Celtic’s Assistant Manager, John Kennedy, has spoken about his “uncertain” summer, following former Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou’s move to Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur.
Postecoglou’s departure in June sparked speculation about Kennedy’s future, with rumours circulating that the former Celtic manager wanted to take his trusted aide to London with him.
“The summer was interesting! It was one where Ange decided to move on to Spurs. In that period there’s always the uncertainty, you never know what’s around the corner. The club were in discussions with other people, but at that point, you don’t really know what’s going on,” Kennedy said to Sky Sports about the turbulent period.
Kennedy’s connections with Postecoglou and Brendan Rodgers, who returned to manage Celtic, were the key factors that shaped his decisions during this period. “I had been in close contact with Ange, there were different possibilities, but in the end, Brendan was coming back to Celtic. The club wanted me to stay, Brendan wanted me to stay and being part of this club is a great privilege,” he said.
Kennedy’s close relationship with Rodgers, coupled with his deep understanding of the club, swayed his decision to remain in Glasgow. “I know the players, I know Brendan really well and that was a big thing in terms of sticking around and being part of that. I know how Brendan works so it’s great to still be here,” he added.
When probed about whether he would have been tempted to leave if Rodgers had not returned, Kennedy left the question open. “As I said, there were possibilities. I would never quite look back at it and say that would definitely have happened,” he stated, leaving room for interpretation.
He did, however, praise the club’s decision to bring Rodgers back. “There was a possibility of it happening, the way things worked out, it wasn’t to be and Brendan was quickly appointed which was a good move to get someone of his calibre back in and move things forward again because you are coming in off the back of great success, you’re not coming in to rebuild things,” he said.
Kennedy’s reflections provide insight into a summer of uncertainty at Celtic Park, and his decision to stay may have been a crucial factor in maintaining the club’s stability amid changes. Rodgers could well have been the deciding factor in Kennedy staying, and reading between the lines, it looks that way.
