Brendan Rodgers’ return to Celtic Park as manager has been met with mixed reactions, but former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan believes that an apology from Rodgers for his abrupt departure in 2019 would be disingenuous.
Most of the fans are all in, but the Green Bridge didn’t react to the news too well, positing their banner labelling Brendan Rodgers a “fraud” from 2019 on their social media accounts.
Rodgers left Celtic in February 2019 to join Leicester City, a move that was met with disappointment from Celtic fans as it came in the middle of a season where the Hoops were on course for a historic treble treble. However, Jordan believes that Rodgers’ return to Celtic is a testament to his commitment to the club and his desire to continue building on the success he achieved during his first stint.
Jordan said: [TalkSPORT]
“It would be disingenuous (to say sorry). He left because he wanted to leave so what you apologising for? You’d be lying. You left because you wanted to leave.
He obviously left Celtic and did a very good job at Celtic but he went there for a reason – because he perhaps had to get himself back into focus after his demise at Liverpool. And he did it, building Celtic back up and he achieved a lot of things.
But a lot of fans feel it was disappointing to leave in the middle of the season. Going back is an interesting one because I know Celtic are a big club but he managed in the Premier League and clearly when wanted to manage in the Premier League and Celtic enable him to put himself back into focus as a manager people would want to have managing their club in the Premier League.
You have to put aside some of the rancour and remember he did a very good job. He won everything that was available to win.
And they’re straight into the Champions League so Peter Lawwell might be able to say to him ‘there’s an extra £30million or £40 million for your playing squad’. The emotion the fans will feel will dissipate the first time they smash Rangers, if they indeed they do.”
It’s a bold move from the manager to return to Celtic after the way he left, but he obviously feels that he has some unfinished business with the Hoops.
I don’t think any Celtic fans will be expecting an apology from the Northern Irishman. At the end of the day, Rodgers got the opportunity to test himself again in the biggest league in the world, and he succeeded for the most part. You wouldn’t turn down a promotion that saw a massive wage rise and a better job.
