Brendan Rodgers has stated that managing most Premier League clubs would be “a holiday” compared to the heavy pressure of managing Celtic or Rangers.
Rodgers’ first Premier League managerial experience came with Swansea City, when he led them to promotion in 2011 before finishing in an outstanding 11th place. He subsequently took over at Liverpool, succeeding Kenny Dalglish, and came agonisingly close to winning the Premier League title in 2014, when the Reds led by five points with three games remaining, only to fall short against Chelsea and Crystal Palace, gifting the trophy to Manchester City.
Following his dismissal by Liverpool in October 2015, Rodgers took over Celtic the following year and enjoyed great success before returning to the Premier League with Leicester City, where he guided them to European qualification and an FA Cup victory.
Despite his significant experience in England’s top division, the richest and most competitive league in the world, Rodgers believes that few Premier League roles can match the challenges of managing Celtic. Speaking to BBC Sport, he stated that the expectation at Celtic is not simply to win every game, but to do so in a manner that respects the club’s historic identity and attacking culture.
He explains:
“Celtic is certainly up there with the most demanding positions in football. At Celtic, there is an expectation that every game will be won in a way that is consistent with the club’s DNA. This is the first British side to win the European Cup, and they did so with a unique style of football. Winning isn’t the only goal here. You could go to numerous Premier League clubs and it would be a holiday compared to managing Celtic—and Rangers as well.”
Meanwhile, Rangers are still in turmoil following their terrible start to the Scottish Premiership season. Russell Martin’s term ended in failure, and after Steven Gerrard declined the opportunity to return, the club has been looking for a new manager. The Daily Record reports that Rangers have reached an agreement in principle with Australian coach Kevin Muscat on a long-term contract.
However, Muscat is currently in charge of Shanghai Port, which is on the verge of winning the Chinese Super League. He is anticipated to continue with the club until the end of the season on November 22, therefore he is unlikely to be in the dugout when Rangers face Celtic in the Premier Sports Cup semi-final at Hampden Park.
xz
