Brendan Rodgers’ return to Celtic is one that initially split the fan base when it was announced last summer.
With Ange Postecolgou choosing to chase his English Premier League dream with Tottenham Hotspur, the Celtic board knew that they had to get their next managerial appointment absolutely correct.
The Australian was undoubtedly one of the most popular managers that Celtic have ever had in the support so the next appointment was crucial to keep the club stable and successful.
Which is why when Rodgers was appointed, it shocked the Celtic support. We don’t need to go into why, we all know the reasons for that.
But for the appointment to take place, Rodgers spoke to Dermot Desmond and then Callum McGregor but it seems that it was the conversation with the Celtic captain that convinced Rodgers to make his return to Paradise.
McGregor’s ‘honest’ Celtic talk with Rodgers
In a preview of an interview due to be televised this Friday night on Sky Sports at 7pm, McGregor was asked what he said to Rodgers in that meeting in Spain that convinced the Celtic boss to return.
McGregor said [Sky Sports], “Initially I was just buzzing see him again, to be honest. It had been there a few years since then. But I knew that when the manager got in touch, then we sat down and we spoke and very quickly it became clear that he was interested.
“He was probing and asking questions about certain players and how the club was and how it’s moving forward and then straight away I’m getting excited because I think it’s just gonna happen, he is going to come back.
“And like I said, I just tried to give my honest evaluation of where I thought the club was and where we can get better and where we can keep pushing to move it forward because I knew that that was a big thing for the manager as well.
“He wants to continue to move. That’s one thing I learned from the first time he was here. He was always pushing for more and trying to raise the standard standard to higher up in the club as well.
“So we knew where we were wanting the club to go and I was excited at the prospect of working with the manager again.
“And I just tried to give him a true evaluation of where I thought we were and we’re a young, exciting squad that probably needed a next level of guidance as well to get us to where we want to be and I thought the manager would be the perfect guy for that.”
And that talk has paid off big time. Brendan Rodgers delivered a league and Scottish Cup double in his first season back at the club.
And whilst it wasn’t easy, to continue Celtic’s success as well as tie down the club’s best players on long-term contracts was brilliant by the Hoops gaffer.
The improvement in Matt O’Riley has also been a huge plus as Celtic’s Player of the Year chipped in with important goals and assists to continue the club’s dominance in Scotland.
Whatever the fans feel about Rodgers’ return now it cannot be denied that the decision to bring him back by Desmond has certainly paid off both on and, when the Champions League money hits Celtic’s bank account, off the park.