Keith Jackson has sounded a warning over Brendan Rodgers’ recent comments about summer recruitment, picking up on the Celtic manager referring to the signings of Hayato Inamura and Shin Yamada as “club signings.”
For many, it brings back uncomfortable memories of Rodgers’ first spell in charge, when he became increasingly frustrated with the club’s transfer business and perceived lack of backing.
Celtic fans had hoped this summer would mark a step-change, with marquee, high-profile signings showing clear intent to push on in Europe and maintain domestic dominance. But that kind of business has yet to materialise. Kieran Tierney’s return was already in motion before the window opened, with a pre-contract signed back in January.
Jackson believes Rodgers’ public comments may signal the beginning of a similar frustration that previously led to his abrupt exit in February 2019 to join Leicester City mid-season. The concern is that history could be repeating itself, with the manager once again feeling he’s not being fully supported.
What should have been a statement summer has become one of question marks. Rodgers distancing himself from some of the new arrivals has raised eyebrows, and Jackson suggests this could point to deeper issues behind the scenes.
He said: (Hotline Live), “Do you know what’s worrying me? It hasn’t worried me up until this point, but it’s starting to eat away at me.
“You’re always trying to think logically, because Brendan Rodgers is a deep thinker. He never says anything without thinking about it. Words don’t jump out his mouth unless they’ve been vetted, processed and ticked off – everything is said for a reason.
“If I’m Brendan Rodgers, and that’s the way I conduct myself, I don’t think I’d be needing to put so much distance between myself and the signings that have been made.
“Because I’m perfectly relaxed. I know what’s happening on the other side, I know that before the end of the window, I’m getting my way. I probably know exactly who the players are that I’m going to be bringing in; I actually don’t need to publicly manoeuvre myself away from any responsibility from what’s gone on in this transfer market.
“That is why I’m starting to wonder, were we wrong to just assume that he’d get his way, and there would be a two-tiered signing strategy? What if it’s a one-tier?
“One size won’t fit all on this one…”
Rodgers referring to players as “club signings” feels eerily similar to his previous stint, where discontent around transfer control eventually boiled over. Back then, he was open about not getting the backing he wanted, and it ended in a messy mid-season departure. This time around, fans were hoping for a clear alignment between manager and board.
The worry is that we’re seeing the same film play out again. If Rodgers is already starting to separate himself from recruitment decisions, the sense of control he had hoped to regain on his return might be slipping away. That would be a significant concern with Champions League qualifiers just a month away in mid-August.
There is still time to strengthen, nobody’s writing off the window entirely. But the clock is ticking. Leaving it late has become a familiar theme at Celtic. Last summer, Arne Engels arrived on deadline day for a club-record £11 million, joined by Luke McCowan and Auston Trusty for £6 million. It’s not unthinkable that big moves could yet happen, but there’s little room left for delay.
Supporters were expecting strong, front-foot moves in the market. Instead, so far, there’s been more confusion than conviction. Without a clear sign of intent through the door, it’s understandable why alarm bells are beginning to ring, especially when Rodgers starts drawing lines between himself and the recruitment.
Jackson’s analysis taps into a wider unease that, for all the noise made about ambition and progress, the same old boardroom dynamics might still be in play. And if that’s the case, we could be heading for a repeat of a situation no Celtic fan wants to see again.
