largely un-noticed by most of us, yet they are structural changes of enormous consequence in the way our club operates. There is no question that these changes have taken place with Brendan’s approval.
Over the course of the summer there will be others; keep your eye out for them, because these represent a major shift in the way the club is run.
Different personnel means different ideas. The needs of this club are being reshaped, to suit those of one man, the man in the manager’s office, and that is exactly how it should be. The manager is the most important person at the club.
Forget a four year deal; it’s blindingly obvious that this guy could be here for a lot longer than that.
The machinery he puts in place sure will be.
