If Brendan wins ten in a row, he could walk on water... and I think that he’d quite like that
HARTSON BACKS RODGERS TO STAY PUT AT PARKHEAD
“It’s not about money... he is very wealthy”
AS Scott Brown’s wayward strike ricocheted off Alex Bruce’s outstretched arm and beyond the reach of the helpless Daniel Bachmann, the significance of the moment in the context of the Scottish season was lost on no one.
Despite the frenzied celebrations which followed at Rugby Park, Celtic haven’t yet won the Premiership title. Now eight points clear of Rangers and with just 12 games to play, though, in tennis parlance, we have now arrived at match point.
The troubled waters Brendan Rodgers encountered in the early months of the season have now seemingly passed. The prospect of Celtic completing an unprecedented treble-Treble under his watch cannot be discounted.
But amid a growing sense of anticipation among the rank and file over the prospect of an eighth successive title being clinched lies an increasingly awkward question.
Contracted until 2021 or not, does Rodgers have the desire to go again next term? Does he retain the appetite to rebuild a defence and go cap in hand into the loan market where Celtic seem increasingly to shop?
If he stays for nine, would he not be morally obliged to go for ten? Is there something to be said for going out on a high — job done, reputation enhanced and legendary status at the club assured?
John Hartson has heard the argument. He appreciates that even successful Celtic managers have a limited shelflife. He could even understand it if Rodgers believed he could only go downhill from a third-straight clean sweep.
Yet the Welshman thinks the man from Carnlough’s senses will be awakened by the very prospect of being the first man in Scottish football history to do the mythical ten. He, for one, does not subscribe to the view that we are now in the home stretch of the Northern Irishman’s reign.
‘I don’t go along with the idea Brendan will leave Celtic in the summer,’ said Hartson.
‘He loves his job and if he wins ten in a row, he could walk on water — and I think Brendan would quite like to walk on water. He’s living the dream as it is.
‘It’s not about money for him. I think Brendan is very wealthy and he’s still very young in terms of management. As a man still in his 40s, he’ll have another 20 years at the top.
‘As things are, he’s very well thought of and he could probably pick his next job whether that’s abroad or back in the (English) Premier League.
‘But, for now, I like to believe he’s at Celtic for the long haul.’
Publicly, of course, wild horses won’t drag Rodgers into talk of winning titles beyond the present one. And you can hardly blame him.
As Celtic left Ibrox on December 29 after the most comprehensive 1-0 defeat you could ever witness, Steven Gerrard’s Rangers were level on points with their city rivals and marking themselves out as genuine title contenders.
A twin dynamic has subsequently occurred. What was meant to be the lightbulb moment for the Ibrox men appears to have been more akin to a flash in the pan. Struggling to come even close to emulating the standard they set that day, Rangers have shipped five points to Kilmarnock and St Johnstone.
Simultaneously, Celtic, so patchy before Christmas, have hit the straps, winning six league games on the spin without conceding.
‘The difference since the winter break has been telling,’ added Hartson. ‘Celtic have reacted and responded, and the players that they have brought in — (Timothy) Weah, (Oliver) Burke, (Jeremy) Toljan — have all had an impact, whereas (Steve) Davis and (Jermain) Defoe have not made as big a mark as people would have thought up until now.
‘Celtic deserve a lot of credit for coming back from that defeat to Rangers as they were well beaten that day and had no excuses. They clearly held their hands up and realised that they had work to do.
‘The Kilmarnock result was a huge momentum-shifter.’
With 36 points still to play for, nothing has been decided yet. Were they to win the two remaining Old Firm games, Rangers could still close the gap to two points and hope that Rodgers’ side come a cropper elsewhere.
That scenario, in itself, is not beyond the realms of possibility. But only a flawless sequence of wins for Rangers in their other matches would see them crowned champions.
As part of the Celtic side which blew the title in 2005, Hartson concedes that stranger things have happened. But not too many.
‘Our front three that day at Fir Park were myself, Chris Sutton and Craig Bellamy. Stiliyan Petrov and Neil Lennon were in midfield, which shows you can’t take anything for granted,’ he continued.
‘You’ve just got to keep pushing on and make sure you get the points in the bag. There are 12 games still to play and I reckon nine wins would guarantee that they’re champions.
‘If I’m in that dressing room, I’d be saying: “Let’s just tick these wins off...”. Beat Motherwell at the weekend and it’s down to eight more.
‘That’s what you need to do until it’s mathematically impossible for anyone else to catch you.’
Rodgers isn’t a man given to huge outpouring of emotions on the touchline and, even in the chaos that ensued after Brown’s goal, he kept his composure.
Yet there was still no escaping the delight and relief writ large across his face at full-time. Each victory in the Premiership may only yield three points but some, such as that one on Sunday, assume greater significance.
‘I feel that if Celtic win the league this year, it will Brendan’s most satisfying one,’ said Hartson. ‘For the reason that Rangers got a bit closer and stronger, and Aberdeen got stronger, too.
‘Celtic have had their problems and did not get all their targets over the line in the summer.
‘There was a lot of disgruntlement around the place and they looked like they might lose their captain to Western Melbourne.
‘So, given the way the season has gone, I think that, should Celtic go on to clinch the title, it would be the most pleasing one for Brendan.’
If Celtic do get over the line, no one will be able to say that Rangers did not give it their best shot.
Having recruited a world-renowned figure in Gerrard to lead them, big names such as Allan McGregor, Scott Arfield, Gareth McAuley, Defoe and Davis followed.
Indeed, such has been the scale of the investment that Hartson questions what Rangers would have left to give.
‘If it goes to eight — after Rangers having a go by appointing Steven Gerrard and bringing in 20 players this season — then, for me, the next two will be inevitable because Celtic will strengthen their squad,’ he said.
‘They’ll probably bring in five or six new faces. Celtic have £38million in the bank, so it’s about what they want to do next.’
lJohn hartson was presenting a cheque for £20,000 on behalf of his Foundation to the Beatson Cancer Charity in Glasgow. the hartson Foundation is on course to crash through the £1million barrier this year for funds raised.