Brendan Rodgers named new Celtic boss as former Liverpool manager returns to dugout

Celtic have completed a stunning managerial coup with the capture of Brendan Rodgers on a 12-month rolling contract.

The former Liverpool and Swansea manager is poised to earn a cool £1.7million a year at Parkhead, becoming the highest-paid manager in the club’s history.

Set to be formally unveiled to media and supporters at a press conference on Monday afternoon, Rodgers will be handed a £15million transfer kitty to take the club back to the Champions League. 

Former Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has been named the new manager of Celtic

Celtic announced the news on Twitter and posted this picture on the social media site

BRENDAN RODGERS CAREER CV

Chelsea (Youth) – 2004-2008

Watford – 2008-2009

Reading – 2009

Swansea City – 2010-2012

Liverpool – 2012-2015

Celtic – 2016-

‘I am absolutely delighted to be named Celtic manager,’ said the 43-year-old. ‘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.’

Former Manchester United manager David Moyes was neck and neck with Rodgers in the running, but preferred to await opportunities in England.

Rodgers has been out of work since he was sacked by Liverpool last October

The former Swansea and Watford boss Rodgers has signed a 12-month rolling contract at Celtic Park 

RANGERS BACK IN THE BIG TIME 

Brendan Rodgers is the man tasked with fending off the challenge of Old Firm rivals Rangers, who returned to the Scottish top flight for the first time since 2012.

The question over the last four years has been just what state will the Ibrox club be in when they finally make their return to the top flight. Last month's Old Firm victory at Hampden gave the clearest answer yet. 

In the space of 10 months, Mark Warburton has developed a dynamic squad capable of producing spellbinding football. The Englishman insists there is still a gap to be bridged if his side are to challenge the Hoops' dominance, but after the Light Blues passed their old foes off the Hampden pitch in that Scottish Cup semi-final, that appears to be an overly cautious statement.

The first derby clash will be an important marker for the season ahead and a victory for Celtic's new manager might slow down some of the momentum Rangers are building. 

Rodgers is currently on holiday in Majorca, but will fly to Scotland ahead of Monday’s unveiling when he will meet with supporters.

With his arrival set to prompt a huge spike in season-ticket sales, chief executive Peter Lawwell described the new appointment as one of ‘biggest and best names’ in the game.

‘Brendan is a highly sought-after manager and we are pleased that we have been able to bring such a high calibre individual to Celtic,’ said Lawwell. ‘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 at Celtic.

‘Above all he will bring huge experience, knowledge and ability to the role.

‘We wanted to bring one of the biggest and best names to the club to match our own aspirations and those of our supporters. We believe, in appointing Brendan, that we have done this.

‘We have appointed a special manager and we are sure he can bring some special times to Celtic.’

Chairman Ian Bankier added: ‘Brendan is a man with tremendous pedigree in football management, he is someone who knows all about Celtic and someone who has a real passion for Celtic.

‘He is also a manager who we believe has the talent, the drive and the determination to bring continued success to the club.’

Rodgers will give immediate thought to appointing a No 2 with knowledge of Scottish football. 

Rodgers replaces Ronny Deila who announced he would leave the Scottish champions last month

Former Reading colleague Peter Grant is an early contender with current coaches John Kennedy and Willie McStay also likely to come under consideration.

One of the first appointments for Rodgers is likely to be former Liverpool fitness and conditioning coach Ryland Morgans.

 Husband and wife team Bard and Grete Homstol, heads of performance and sports medicine, have returned to Norway with first-team nutritionist Kenn Hallstensen in a clearing of the decks.

Demoted physiotherapist Tim Williamson is now expected to return to first-team duties, with Rodgers likely to bring in Morgans when his involvement with the Welsh national team at Euro 2016 comes to an end. 

 

 

The 43-year-old described it as a 'huge honour' to be appointed the new manager of Celtic

Morgans quit Liverpool in March to ‘pursue a new challenge.’

The new Parkhead boss also has decisions to make on players, with Charlie Mulgrew and James Forrest out of contract, a new deal on the table for Kieran Tierney and decisions to be made on Emilio Izaguirre and Stefan Johansen.

Honduran Izaguirre lost his place to Tierney, with last weekend’s final league game against Motherwell believed to be his last before joining MLS club Toronto FC.

At home preparing for a friendly against Argentina in Buenos Aires however, the left back claimed: ‘I still have two years left of my contract with Celtic.

‘The last game of the season wasn’t a farewell, it was a tribute from the fans.

‘I told the president I want to play for Celtic. And I have my return ticket to Glasgow to join in Celtic’s pre-season training.'