Chris Sutton. I love the guy but he tries too hard sometimes. He, like the rest of us, is pissed off about the transfer window. He has been accused of trying to be controversial with his latest remarks. Actually, some of them are just dumb.
The issue I have with his comments are the same ones I have with a few others; his willingness to blame Rodgers for two transfer window disasters.
Perhaps he can explain to me why, if it’s Rodgers in charge, we’ve not signed a single guaranteed started from a dozen players?
We all know that Rodgers has made mistakes, the main one being that he has been too accepting of the dreck Lawwell has pushed in his direction … but that’s the issue here, not the manager.
Sutton wants to know what has changed since Ange’s successful first two windows. If he gave it two seconds of thought I’m sure he could come up with the answer; we hired Mark Lawwell. There it is, just as simple as that. Then daddy Lawwell became chairman. Look at the timeline. It’s a perfect match. You don’t need to be a genius to work this out.
It most certainly is not the fault of the manager.
One of the things I’ve noticed in the last few weeks is just how few of our hacks are willing to point the finger of blame where it belongs.
They stumble around it as though they are in a minefield. The moment Peter Lawwell was no longer CEO our way of doing transfers dramatically changed for the better. Our current team has a half dozen blue chip players in it right now, all of whom were signed during that brief period where we did things differently.
No sooner was there a Lawwell running recruitment and another in the chairman’s office but we were back to the shoddy, shabby way of doing business which has characterised previous transfer windows. And some of us called this the moment Lawwell junior was appointed and again when his Lawwell senior was back in a major role.
It was depressingly predictable.
The only thing that wasn’t was the return of Rodgers himself, and a lot of us foolishly convinced ourselves that the board would not, could not, treat him in the same slapdash manner it had before. We convinced ourselves that he must have had assurances of full control and that the policy would be designed to fit him rather than have him bend to fit the policy, precisely the conditions under which he left in such disharmony last time.
Rodgers needs our support. We can all see how he is being treated, and he recognises that in the fans he has friends and allies which he will need if he’s to get his way.
There are issues here which are bigger than the manager, bigger than whether or not we win this league. There is the policy itself, and the cronyism and nepotism at the heart of the club … those things cannot be blamed on the man in the dugout. They exist entirely separate of him, and at some point we must have a reckoning with those who think this is appropriate.
I am surprised at Sutton though. He keeps a close eye on this club so he knows full well, or at least he should, that most fans are not angry with Rodgers but with those above his head. Quite how he has managed to turn this into the manager’s fault I do not know. This is the moment for backing Rodgers to the hilt, not sticking a knife in the guy and holding him responsible for the decisions that are taken over his head, and behind his back.
Where Sutton and others aren’t getting it is down to their continuing efforts to try and understand why Rodgers would have returned at all if it was clear that he was going to be restricted by the policy. I think it’s obvious that he wouldn’t have, so either he misunderstood the pitch or someone misled him and he didn’t query what he was being told.
Because of that my sympathy for his position is limited, and I think he should be fighting harder … but if they dig in their heels the only thing left to him is to quit and he’s given us, the fans, assurances that he won’t. So he has my full support, as he has from his first day back.
Sutton should be backing him. Sutton should be on his side here. I was so disappointed reading that this morning. He has gotten this one badly wrong.
I haven’t read the article. I know you have to so I pity you in that regard. Not because it’s big Chris but because of the pitifully bad “news” outlet who pays him to have his say.
We all know he is one of us. But, as you say, he has got this one wrong. Very badly wrong. As such, he is doing their job for them.
Uniformity of message is needed. We can’t afford for factions and schisms to manifest. Sure we have the blogs but I doubt Nicholson, Lawwell or Desmond will give them the time of day.
They do, however, attend the same football matches as us.
Exactly that’s what’s going on at the club shameful decisions by the top brass you nailed it here
Sutton should no better
I wouldn’t blame rodgers if he left, lawwell and son need to leave take the 3 strachans with them please dermot and son give it up to someone who wants to invest real money on celtic
On the !8 August 2023, 3 days before the Viacup defeat by Killie
BR said; “Ultimately, I will coach and develop the players I’m provided”
That was a revelation to you at the time, as you covered his statement.
Did Chris forget what BR said?.
I agree. Give Brendan clean air and enjoy the football.
Perhaps Rodgers has a responsibility to identify the oven-ready, quality players in the same way that Ange did. Maybe, the recruitment team’s main task is within the framework of sourcing the development potential that can grow and make a substantial profit. Possibly, there is growing evidence that Rodger’s responsibility in this department may not be one of his managerial strengths.
Without a doubt, leaving LB position so open to being attacked is the worst of this window. We are now juggling with a right footed Ralston or Bernabei, so looks like we may have to move Scales one over to the detriment of our central area.
Can someone, anyone, tell me why we don’t bring back Bosun Lawal from his loan deal at Fleetwood where he is apparently tearing it up?
Don’t know if I read this here, but
as CEO, PL supposedly had a favoured players’ agent the club engaged with?
IF that is indeed correct,
would it be a possibility that this same agent is currently the conduit for
bringing in players?
And if so, could this be limiting the club’s buying opportunities – and reach?
[Happy to be corrected if this is way off the mark.
On the face of it, having a ‘favoured agent’ could be the worst
possible example of cronyism in any football club,
and a red flag for a plc?
Yet, I think Alex Ferguson had a similar arrangement with an agent / Mendes?]
james….you said in the first paragraph it’s wasn’t the managers fault…the problem is his “acceptance” of the players which is being foisted on him – now THAT is dumb….of course rodgers is a major fault of the shambles…his very ACCEPTANCE of the situation FFS !!
WHY did he ever return to this club that has a load of self serving bastards in charge ? – he KNEW what he was walking back into FFS !!
i really don’t understand you having a go at sutton…are you and yer pal phil the only people who should criticise celtic ?
FAIL FAIL !!!
Your comments are 100% correct the board have shafted him
You are all idiots. You have allowed SMSM anti Celtic agenda take hold by adding to it, Celtic support are the biggest threat to Celtic success. You listen to the negativity and buy into it, it overwhelms social media post and threads like this, it filters into the team. The pressure mounts and it pops…..job done!
Do you ever see the same negativity over the river no, they did not have a particularly grea window either however its marked as fantastic. Celtic have spent £22M the Rangers £12m yet Celtic have not spent enough they have spent enough.
Its also as if some fans want us to lose…. honestly… they cannot wait! Regardless of how well Celtic do on or off the park they all find a way to spin a negative story and fans fall into it.
Unlike you Jacksback I’m into any Scottish Football Media negativity simply because I don’t pay to read it…
And what do the Scottish Football Media mean by a ‘Grea’ Window ?
They are illiterate from what is reported on here about them so Goodness Only Knows…
If any of these scumbags were trapped in a burning car and flashed their Media ID card and begged at me for help I’d douse them with ma spare gallon of petrol in ma boot –
Would you in the same situation do the same ?
Probably not Ya obvious Media Reading Lover much to your shame !