Rodgers shaped by Burns at Reading
THE paths of Tommy Burns and Brendan Rodgers overlapped for a brief spell at Reading but it certainly shaped the thinking of the Celtic manager, according to one of Burns’ closest friends.
Former Celtic and Republic of Ireland goalkeeper, Pat Bonner, moved to England when Burns took the Reading job in March 1998, to get back in the game after his sacking at Celtic Park in 1997.
Burns endured a torrid 18 months at the cost-cutting Berkshire club, after it fell into the third tier of English football. Indeed, Reading were so hard up that Rodgers had to put in 12-hour shifts in a John Lewis warehouse to earn a living, while working as their youth coach.
Rodgers had to end his playing days early due to injury and was 25 when Burns walked in the door at Reading. For the Northern Irishman, meeting the player he once admired as a Celtic fan, made an impact.
“I know Tommy influenced Brendan a lot down there, much more than I thought actually,” said Bonner yesterday, as he publicised the screening of the Tommy Burns film by Purple TV on BBC Alba on tomorrow at 9pm.
“I think there are parallels between what Tommy encountered [at Celtic] and Brendan now, when you listen to what is going on about buying players, and how to spend money.” Bonner painted a picture of the culture shock which he and Burns faced at Reading. “I remember Tommy saying, ‘we are down here to learn’,” Bonner said. “Someone who had been at Celtic, learning, with Reading in the lower division after relegation. Every day was a learning day, Tommy said, and that was his humility.
“But Tommy was dealing with a chairman, John Madejski, who was out in Kuala Lumpur as a tax exile. Tommy didn’t have a relationship with him at all.
“Tommy went down hoping to spend a bit of money on new players but there was no money and Tommy was told he had to get rid of players. I think he got rid of 20.
“Some were overweight. He had a guy called Williams up front who I thought was the kitman when I went there.
“Tommy had never really spoken to the chairman, so Tommy thought he’d write a letter to him. Tommy put down all the points he thought needed addressed. Then Tommy sent it off.
“A couple of weeks later, Tommy said at training: ‘I’ve had a reply from the chairman. It was just three lines. ‘In future, call me Mr chairman, not John. And if you need to contact me, go through Nigel Howe [director of football].’ That was it. The writing was on the wall.”