Regular readers will know that I love big Sutton and seldom disagree with him. But I sometimes do and when I do I say so. The big guy gets very little wrong, but in his latest critique of Rodgers he has to know that he’s not 100% right. He’s too smart not to.
Brendan Rodgers is in a curious position right now. I’ll have to do a longer piece on it, but this man is being buffered from all sides. It has to be remembered that he took over a winning team, but if you’re going to do that it’s worth remembering that this is not his winning team. He didn’t know what to make it until he arrived, and he’s still finding things out.
Rodgers had to compete with an injury crisis too. And if you accept that a Celtic team should not be reduced to James Forrest and Mikey Johnston getting games then you need to take into account the hand he’s been dealt by those injuries, and by the summer transfer failures.
He should have fought harder for his players. We all agree on that. But you cannot say that the board should have done better, accept that the manager didn’t get who he wanted, even if you blame him, and then slag him for not doing more with less.
Because, really, when you’ve concluded that Brendan Rodgers has had injuries and other issues to deal with, that’s really what he was being asked to do here; to do more with less. Added to that the weird situation in the stands, and he doesn’t get even partial credit?
Sutton is too smart not to know he’s being unfair.
If Rodgers looks like he’s “going through the motions” it might be because of his frustration at the situation he finds himself in. It doesn’t mean he doesn’t have the passion and doesn’t want to work hard. I daresay Rodgers is ready to work as hard as he ever has.
He’ll need to if he wants to save his job and his reputation with it.
But there are mitigating factors here as far as Rodgers is concerned.
Even Ange, with his playing style, would have struggled to get a tune out of a team with Mikey Johnston and Forrest and Yang making life difficult by not supplying decent balls to the central striker … and the central striker has rarely looked more isolated or out of sorts.
Rodgers needs to up his game. Sure, he does.
But Big Sutton isn’t playing fair here. Rodgers is clearly not a happy camper, but that’s par for the course when a manager is entirely happy with the makeup of his squad.
He should be doing better, we all know that, but nobody could have predicted a situation where so many goals would be taken out of the team at the same time, or one where certain parts of the side simply ceased to function.
January is going to tell us so, so much about this club under this guy. There is no question that he has to be steering the signing policy in the coming window, because it’s his neck on the block if he leaves it to others and those others get it wrong.
We’re going to see what he’s made of, and we’re going to see what his plans are.
There are several games left to go until the winter break … Sutton should wait until then, until we see those plans start to take shape, until Rodgers has his own team, before passing such a harsh judgement on the man who came here before and won seven trophies in a row.
Very well said give BR this window at least I say
He is a top coach we all know that
HH
Bobby G
The problem is James Brendan knew or should have known what he was getting into,he knew when he signed up especially after the debacle when he left ,so I think Brendan has to take some of the blame for losing a 7 point lead.
I just read his collum and, I feel he’s not far off the mark, apart from the last 30 minutes against St Johnstone we have been very flat and regardless of who he puts on the park, he should not be telling them that they are shit before they cross that line, a good manager should make them feel, big, strong and the best he has , he has done the opposite and is it any surprise that he can’t get a tune out of them. He will pick up 3 years money no matter what happens. Get the finger out Brendon and do what you are paid to do. MANAGE
Mate, with the greatest respect, that’s bollocks. Sutton is too smart to know he’s being unfair?? If he’s being unfair, just say so. I think Sutton is smart enough to express his view, however popular or unpopular that may be
Sutton doesn’t know when to give it a rest. I think it’s personal.
We played well and got a decent result against a handy Feyenoord team with the same restrictions. We then served up an horrific performance in the SPFL a few days later. I am fairly certain you said Johnston was excellent that night in the CL James although, giving you the benefit of the doubt, I’m not sure you said which one 🙂
I am also not sure if Brendan is going through the motions. I’d be very surprised if he was. However, unfair or not, it’s probably the case that his future at Celtic hinges on the next 3 games.
I’ll make my mind up on Hogmanay as we all know how good a tonic beating the huns is. We have to give him that much. It would be lunacy not to.
Rogers has more than enough options to put out a SPL team his JOB is to pick them. James McCarthur has 10 years EPL experience rogers picks him vs East Kilbride?
Rocco Vata is pursued by half of Europe Rogers doesnt pick him
Kyogo is DEFENDING at corners?
Iwata has been fit most of the season but not included in Euro squad?
I could go on but your article is giving ROGERS the excuses he needs
Brendan will get it right, I have no doubts about that, and although Ange left him a winning team, I have never thought that it was a great team. How could I, when I was, and still am critical of two players he continually picked who were just not Celtic class. I am talking about Starfelt and Taylor, and he even then decided Scales was not good enough and then he signed Bernabei? What was all that about? Ange was a good manager but he did have his faults and I’m hoping Brendan can get our mojo back together and take us to another level. The next couple of months are going to be interesting and absolutely crucial in the development of Brendan’s team.
Rodgers won trophies on his 1st time round as their was no Rangers.
This time he had the opportunity to get player’s in, he accepted all the projects without objection, that’s a fail.
Problem positions were known, Rodgers knew that but did nothing to rectify them.
Rodgers has come in and ruined the team, think of removing an engine from a Jaguar, replace it with one from a Reliant Robin, what are you left with.
Rodgers team, The man along with Lawell who ruined Celtic.
No Rangers, you mean because they were liquidated?, cause I certainly remember his teams skelping a team in blue, playing out of Ibrox, who were even then spending £ millions.
Not forgetting Lawwell and Lennon either Davie…
The men who blew the ten –
I’m still not over that…
And I doubt that l ever will be !
Yes Davie,my sentiments exactly, regards Rodgers , with the players he inherited he should know enough to beat hearts and Killie,there is probably part time managers who could have put a team with Celtics resources and players to beat teams in the SPFL,give Rodgers his due Euro champions league is a different ball game but we should win the SPFL title,I hope I’m wrong but not so sure now.
Something I hadn’t realised until watching a stats based program about national teams since they started, was that crosses into the box have one of the poorest returns statistically in terms of goals. Add to that 11 defenders in the box, and you might go some way to explaining our poor goals return, as that appears to be the only ‘tactic’ we have at the moment.
If that’s the case Jim how come every other team seems to score against us at corners and set pieces are we at Celtic missing something here,our record for scoring at set pieces is horrendous but for conceding goals at set pieces we are in the champions League.
you seem to forget james that rodgers, “elite coach” as you called him, should have known what was ahead of him a matter of days after signing on for his second stint…and ensured he recruited the players that he was going to need…and if he was knocked back by the board…then june/july was the time to be shouting about it – WE ALL COULD SEE WHAT WAS REQUIRED.
i have no idea why he returned….he doesn’t need the money and surely doesn’t need the hassle…ego can be a terrible thing….think sutton is spot on…
i think this is gonna be another covid season – without covid….
a club like no other
FAIL FAIL
Since the board banned the Green Brigade, rightly or wrongly, we’ve dropped points. Those points we’ve dropped have opened the title race again. The support were divided when Rodgers first arrived but when we won at Ibrox, the unity and belief in Rodgers was back. A poor showing in Europe and the banning of the Green Brigade has allowed a sort of rot to creep in but Rodgers has given each of these project players and peripheral players a chance during this difficult period and now he can at least go to the board and say “I’ve tried your players and they’re just not good enough”. The return of the Green Brigade, Hatate, Maeda and others along with a victory at home to Penalty FC will see a resurgence in our fortunes and create a more united positive atmosphere again. A good transfer window is essential with Rodgers type players, someone up front who can hold up the ball and offer more in general play to support Kyogo with goals. A winger to replace Jota. Someone who can dribble and create. Rodgers has got a tune out of Scales in partnering CCV but is he good enough long term. Rodgers needs to be given the power to buy players he likes. By all means, temper his expectations and put a cap on his spending, try to convince him that quality can be found in Bulgaria, Hungary and other backwaters rather than chasing unaffordable English Premiership players on wages we can’t match but ultimately, Rodgers needs to have sanctioned any signing we make, otherwise we’ll not see them fielded.
The point is Gareth we had those exact same players last season,who won everything,so what’s changed? Manager perhaps?
the trophies won are all history. I question what was agreed when he took the job second time around. He left previously because of interference from those upstairs. Surely he was given guarantees he was calling the shots on players in this time but as you have frequently called out ” i will work with what i have” is damming. On a separt point is the new sevco manager being charged for claiming his players are being killed by there opponents
Gareth if you are seriously putting the GB banning down to our form then I despair .