Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers says he’s been ‘belittled and disrespected’ throughout his coaching career, so question marks surrounding his return to the Bhoys are nothing he can’t deal with.
This time six months ago it seemed a faint and distant prospect that Rodgers would ever return to the club. Not only did he achieve all it was possible to achieve domestically during his first stint, but the nature of his departure left a bitter taste for many supporters.
However, since his return, things have been moving positively at the club. He also received a great reception at Celtic Park ahead of the win over Athletic Club on Tuesday night. And Rodgers isn’t fazed by any naysayers who have questioned his return.
He said [The Scotsman]: “I think that’s when I’m at my best. I think my journey in my football life, as I sit here today, I’ve probably been belittled a lot and disrespected a lot in my career because I didn’t have any big playing background.
“So there are always questions around ‘will you succeed’, ‘is it because of this’. There’s always a reason why. But I feel that’s when I’m at my best, really. It doesn’t worry me, though [about those perceptions].
“Don’t get me wrong. I just think in general when anyone has to prove a point, then that’s when you’re at your best, really. It’s that challenge. The number one thing that breeds success is to have that challenge. The challenge to come back to here, especially on the back end of how I left. It wasn’t ideal for many. So I wanted to come back and show we can have some great moments again.”
It’s an interesting insight into his thinking. Dare I say, but it’s very similar to the language the previous manager used about himself. There may be more similarities between Brendan and Ange than is realised.
Rodgers hasn’t returned to Celtic simply to pick up a wage or go through the motions. He has a purpose here and it seems important to him. He’s mostly focused on the work involved to date, he seems focused and ready to go. That’s exactly what we want.
Coming back to the Bhoys isn’t about sentiment. It’s about winning. If he gives us that, everyone will be very happy regardless of their view of him.
In other news, Celtic watch on as SFA address wild Rangers penalty streak and transparency issues.
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