There is a superb scene at the end of Episode 2 of the stunning show Succession when a central character gets what appears to be his heart’s desire.
He’s still processing his joy when another character pulls him aside, takes him to the roof of the building and delivers the kicker. The prize he has taken isn’t all its cracked up to be. Things are a mess. He looks at his friend and says, “You’re making it quite difficult to savour this moment.”
Brendan Rodgers might feel a little like that when he walks onto the pitch in two weeks time and takes his applause from the fans after delivering the double.
It should be a triumphant occasion for him, and he should be raring to go.
But this time last year he probably thought he had been handed the crown of a shining kingdom. I wonder what he thinks now.
On the day he walked through the doors at Celtic Park he must have thought that he had a stronger squad at his disposal than ever before. We have all long pondered the “mystery” as to why he returned; my guess is that he looked at what Ange had achieved and trusted people when they told him that everything had changed.
I don’t think he saw the writing on the wall, that with a Lawwell as head of recruitment and another in the chairman’s seat that the board which had ceded power and total authority to Ange had taken it back and that he would not get the same autonomy.
How long did it take Rodgers to recognise that? On the day he sat in front of the media and told them that he would work with who he was given the horrible fact of it had already started to dawn on him. He should never have accepted that.
A king must be the ruler of his own kingdom.
Over the year he’s been here he has lost Hart, Jota, Abada, Starfelt, Haksabanovic and Oh. The latter two are squad players, and if he misses them at all it’ll be on that basis although we cannot ignore that the sale of Oh leaves us with one recognised striker. The first four players are a huge loss to him and to us, and this is the typical pattern all through the Lawwell years.
From a position of strength, we go backwards, rapidly, at a shocking rate.
We signed a dozen players last year. Not one of them is of sufficient quality to replace the men who have been lost to us, and this is to say nothing of us bringing two players in on loan who did make a big impact and who so far have not been turned into permanent moves. Rodgers’ squad is severely depleted and monumentally weaker than the one he took over.
And this is his empire now. This is what he had to work with going into this window. This window needed to deliver big for him. Because he’s justified his hiring in spades and added to his impressive trophy haul as boss, but not only that. He worked with a much weaker team than he inherited, sussed that none of the new signings were up to par and still won big.
Rodgers has proved he can still achieve with a weakened team.
If that has given some people the idea that it’s okay to starve him of resources and make him do so again, they are very wrong.
He won’t do it for a start, and why should he have to? No other manager whose club has so many millions in the bank and which will post a profit at the end of this season regardless would put its manager in such an appalling position. Why would he accept it?
He no longer has to. He might have felt that he had a weak hand sitting there this time last year, but he doesn’t have a weak hand now. He has the overwhelming support of the fans. He has proved that he can still operate at the top level.
If there was a popularity contest between him and the board he would win it by a huge margin.
If Rodgers finds out that this is his future, that this board intends to simply weaken this team until something breaks, he has options. Leaving the club is not one of them though. He has made promises to the fans on that score. He can go to Desmond, but many of us assumed that he had done that in January and that things would now be different … look at the situation and tell me that things have improved at Celtic.
The last thing he can do is go public, and I think we would all prefer that it didn’t come to that. But the only thing that’s going to stop it is if this guy gets proper support from the club.
Nobody at Celtic can possibly believe that this is a good hand they are dealing the guy here. Lawwell got away with this once before, because the anger at Rodgers for the manner of his leaving was so intense that others avoided their due scrutiny.
But if this is how the rest of this window goes then everyone is going to be able to see, clearly, that this is not a team which is stronger, and might actually be one where, if we sell O’Riley and don’t buy quality, where we’re even weaker than we are now.
He will have to deal with that. But those who do it to him should not be under any illusions that they would be able to escape scrutiny this time. They have colossally failed the manager so far. That has a limited shelf life. The patience of the fans is not inexhaustible.
In Succession the problem was debts. The Celtic board has a bigger problem; a surplus which is growing to obscene proportions. That makes a failure to give Rodgers what he needs simply inexcusable.
I’m sorry James but, in my view, you’re taking the negativity too far too quickly. The squad we have on Flag Day won’t be the squad we have at the end of August. I am positive about that.
The fact that Schmeichel has now signed and Bernardo is looking like a done deal, things are slowly gathering momentum. And there is absolutely NO chance we’ll end the window with one first team striker.
Where I do share your concerns is if big Matt leaves, do Celtic see Bernardo slotting into that role? Like you, I don’t think that’s not good enough. I know it’s not good enough.
I know close seasons are fkng torture for you journo bods (especially ones of a Celtic supporting persuasion). Hang in there. It won’t be long. We’re nearly there. Cheer up man!!!!
I hope you’re right.
I wouldn’t put money on it though.
You Can Read the Celtic Board Like a Book( SHARE PRICE and EXECUTIVE BONUSES )
We’ve signed 2 keepers to replace 2 keepers. That’s our transfer business so far in a nutshell. We need a left back, centre half, ball winning centre mid and a 2 strikers. It blows my mind how a manager of Rodgers standing in the game cannot demand the same clout Ange can. Look how organised we were with regards to bringing in players during Ange reign. Planning a window ahead. He left no doubt who was running the show every time he spoke. Now we’ve reverted back to classic Celtic, the board have the managers hands tied and Rodgers is swallowing it.
Couldn’t agree more
It’s hard to believe that we were spending more money on players 20 odd years ago than we are now, £15 million on the likes of Sutton Hartson Lennon alone!! We had a good manager and ambition back then that resulted in domestic success and great European nights. Fast forward to the present day, and considering we are financially on a different wavelength to back then cash rich with a good manager but no ambition whatsoever!! and if it continues I can’t see Brendan sticking around too long.We need a LB for I don’t know how long,a proper CB to partner CCV. A replacement for O Riley when he’s sold. A Centre forward that’s proven and scores goals, and a ball winning hard tackling midfielder. Enough of the penny pinching let’s do something in Europe show some ambition give something back to the supporters enough is enough.
we wont get anywhere until lawell removed from club he has held celtic back for years he cost the lu 10 in row get rid we done it once we should never have let him back.
I personally didn’t like the fact that Rodgers left the way he did. But make no mistake this wasn’t done in the darkness of the night.
The board knew he was leaving the minute John McGinn left Edinburgh.
They inexcusably messed with his reputation and he let them know what was at stake all along.
In short, the boards ego got in the way and they had to test him. Lets not forget, they were the ones who named the £8m price tag for him to leave. That takes time
BR will not be shy in leaving again. Nor should he. Managers have left for less and he will not be held to ransom, would you ????
Hes got to be on the brink !!!!
Get Lawell to fuck.
Lawwell should join him PDQ.
A thoroughly depressing read, James. I’m surprised and disappointed that you’re writing such a negative article. I usually enjoy your posts, but this one is just ill conceived and does nothing to further enhance your excellent writing reputation. I hope you quickly get back to more balanced and upbeat writing. Maybe you have too much time on your hands and you’re thinking too deeply about this window and fearing the worst. The way I see it there are six weeks remaining and whether we’re stronger or weaker isn’t determined at this moment in time, it once the window is closed. As the song says, “Don’t worry, be happy!” ??HH
Over the year he’s been here he has lost Hart, Jota, Abada, Starfelt, Haksabanovic and Oh.
I m not a Lawell fan, not in the least, but he is being blamed for the loss of 6 players, c’mon really!
As you said the last two were squad players who only made up the numbers, and one of them had a bad attitude, none of them were a loss. Hart, as much as we loved him, left because he knew he was past his sell-by date. Abada was conflicted by an Israeli war and also had very little choice, but had to go as his heart would not have been in it. Starfelt was no loss in my opinion, he took off for purely selfish reasons like a love struck puppy. Jota the last one, well who the hell would knock back a profit like that transfer produced and he gladly made his move? So, sorry James I cannot buy into this conclusion, PL is blameless for all 6 of them.
This board needs a complete overhaul,all they are interested in is money in the bank to give them bigger bonuses and I include Desmond in that.They are totally lacking any ambition in trying to create a team capable of getting results in Europe,as long as we win the spl and get more money qualifying for champions league to bank they regard that as great success.
With regards to first post why do we wait to the last minute in transfer windows? We didn’t understand Ange and it helped massively, what’s the difference? Lawwell is back at the club.
We need a LB, a partner for CCV, Bernardo, a replacement for O’Riley (Although I’m still hoping we keep him one more year), a winger and hopefully Idah. That’s 6 signings of quality, not potential, and unfortunately I just cannot see us doing that.
I hope I am wrong but I like so many others have seen this movie before.
Why is Rodgers not going to speak to desmond about the lack of transfer activity,it’s all right some fans saying be patient but CL will be on us shortly and we need a better class of player,and the nearer the transfer deadline comes , selling teams will know we are getting desperate so will hike up their asking price and we will end up with more projects and free transfers that nobody else wants,it’s the same old penny pinching,biscuit tin mentality of old and doesn’t look like changing unless liewell and desmond piss off .
I always find your articles very insightful James, but each one is constantly aimed at the board and particular Peter lawwell. With all due respect, constantly seeing the same points mentioned is starting to get a bit boring now.
Why don’t they put Lawell in front of the cameras and let him explain what is he actually doing with the fans money. The 100 million plus in the Celtic accounts belongs to the fans they have a right to know what the hell is going on. two things spring to mind the board do not want to lose sight of sevco or they are squirreling the money for a new board takeover. Anyhow that lying rat Lawell needs to get in front of the cameras and explain himself, Nowhere else in any business would this nonsense be allowed to happen.
No disrespect Terry but if you think Peter lawwell individually has the clubs money by saying he should be put in front of the cameras and asked what he’s doing with the fans money you need to have a think through about how the club is actually run. No one board member, executive or non executive has sole authority over finances. If the fans pushed for it then if someone had to explain the cash situation it would be Chris Mackay who I think deals more with finances.