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They are saying you must by no means return to an ex – however Brendan Rodgers returns to Celtic with some factors to show.
The primary one is to the followers: and whether or not the Northern Irishman is certainly one in all them.
Three-and-a-half years have handed since Rodgers upped and left Celtic in the midst of the season to take over at Leicester. The sport after his departure prompted the Celtic followers to unveil a banner addressing the boyhood Bhoys fan straight: “You traded immortality for mediocrity. By no means a Celt. All the time a fraud”.
The Celtic followers have been outraged – though he had secured the “double treble” in his first two campaigns at Parkhead, after no such achievement within the 16 years earlier than he joined. He even lifted the season’s League Cup trophy earlier than departing.
Nonetheless, the choice to stroll away from “residing the dream” – as he put in his personal phrases – was an excessive amount of of a betrayal for the Celtic followers who watched Neil Lennon return. Though the membership went on to seal two extra back-to-back trebles, they then fell quick of their quest for 10 league titles in a row. Now Rodgers is again at Parkhead seeking to show to the Celtic followers that the previous methods are the most effective.
The home problem
The truth is, Celtic’s present place is considerably just like the one which noticed Rodgers depart in February 2019. A preferred treble winner in Ange Postecoglou has swapped Scottish supremacy and Champions League soccer for a Premier League membership not even in Europe subsequent season.
Rodgers can level to the “been there, performed that” argument for his appointment – however he’s sure to face a stronger problem domestically on his return to Glasgow.
He arrived the season Rangers returned to the highest flight, with Mark Warburton’s workforce unable to pose any nice menace as Celtic knocked them out of each cups, whereas successful three and drawing the opposite league assembly that season.
They then gained all 5 conferences the next season, scoring 14 objectives whereas conceding simply two. The truth is, Rodgers misplaced simply one in all his 13 Outdated Agency video games in his first spell at Parkhead.
Lennon accomplished the “treble treble” after changing Rodgers then secured a fourth, however the Ibrox aspect have been beginning to enhance below Steven Gerrard and reclaimed the title in 2021.
Postecoglou’s Celtic dominated domestically, though Rangers beat them on their technique to Scottish Cup glory below Giovanni van Bronckhorst in 2022.
Michael Beale has solely been in cost at their Outdated Agency rivals since December however he’s unbeaten at dwelling and claimed a 3-0 win over Celtic within the ultimate assembly of final season.
With a summer time rebuild already underway in Govan, Rodgers is assured to face a vastly-improved Rangers aspect as he seems to select up the place he left off in 2019.
Fashion of play
Celtic performed some spectacular soccer below Rodgers however it may very well be argued that Postecoglou took these foundations to a different degree. Rodgers advocated attacking play however would usually undertake a extra affected person, possession-based type as opponents arrange merely to defend.
After firing Celtic to 106 factors in his ‘Invincible’ first season at Parkhead, the second season was extra modest, successful the title by simply 9 factors, with 4 goalless attracts and two defeats within the 11 video games earlier than securing the title by way of a 5-0 thrashing of Rangers.
Underneath Postecoglou the emphasis was on relentless attacking soccer, summed up by his ‘we by no means cease’ mantra. He favoured a 4-3-3 formation and used inverted full-backs to tuck inside and push into the midfield when the workforce had possession of the ball.
The Australian had the Hoops followers off their seats, it was thrilling and enthralling to observe. It was a mode the gamers labored arduous to good and will probably be attention-grabbing to see if Rodgers holds on to any of his predecessor’s type when the season kicks off in August.
Champions League
One factor that Postecoglou couldn’t crack was making waves with Celtic in Europe – the near-perennial Scottish champions have too usually exited Europe with out making a lot of a splash in recent times.
Rodgers’ new daybreak noticed them end backside of their Champions League group in his first season, a drop into the Europa League earlier than falling on the first hurdle in 12 months two. In 12 months three, they failed even to get previous the third qualifying spherical.
Postecoglou’s model additionally fell within the Europa League final 32 in his first season, whereas Celtic completed backside of their Champions League group final time period.
It’s clear that success in Europe subsequent season is excessive up on the guidelines – with discuss that Rodgers will probably be given main monetary help in an effort to compete within the Champions League, the place Celtic robotically go into the group stage.
Recruitment
That monetary help, nonetheless, must be spent in the suitable means – as Rodgers’ recruitment was too hit-and-miss for Celtic’s liking.
There have been success tales with Moussa Dembele, Scott Sinclair, Kristoffer Ajer, Odsonne Edouard and Olivier Ntcham, however six-figure charges have been forked out for Marvin Compper, Vakoun Bayo, Jack Hendry, Eboue Kouassi and Jonny Hayes – who have been both plagued with inconsistency or by no means obtained going within the first place.
And now Rodgers inherits a Celtic aspect who, maybe not relied on, however have been definitely influenced by Postecoglou’s data and connections within the Japanese leagues. Rodgers takes on a Celtic aspect that was his, however will not really feel prefer it in any respect.
How rapidly he strikes the workforce on from Postecoglou’s days, and the way rapidly the followers transfer on from Rodgers’ preliminary betrayal will probably be key components in how profitable subsequent season is for the membership.
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