Brendan Rodgers’ final match at the helm of Celtic was a 3-1 defeat against Hearts on Sunday.
Brendan Rodgers has officially resigned from his position as Celtic manager. The club has confirmed that Martin O’Neill will take over on an interim basis.
Rodgers, 52, embarked on his second tenure at Celtic Park in 2023, securing consecutive league titles, adding to his previous triumphs in 2017 and 2018.
However, the former Liverpool and Leicester City manager departs with the reigning champions trailing Hearts by eight points after nine matches this season.
A formal statement from Celtic revealed that Rodgers tendered his resignation, which the club accepted with immediate effect.
Dermot Desmond, Celtic’s principal shareholder, released a strongly worded statement, accusing Rodgers of “divisive, misleading, and self-serving” conduct.
O’Neill, 73, previously managed Celtic from 2000 to 2005, during which he secured three Scottish Premier League titles, three Scottish Cups, and a League Cup.
He will be supported by Shaun Maloney, who enjoyed two playing spells with Celtic and has prior managerial experience with Hibernian and Wigan Athletic.
Rodgers resigns as Celtic manager – reaction
Rodgers initially signed a three-year contract upon his return and consistently affirmed his commitment to fulfilling the agreement, given the controversy surrounding his earlier departure in February 2019.
When questioned about a potential extension in August, he maintained that no formal offer had been made.
However, Desmond has now presented his perspective, stating that the club was eager to retain Rodgers beyond the current campaign to “reaffirm the club’s full backing and long-term commitment to him”.
The Irish businessman further asserted that Rodgers’ claim of no offer being made was “simply untrue”.
This season has unfolded amidst ongoing anti-board protests at Celtic Park, and Desmond accused Rodgers of contributing to a “toxic atmosphere”.
Rodgers also expressed apparent dissatisfaction with the club’s transfer dealings in recent months, making several references to underwhelming recruitment during the summer window.
Following the 2-0 defeat at Dundee on October 19, he commented: “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.”
In response, Desmond stated: “Every player signed and every player sold during his tenure was done so with Brendan’s full knowledge, approval, and endorsement. Any insinuation otherwise is absolutely false.”
“His later public statements about transfers and club operations came entirely out of the blue. At no point prior to those remarks had he raised any such concerns.”
“In reality, he was given final say over all football matters and was consistently backed in the recruitment process, including record investment in players he personally identified and approved.”
“What has failed recently was not due to our structure or model, but to one individual’s desire for self-preservation at the expense of others.”
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