Brendan Rodgers Resigns as Celtic Manager – Second Spell Comes to an End
The second era of Brendan Rodgers at Celtic has officially come to an end.
The Northern Irishman tendered his resignation on Monday, bringing a close to his second stint in charge at Parkhead. Legendary former boss Martin O’Neill and current Professional Player Pathway Manager Shaun Maloney have been appointed as interim coaches.
Rodgers’ departure follows Sunday’s 3–1 defeat to Hearts at Tynecastle — a result that leaves Celtic trailing the Scottish Premiership leaders by eight points.
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Failed Transfer Strategy: The summer 2025 window was disastrous, leaving Rodgers without proper replacements for key departures like Kyogo Furuhashi. The club’s cautious spending and missed targets eroded his trust in the board.
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European Embarrassment: Failing to qualify for the Champions League against underdogs Kairat Almaty was a major blow, exposing the weaknesses of a squad he had repeatedly warned was short on quality.
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Public Criticism and Dressing Room Tension: Rodgers’ post-match “Honda Civic” analogy, aimed at highlighting the team’s limitations, angered both the board and senior players — a clear sign that his relationship with the club had completely broken down.
A Disastrous Summer Window
Celtic entered the 2025 summer transfer window fresh off a fourth straight Premiership title and another Premier Sports Cup triumph. It was the perfect opportunity to strengthen from a position of dominance and prepare for another tilt at Europe.
Instead, the window turned into a nightmare.
Despite having three months to replace Kyogo Furuhashi and ample time to find a successor for Nicolas Kühn, who departed in mid-July, the club spent just over £14 million — with few of the signings deemed good enough for Celtic’s level.
Rodgers was left frustrated after missing out on several key targets, with the board’s reputation for lowball offers once again proving costly. By deadline day, Celtic were scrambling, and Sebastian Tounekti arrived as the only addition on September 1. Kelechi Iheanacho was later signed on a free transfer after the window closed — a move many saw as desperate.
European Failure Adds Pressure
The recruitment woes carried over into Europe. Despite a favourable Champions League play-off draw against Kairat Almaty, Celtic failed to deliver. Two goalless draws and a penalty shootout defeat saw them crash out and drop into the Europa League.
While Rodgers had enough quality to get past the Kazakh side, the lack of summer reinforcements proved a significant setback. Though he accepted responsibility, he later made clear that the club’s poor transfer planning was a major factor.
“Honda Civic” Jibe Signals the End
Tensions between Rodgers and the Celtic board came to a head last weekend after the shock defeat to Dundee.
Speaking post-match, Rodgers quipped that “you can’t drive your car like a Ferrari when you’ve been given the keys to a Honda Civic” — a thinly veiled criticism of the club’s lack of investment and the squad’s drop in pace and quality.
Although he later clarified that his comments referred to the team’s lack of speed compared to last season, the meaning was obvious. The remark was seen as his strongest rebuke yet toward the board — and one that didn’t sit well with senior figures in the dressing room, including captain Callum McGregor.
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