What's going on at Celtic Park?

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Brendan Rodgers has stepped down as Celtic manager

Former boss Martin O’Neill set to take charge on a temporary basis.

Author | Richard Lennon

Rodgers, 52, returned to Glasgow in 2023 for a second spell in the dugout and delivered back to back league titles, adding to the championships he claimed in 2017 and 2018. Yet his departure comes with Celtic already eight points adrift of early leaders Hearts after just nine matches of the campaign.

The club confirmed that Rodgers tendered his resignation, which was accepted immediately. Dermot Desmond, Celtic’s principal shareholder, later issued a strongly worded statement accusing the outgoing manager of behaviour that was divisive, misleading and self serving.

The immediate next steps for the club

O’Neill, now 73, previously led the club between 2000 and 2005, collecting three Scottish Premier League titles as well as three Scottish Cups and a League Cup. He will be assisted by Shaun Maloney, the former Celtic forward who has taken on coaching roles at Hibernian and Wigan Athletic. 

An upcoming Scottish League semi-final against Rangers is going to be very interesting.

How did we get here?

Scottish Premiership | Celtic fans protest
Celtic fans protest against their board at an away game earlier this season

This season has unfolded amid persistent protests aimed at the Celtic board, and Desmond suggested Rodgers had fuelled what he called a “toxic atmosphere”.

Tension around the club has also centred on recruitment, with Rodgers regularly hinting at frustration over the squad assembled during the summer window.

READ MORE | Celtic exit Champions League after drab encounter

Following the 2 0 defeat at Dundee on 19 October, he delivered a pointed assessment of the situation, saying: “There's no way you'll go into a race and be given the keys to a Honda Civic and say 'I want you to drive it like a Ferrari'. It's not going to happen.”

Sean M, Celtic and Scotland contributor to European Super Football and Super Local Sports News said: "The board allowed key players to depart and did not sufficiently replace them, leaving the squad looking diminished. The mood around the club has been uneasy from the outset this season, with a clear strain between Rodgers and those above him."

More immediate reaction from Celtic fans

Ben: Not entirely surprising, albeit disappointing. He put together an impressive set up last season, but it became increasingly evident the board were not prepared to give him the level of support he required. With form dipping and finances tight, he was left with little option but to walk away.

Alexia: In recent weeks it has been hard to ignore the increasingly divisive tone of Brendan’s comments, right up to those rather strained comparisons involving cars. It created tension for players and supporters alike, and it felt inevitable that a change was coming.

Louis: I am stunned. Completely stunned. I truly believed Rodgers would see out his contract, yet here we are. For this to unfold in the week of a derby feels extraordinary, along with the decision to turn to the old guard for a lift. And when was the last time both Celtic and Rangers found themselves changing managers mid season, simultaneously?

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