Brendan Rodgers Leaves Role as Celtic Manager With Immediate Effect

Celtic have confirmed that manager Brendan Rodgers has resigned on Monday evening and that he will leave the club with immediate effect. The Northern Irishman’s decision brings an end to his second stint at the club.

GMS understands Rodgers’ decision to leave now has come as a shock to the board, despite there being tension over a lack of investment in the team. His contract was due to expire next summer, and he was not expected to renew.

Despite winning the league in each of the last two seasons, the Bhoys have experienced a mixed start to the new campaign. Drawing two and losing against Dundee in their opening eight matches meant that they had already lost important ground to league leaders Hearts, with speculation around Rodgers’ future mounting.

Matters then went from bad to worse on Sunday afternoon as Celtic lost 3-1 to the Edinburgh-based club. Falling eight points behind Hearts proved to be the final straw for Rodgers, who has decided to leave the club.

Celtic Begin Search for New Manager

In a statement published on the club’s website, Celtic wrote: “Celtic Football Club can confirm that football manager Brendan Rodgers has today tendered his resignation. It has been accepted by the Club and Brendan will leave his role with immediate effect.

“The Club appreciates Brendan’s contribution to Celtic during his two very successful periods at the Club. Brendan leaves Celtic with our thanks for the role he has played during a period of continued success for the Club and we wish him further success in the future.”

Rodgers enjoyed great success at Parkhead over two separate spells. First appointed as the club’s manager in 2016, he spent nearly three years as their head coach, completing two domestic trebles. However, he then left in 2019 to become Leicester City’s new boss, upsetting parts of the Celtic fanbase.

But after a four-year spell at the King Power Stadium, where the Northern Irishman turned the Foxes into contenders for Champions League qualification, he was sacked by the club, opening the door for a return to Parkhead. Replacing Ange Postecoglou in the dugout, he won two more league titles in as many seasons, as well as another Scottish Cup and League Cup.

The club have stated that they will be searching for a new permanent manager to succeed Rodgers in the dugout. In the meantime, former manager Martin O’Neill and former Celtic player Shaun Maloney will take charge of first-team duties.

O’Neill managed Celtic from 2000 until 2005, winning three Scottish Premiership titles, three Scottish cups and a League Cup, too. Maloney, meanwhile, has enjoyed coaching spells at Hibernian and Wigan Athletic since retiring from football in 2017. Both men could be in the dugout on Wednesday night when they host Falkirk, as the Bhoys bid to close the gap to Hearts.