Brendan Rodgers fires a not-so-subtle broadside at Celtic's board as fan concerns grow
Rodgers’ Celtic not so subtle ultimatum: ‘I Won’t Stay Just to Stand Still’ – Manager demands transfer backing, European push, and clear signs of ambition before signing new deal.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has sent a not-so-subtle message to the club’s hierarchy, that if their ambition doesn’t match his own, then he won’t stay to simply maintain the status quo.
With initial talks over a new contract already taking place, Rodgers used today’s press conference ahead of the league opener on Sunday against St.Mirren to make it clear that his future at Parkhead all depends on the willingness of the board to push the club forward - both domestically and in Europe.
His comments are clearly carrying a threatening edge to them, challenging the Celtic board to prove that they share his vision for the club - as frustration grows among the support over the lack of transfer business and the clear weakening of the squad following the departures of Nicholas Kuhn and the failure to replace Kyogo who left in January.
Speaking ahead of Celtic’s league opener, Rodgers said: "I’ve always said I’m happy here, but it’s about the club’s ambition as well. I’m not here just to maintain. I want to improve, I want to develop, and if I don’t see that ambition, then I have to think about things."
This is not the first time Rodgers has raised concerns over squad investment. He has repeatedly stressed the need for quality reinforcements, and his latest remarks suggest frustration over the board to deliver.
He has already openly admitted to having to ‘push the board’ to strengthen the squad.
"Every manager wants to improve their squad, and I’m no different," he said. "We have to keep moving forward. If we stand still, others will catch up."
Rodgers’ comments are clearly a calculated move against a board that is clearly more interested in their bank balance than the actual football part of the club. Having returned to Celtic Park in 2023, he knows the expectations from the fans. His first spell at the club was defined by domestic dominance, but this time, the challenge is greater. The gap between Celtic and Europe’s elite has widened significantly, and Rodgers is demanding that the board try to bridge it.
"If you’re not progressing, you’re regressing," he warned. "I came back here to win, to compete at the highest level possible. That’s what I expect the club to want as well."
For now, Rodgers may remain focused on the new season, but his comments have lit the touch paper in what will be a pivotal few months for the club. The Celtic board must decide whether to meet his demands or risk losing him despite delivering the success that we all continually demand.
The Lord Haw Haws, the Comical Alis and happy clappers among our support may see nothing wrong with the status quo, but while we continue to low ball clubs across Europe in transfer fees for their players, drag transfer negotiations on to the point that weeks turn to months before ultimately losing players to other clubs, act more as a bank than a football club [run by bankers and accountants], and focus more on project players than actually strengthening the squad ahead of the new season then the rumblings emanating from the fans will only grow louder - and take action where it hits these bankers hurt the most, their pockets.
If the ambitions of the board is simply to do as we have been doing for two decades then there needs to be a mass clear out of the board - they are clearly not fit for purpose.
Corporate greed, their heads are right in the trough right up to their fat greasy little necks, stop funding their Corporate greed and boycott otherwise they will kill the club