BRENDAN RODGERS BACK AT CELTIC | LV BET Sports blog

After a disappointing season with Leicester City relegated from the Premier League after winning the league in 2015-16, Brendan Rodgers left the club with mutual agreement. His previous employers, Celtic, had to cut Ange Postecoglou’s contract short due to being appointed the new manager of Tottenham Hotspurs.

In this blog, we will identify some of the main points characterising the return of Brendan Rodgers to Celtic Park, will he be welcomed back? Will he enjoy the same level of success? Can the combination of Ange Postecoglou’s style help Brend Rodgers develop Celtic into a regular contender in the Champions League group stage?

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RODGERS AND CELTIC LOVE STORY

During Brendan Rodgers’ tenure as the manager of Celtic, he had a significant impact on the club both on and off the field. Rodgers joined Celtic in May 2016 and led the team to an unprecedented period of success in Scottish football.

Rodgers implemented an attacking and possession-based style of play that emphasized quick, incisive passing and fluid movement. Under his guidance, Celtic played an expansive and entertaining brand of football that thrilled the fans. The team dominated domestically, winning every available domestic trophy during Rodgers’ time in charge. They secured back-to-back domestic trebles in the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 seasons, going unbeaten in the league for an entire season in the latter.

Celtic’s performances under Rodgers in European competitions also showed improvement. In the 2017-2018 season, they reached the UEFA Champions League group stages and produced memorable displays against top-level opponents, including a famous victory over Barcelona.

The Celtic faithful developed a strong affinity for Brendan Rodgers, appreciating his tactical acumen, ability to develop young players, and his passion for the club. He became a highly respected figure among the supporters, and his departure to manage Leicester City in February 2019 left a significant void at Celtic Park.

Since Rodgers’ departure, Celtic has been led by various managers, including Neil Lennon and most recently, Ange Postecoglou. Postecoglou took charge of the club in 2021 and has made a positive impact, rejuvenating the team and securing the Scottish Premiership title in the 2022-2023 season. His attacking philosophy and emphasis on high-tempo football have resonated with the fans.

While the Celtic faithful have been delighted with the team’s domestic success under Postecoglou, they also have a strong desire to see the club perform well in the UEFA Champions League. The fans appreciate the progress made by Postecoglou but hope that their team can compete at the highest level in Europe’s elite club competition next season.

Despite the success enjoyed under Postecoglou, there remains a lingering fondness for Brendan Rodgers and a collective desire among the fans to witness the team replicate their achievements in the Champions League under his guidance. The hope is that Celtic can build upon their domestic success and make a significant impact on the European stage, combining the best aspects of both Rodgers’ and Postecoglou’s approaches to elevate the club to new heights.

BRENDAN RODGERS PLAYING STYLE

Brendan Rodgers confessed multiple times during his career that watching Barcelona and Ajax influenced his playing style. Now that brand of football is more controlling and possession-based, something that we did not see too often with Leicester City. Now that he is moving back to Celtic FC, Brendan Rodgers will go back to his roots and implement an imposing brand of football.

The way that he sets up his team has gained him a lot of admirers across the country, with the most vocal being Jurgen Klopp, who inherited Brendan Rodgers’ former squad at Liverpool. The German coach stated that Leicester are built as a big team; brilliant in all departments, exciting and fresh.

The key element for a successful Rodgers side is when one of the full-backs storms forward and offers an option by overlapping the winger. During his time in Scotland, he had Kieran Tierney, and at Leicester, he had Ben Chillwell before he eventually moved to Chelsea. The highest attacker provided the most threat on goal, same thing was employed at Leicester with Jamie Vardy playing on the shoulder of the last defender, ready to pounce.

Typically, Brendan Rodgers regularly starts a new club by favouring a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1; he eventually experiments with a back three, Liverpool’s 3-4-3 inspired a fine run of results during 2014/15, Celtic used a back three while with possession and then a four without it; Leicester often defend with a five, from a similar shape to that used at Celtic.