Celtic: Brendan Rodgers top candidate for manager's job

Last updated on .From the section Celticcomments98

Brendan Rodgers
Brendan Rodgers left Liverpool in the autumn

Former Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has emerged as the frontrunner to become the new manager of Celtic.

The BBC has learned that the Northern Irishman, 43, met club representatives for several hours on Wednesday.

Dermot Desmond, Celtic's biggest individual shareholder, has described Rodgers as "a great manager".

But he added that "in excess of six" candidates had been interviewed for the position, which is available following the departure of Ronny Deila.

"We're excited about the managers we've interviewed and discussed," Desmond said. "Hopefully in the next few days, we will decide and enter negotiations."

Celtic candidates all worthy of job - Desmond

Deila's two-year tenure ended with Sunday's 7-0 win over Motherwell.

Under the Norwegian, the club won consecutive Premiership titles, taking their run of top-flight crowns to five, with the previous three won under Neil Lennon.

However, they have not reached the group stages of the Champions League since Lennon's time in charge.

Asked about Rodgers, who has also managed Watford, Reading and Swansea City, Desmond said: "He's a great manager.

"He's proved it at Liverpool and I think he's a worthy candidate for Celtic, as all the other candidates are."

Former Scotland and Celtic defender Malky Mackay, 44, has also spoken to the club about the vacancy.

Like Rodgers, Mackay began his managerial career at Watford. He then had a spell in charge of Cardiff City before he was sacked by Wigan Athletic.

Four other former Celtic players - David Moyes, Roy Keane, Paul Lambert and Lennon - have also all been strongly linked with the job.

So has former West Brom and Reading boss Steve Clarke.

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98 comments

  • Comment posted by Slamcity67, at 12:57 19 May 2016

    @1

    how is it a shockingly pointless league?

    It may be irrelevant to you but for millions of Scots it is the most relevant league in the world because their team plays in it. If your logic is the margin of victory then PSG won Ligue 1 by a greater margin than Celtic did the SPL this year - is Ligue 1 pointless? Does Leicester winning the EPL by 10 points not make it pretty pointless?

  • Comment posted by U15078702, at 12:16 19 May 2016

    He could still manage to finish 2nd in a one horse race.

    More ego than talent.

  • Comment posted by U16419330, at 12:22 19 May 2016

    Blokes a plum. Talks a great game/project.
    Tactically stupid, just an FA manual 'press ' 'work hard'.
    At Pool he inherited Gerrard and Saurez otherwise he would of been sunk within months. Remember, he thinks players like Shelvey and Allen are worldies.

    For Celtics sake give him a swerve. Only twitter want him back on the managerial circuit.

  • Comment posted by jmg, at 12:09 19 May 2016

    The league is no different to other countries in that only a small number of teams can win it. Have you tried watching Stoke v West Brom live and what you see is over paid and over rated players in a league that has not produced a champions league winner for years but claim to have the best league in the world - all spin by SKY, BT and English football. As for comment 4 what do you mean?

  • Comment posted by U16537774, at 12:06 19 May 2016

    Celtic need someone like Moyes, not Rodgers. As an ex-player and a Scot who has been part of the Old Firm rivalry he understands the passion and will bring on the young Celts. Next season is a big one for the Scottish game.

  • Comment posted by james81, at 22:13 19 May 2016

    Genuinely don't understand why such a vast number of English fans take a pop at us at every chance they get. Our league's smaller, poorer, of a lower standard and less competitive (compared to the EPL, as it always is for some unknown reason) and yet it still seems as though despite these facts THEY have some kind problem with US? Is there something that's offending THEM? I don't understand this.

  • Comment posted by Slamcity67, at 16:16 19 May 2016

    man it drives me mad how every comments thread on Celtic ends up being either a The SPL is rubbish thread or is Rangers a new club or not. We all know the SPL is, comparatively speaking to the big 5 leagues in Europe, rubbish, but funnily enough that doesn't mean that people who live there don't still want to go and watch their team. As for the same club stuff, its like a playground argument

  • Comment posted by grahame, at 15:01 19 May 2016

    Celtic could do with a manager that wants the job for the right reasons, not to use it as a stepping stone to rebuild a reputation and then move on to bigger things in the EPL. They will in all probability win the league next year no matter who is in charge but after that it could become more difficult. A resurgent Rangers and a stronger Hearts might make the job a lot more difficult

  • Comment posted by U15539924, at 14:35 19 May 2016

    fair point rundmc...but if moreno and benteke,at a cost of 45 million,can get in the liverpool side,Griffiths could sign for real,we are a country of 5 million,you have 70 million,always going to be richer,but theres players in epl,signed for tens of millions,that couldn't sell pies at hamilton

  • Comment posted by exxyeddie, at 11:55 19 May 2016

    I hope he does well. Champions League progress must be the priority. Good luck Brendan if you do get the job

  • Comment posted by grahame, at 15:19 19 May 2016

    Thanks Hardsyle, no chance of changing my allegiance though, sorry. Please don't send any more cheap French players over to Newcastle. It sounds as if Larsson isn't going to get a look in and Paul Hartley hasn't got a mention either. The last thing Celtic needs is a "Hollywood" manager. We both know the biggest challenge whoever gets the job is squeezing money from the board.

  • Comment posted by Beejay, at 14:38 19 May 2016

    He talks the talk but can he walk the walk. I would have thought Celtic would be looking for someone with a successful European credentials to take them to the next level in European competition, Brendan does not fit that requirement.

  • Comment posted by rundmc, at 14:14 19 May 2016

    It's terms of club and fan base, there's no doubt Celtic are a top club, as are Rangers but let's be honest, the Scottish league is abysmal.

    You only have to look at the decline in the player of the year. When it was Gazza, Laudrup & Larrson, you could argue it was still a half decent league but Griffiths? I'm sure he's a decent player but come on, could he get in any side in the Premier Lge?

  • Comment posted by XTStevie1872, at 13:24 19 May 2016

    Can't believe all this Servco nonsense believed by uninformed deluded C*ltic fans who have for the last 4 of the 5 titles just sat back & thought about nothing else other than Glasgow Rangers ??

    We were Rangers then.
    We are Rangers now.
    We will be Rangers forever no matter what any of you say ??

    Get over yourselves..............

  • Comment posted by U16419330, at 12:45 19 May 2016

    @ 20

    'roy keane the dunderhead'

    Very harsh on dunderheads

  • Comment posted by U16517253, at 19:58 20 May 2016

    @82 Hardstyle, ta will give it a go mate

  • Comment posted by Football_understand, at 18:26 20 May 2016

    @92 I am not a scottish football fan, but have got plenty of Rangers supporting family and been to many games at ibrox. The amount of Celtic fans that are fascinated with Rangers is staggering

    You do know that previous holding company has not yet been liquidated?

    move on with your life, posting nonsense then saying you dont care.

    Rangers played in the lower leagues which gave clubs £

  • Comment posted by U15618491, at 10:12 20 May 2016

    @81

    We need someone who can score 20+ goals .
    It won't be so easy this new season comin , Aberdeen give us a run for our money , Hearts were up for it also for a bit.

    BTW good site ( for cool fans ) join in if you want , we've good Celtic fans and Rangers fans that can talk to eachother , we even have a Alloa fan.
    Join today !

    http://footballfor.freeforums.org/

  • Comment posted by U16517253, at 22:23 19 May 2016

    @78 Yes and even stranger, a huge percentage have direct connections to Scotland.

  • Comment posted by U15620251, at 15:48 19 May 2016

    66 - not really, its only a game, no point getting all worked up about these things, especially considering how much ive seen us win over the years. They were the better team and fully deserved it (and that is called being gracious in defeat, you should try it someday). why are you so bitter about such a new club by the way?

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