Brendan Rodgers has resigned as Celtic manager, with the club's majority shareholder, Dermot Desmond, launching a scathing attack on his conduct. In a strongly worded statement, Desmond accused Rodgers of being 'divisive, misleading, and self-serving,' and said his behaviour had fuelled a 'toxic atmosphere' around the club.
Celtic confirmed Rodgers' departure late on Monday, and former manager Martin O'Neill will take charge on an interim basis, assisted by Shaun Maloney. O'Neill, who left the club two decades ago, will lead the team for Wednesday's home match against Falkirk and Sunday's League Cup semi-final against Rangers at Hampden Park. It remains possible that O'Neill could be given an extended run in the role.
Rodgers' final match was Sunday's 3-1 defeat at Hearts, which left Celtic eight points behind the league leaders. The manager had expressed frustration over the club's summer transfer activity, a sentiment that supporters' protests had echoed. However, Desmond insisted that Rodgers had the final say over all football matters and that every player signing or sale had his full approval.
Desmond revealed that in June, he and chief executive Michael Nicholson offered Rodgers a contract extension, but the manager delayed his response and later publicly implied no offer had been made. 'That was simply untrue,' Desmond said. He also noted that a three-hour meeting at Rodgers' home failed to produce any evidence that the club had obstructed or failed to support him.
Rodgers, for his part, denied shifting blame, stating after the Hearts defeat: 'I've always taken responsibility. When you're the manager at Celtic, you're responsible for the results.' Ange Postecoglou, who recently left Nottingham Forest, has emerged as the early favourite for the permanent position, though those close to Celtic have downplayed the likelihood of his return to Glasgow.
