Brendan Rodgers resigns as Celtic manager after poor results, with Martin O’Neill and Shaun Maloney taking temporary charge
Brendan Rodgers has resigned as Celtic manager, ending his second spell in charge after a turbulent start to the season that left the Scottish champions eight points behind second-placed Hearts.
Also read: Dapo Abiodun gifts ₦50m to Super Falcons for WAFCON tie
The club confirmed the 52-year-old’s departure on Monday, a day after their 3–1 defeat at Tynecastle, while also announcing that former boss Martin O’Neill and ex-player Shaun Maloney will take temporary charge of first-team affairs.
“Brendan leaves 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,” Celtic said in a statement.
The club added that the search for a permanent successor was already underway, with former manager Ange Postecoglou—recently dismissed by Nottingham Forest—among the early bookmakers’ favourites.
Rodgers returned to Celtic Park in June 2023, leading the side to back-to-back Premiership titles and domestic cup victories, adding to the historic trebles he won during his first tenure between 2016 and 2019.
However, results this season have been disappointing. Celtic suffered a shock Champions League exit to Kazakhstan’s Kairat Almaty, and Rodgers’ public frustration with the club’s transfer strategy fuelled growing tension behind the scenes.
Following a rare defeat to Dundee earlier this month, Rodgers lamented the loss of key attacking players, saying:
“There’s no way you’ll go into a race and be given the keys to a Honda Civic and say, ‘I want you to drive it like a Ferrari.’ It’s not going to happen.”
His comments drew a sharp response from Celtic’s major shareholder, Dermot Desmond, who accused the manager of “divisive, misleading and self-serving” behaviour.
In a strongly worded statement, Desmond said Rodgers’ criticisms came “entirely out of the blue”.
“Despite ample opportunity, he was unable to identify a single instance where the club had obstructed or failed to support him,” Desmond stated.
“Regrettably, his words and actions since then have been divisive, misleading, and self-serving. They have contributed to a toxic atmosphere around the club.”
Rodgers, who previously managed Swansea City, Liverpool, and Leicester City, first took charge of Celtic in 2016, guiding the club to an invincible domestic treble with a record 106 points.
Also read: Dapo Abiodun gifts ₦50m to Super Falcons for WAFCON tie
His return in 2023 initially restored Celtic’s dominance, but growing internal discord and recent poor performances ultimately brought his tenure to an abrupt end.
David Okere is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering business, governance, public affairs, and human-interest stories with a commitment to accuracy, balance, and public interest reporting.
