CELTIC BOSS Brendan Rodgers ‘couldn’t be happier’ managing the Scottish champions as speculation grows that he could replace Arsene Wenger at Arsenal.
Wenger announced today that, after 22 years as Arsenal manager, he would be stepping down at the end of the season, with Rodgers mooted as a candidate to take charge at the Emirates Stadium.
Last season, Rodgers emulated arguably Wenger’s greatest achievement by taking Celtic to the league title without losing a game, just as Arsenal did in 2004, and he could secure another Scottish Premiership crown this weekend.
The former Liverpool manager is content with life at Celtic Park and is happy with the impact he has made in Glasgow since his appointment in 2016.
“There’s still a lot of work for me to do and achieve on and off the pitch, but you can only do that if you’re happy, and I couldn’t be happier at this club and the support I get from the board,” he told the club’s official website.
“It’s all very aligned and very clear and that allows me to work in confidence and it gives the stability to the team, the staff and everyone, and we can all move forward.
“I couldn’t have wished for it to have gone any better. You always hope you come into a club and can make an impact.
“What was important for us is that we could start quickly, but that’s all down to the players and their ability to learn and take on board and they’ve been absolutely fantastic.”
With Celtic again set to win the title with games to spare, Rodgers knows complacency can be a problem and is determined to ensure his players do not become afflicted by it.
“No matter how big your institution is and how great it is, you always have to guard against complacency and that’s something I always say to the players – they need to be allergic to that,” added Rodgers.
During his last stint in the Premier League, Rodgers took Liverpool to second place in 2014, but was sacked 18 months later after failing to qualify for the Champions League and he left the club in 10th place after eight games of the 2015/16 season.
He’s a poor mans version of Wenger. Nice football but ropey defence. Should have won the league with Liverpool but struggled once Suarez left
@Dublin Gooner: *could have won’t the league I think you mean . That team was 4th/5th best in league and he got very close to winning the league with it so although they bottled it in the end I think they over achieved that year !
@Dublin Gooner: should ave won the league but Slippy G messed up, granted they were goosed when Suarez left!
@Now or Never: they were great that season. Weren’t they 5 points clear with 3 to go?? That’s a Should not a could imo
@Dublin Gooner: start of season they have no chance . Could still stands !
@Dublin Gooner: I think they needed 7 points from their final three games to win it. Draw with Chelsea, and beating palace and Newcastle would have been enough. Only got four points though
@Dublin Gooner: Should have won the league? What are you on about?
That has a David Moyes written all over it. They should look at Conte, Simone or Tuchel. Rodgers has no plan B.
@Professional Chef: Tuchel is going to PSG. Simeone would be a betrayal of the whole philosophy of the club.
@Alan J. McKenna: Sometimes a new philosophy is better than been stuck in the past.
Why would he leave for that shit club and he knows he won’t be able to get in the champions league because of how good the teams above him are. He wants to be remembered at Celtic for 10 in a row
@Oisin Walsh: we don’t want him relax
@Oisin Walsh: With all due respect what is the value of 10 in a row? Anyone on this site could manage Celtic to a league title. Celtic have had nothing remotely approaching serious competition in years. Why on earth Arsenal would be risking their next appointment on someone who’s proved nothing to anyone in the last few seasons is beyond me.
@Philip Exley: he has proven plenty at Swansea , Liverpool and now Celtic and if you don’t agree I would probably suggest you know very little about football .
@Philip Exley: no one on this site could manage Celtic to a title. Hyperbole like that just makes you sound like an idiot who clearly knows nothing about the SPFL. Rodgers is doing well at Celtic in a more competitive league than the EPL.
Arsenal are a soulless club with the most boring, pointless fans in British football.
@Ciaran Rice: Jesus Ciaran give over. Souless club with pointless fans? Arsenal fans love their club as much as Celtic fans do theirs.
Is the measure of a club how much noise they can make on a European night? Or whether they have a green brigade? Parkhead is half empty week in week out as well.
Arsenal are one of the institutions of British football. Much like Celtic!
As for your comment about the spl being competitive catch a grip, bar Celtic, rangers and Aberdeen the rest wouldn’t look out of place playing at Windsor or solitude on a Saturday ffs
@Mel Roberts: I never said they don’t love their club. The seem to show it by sitting on their arses for 90 mins at every single game.
Parkhead isn’t half empty for every game. Let’s not exaggerate.
Again, let’s not exaggerate. Comparing the teams in the SPFL with Irish league sides shows me one of two things. You don’t watch Scottish football or you don’t watch Irish football. Considering The Rangers are probably going to finish 4th maybe even 5th and that Hibs are a very decent shout for 2nd shows your lack of knowledge of the Scottish game.
@Ciaran Rice: again is the measure of fans supporting their team whether they have a standing section and sing songs for 90 minutes?
There’s plenty of green seats at parkhead for a standard spl game.
My knowledge is grand, rangers are second and Aberdeen third on 62 points each. What crap are you talking that sevco will end up 5th. Take the blinkers off Ciaran. Spl more competitive than EPL Jesus wept
@Mel Roberts: how on earth can you deny that Scotland hasn’t been more competitive than England this season. Man City became champions a week ago. The top four in England is pretty much set in stone and the teams that are there will more than likely finish in those same positions.
Celtic still haven’t wrapped up the title and were beaten yesterday by Hibs. 2nd, 3rd and 4th place are all on the same amount of points and all still have to play each other. No one knows who will finish in which place. The bottom 3 in the SPFL are also much closer together than in England so who will be relegated is anyone’s guess.
The Rangers have dropped plenty of points to all of the top 6 this season bar Aberdeen. It is entirely realistic that they will finish 4th.
Take off you st George tinted specks
Eddie Howe. You heard it here first!!
Great…because i wouldnt want him anywhere near the Arsenal hot seat…a clown could win a league title in scotland with that celtic side. A Suarez and Gerard inspired team was the main reason he got close to winning the league with liverpool
@Justin Flynn: see this rubbish about Rodgers only getting near the title with Suarez and Gerrard. It doesn’t make any sense. Would Ferguson have won titles without Cantona and Keane? Would Klopp be doing as well without Salah and Fermino. Would Zidane have won the European cup without Ronaldo? Brendan Rodgers came in and created an entire style of play in order to have Suarez at his most lethal. It is a ridiculous argument used for one reason and that’s to undermine Rodgers.
I hope he goes nowhere near Arsenal and stays with Celtic for 10 in a row.
@Ciaran Rice: i hope he wins 10 titles in celtic…but i dont want him in charge at Arsenal as an arsenal fan id expect a better choice
@Justin Flynn: that’s fine, but that excuse about Suarez is a complete nonsense. Although it’s mostly used by Liverpool fans as a justification for Rodgers having a better record at Liverpool than Klopp.
Has done a great job rebuilding his reputation at Celtic but Arsenal should be looking elsewhere before looking at Rodgers.
Eddie Howe…….top young manager ….might be tempted by the opportunity to win trophies…..has already achieved as much as is possible with Bournemouth. Good at nurturing young talent and plays exciting football.
He’d be the best manager from Norn Iron to manage them since Terry Neill .
Or maybe they should put Chippy Brady back on the managers bench ..
Apparently Jose has been linked with a move to manage the club
What about Jim is winning matches