Celtic job a ‘dream come true’ for Rodgers
Former Liverpool manager gets the nod
CELTIC pulled off a major coup last night when they announced they had appointed Brendan Rodgers, the former Watford, Reading, Swansea City and Liverpool boss, as their new manager.
Rodgers, who has signed a 12-month rolling contract with the Scottish champions, will be unveiled at a press conference at Celtic Park on Monday afternoon before meeting supporters.
The 43-year-old has been made the best-paid manager in the 128-year history of the Glasgow club and is also set to be handed significant funds to buy new players. He has been charged with the task of fending off the challenge of Rangers and retaining the Ladbrokes Premiership next season as well as qualifying for the Champions League group stages for the first time in three years.
The Northern Irishman, who came agonisingly close to leading Liverpool to their first English title since 1990 in the 2013/14 season, has promised fans that his side will play entertaining football.
In a statement on the official Celtic website, Rodgers said: “I am absolutely delighted to be named Celtic manager. This is genuinely a huge honour for me.
“I have followed Celtic all my life and to be given this fantastic opportunity and to be part of such a truly great football club is a dream come true. I will give my new role everything I have and do all I can to bring our supporters exciting, entertaining and winning football. The club has been in magnificent shape in recent years and has collected silverware regularly during this time. My objective now, of course, is to continue this work, to keep us at the top and again make our mark in Europe.
“I know what a magnificent support Celtic enjoys and I can promise our fans one thing – that I will be doing everything I can to give you a team that you can be proud of and a team that delivers. I can’t wait to be in Paradise with our team and our fans as we all get to work.”
The appointment of such a highprofile figure as Ronny Deila’s successor was widely welcomed by Celtic fans who are now certain to buy season tickets in huge numbers. The prospect of a Celtic under Rodgers going up against a Rangers managed by Mark Warburton is an enticing one.
Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell described Rodgers, sacked by Liverpool in October, as “a special manager”.
Lawwell said: “Brendan is a highlysought after manager and we are pleased that we have been able to bring such a high-calibre individual to Celtic.
“He has a huge and genuine affection for the club. I know Brendan feels privileged to be named Celtic manager and I know he will give us everything he has to be successful. We wanted to bring one of the biggest and best names to the club – we believe, in appointing Brendan, that we have done this.”