{"id":149633,"date":"2025-10-28T13:45:12","date_gmt":"2025-10-28T13:45:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/149633\/"},"modified":"2025-10-28T13:45:12","modified_gmt":"2025-10-28T13:45:12","slug":"dermot-desmond-criticises-divisive-brendan-rodgers-after-leaving-celtic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/149633\/","title":{"rendered":"Dermot Desmond criticises \u2018divisive\u2019 Brendan Rodgers after leaving Celtic"},"content":{"rendered":"

Brendan Rodgers<\/strong> has departed Celtic amid dramatic accusations from principal shareholder Dermot Desmond<\/strong> that he had stoked division.<\/p>\n

Former boss Martin O\u2019Neill and ex-Celtic player Shaun Maloney have been put in temporary charge following Rodgers\u2019 second mid-season exit.<\/p>\n

The former Liverpool manager had consistently insisted he would only leave before his three-year contract expired if he was \u201cemptied\u201d, and his departure has opened the lid on the extent of internal strife.<\/p>\n

Desmond delivered a withering statement in which he accused Rodgers of being \u201cmisleading, divisive and self-serving\u201d.<\/p>\n

Celtic announced Rodgers had \u201ctendered his resignation\u201d and left with \u201cour thanks for the role he has played during a period of continued success\u201d.<\/p>\n

The 52-year-old leaves on the back of two consecutive William Hill Premiership defeats, the latest by leaders Hearts which has left them eight points adrift.<\/p>\n

The exit spelled the end of a fractious final few months which has seen fans turn against key board members amid frustration with the club\u2019s transfer approach and Champions League play-off defeat by Kairat Almaty.<\/p>\n

\n

Club Statement.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) October 27, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The board took responsibility for the European failure after admitting they failed to achieve their aims in the window, after Rodgers had called for attacking reinforcements, which arrived belatedly.<\/p>\n

However, Desmond had a very different perspective as he expressed \u201cdeep disappointment\u201d over recent events.<\/p>\n

The Irishman said: \u201cWhen we brought Brendan back to Celtic two years ago, it was done with complete trust and belief in his ability to lead the club into a new era of sustained success. Unfortunately, his conduct and communication in recent months have not reflected that trust.\u201d<\/p>\n

Desmond claimed Rodgers was told in June the club were keen to offer him a new contract.<\/p>\n

\"DermotDermot Desmond aimed criticism at Brendan Rodgers. Photo: Andrew Milligan\/PA.<\/p>\n

\u201cYet in subsequent press conferences, Brendan implied that the club had made no commitment to offer him a contract,\u201d he added. \u201cThat was simply untrue.\u201d<\/p>\n

Desmond insisted that every player who was bought and sold during Rodgers\u2019 tenure was \u201cdone so with Brendan\u2019s full knowledge, approval, and endorsement\u201d and claimed \u201chis later public statements about transfers and club operations came entirely out of the blue\u201d.<\/p>\n

Desmond added: \u201cHe was given final say over all football matters and was consistently backed in the recruitment process \u2014 including record investment in players he personally identified and approved.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen his comments were made publicly, I sought to address them directly. Brendan and I met for over three hours at his home in Scotland to discuss the issue. Despite ample opportunity, he was unable to identify a single instance where the club had obstructed or failed to support him. The facts did not match his public narrative.<\/p>\n

\"MartinMartin O\u2019Neill and Shaun Maloney are taking charge of Celtic. Photo: Ben Curtis\/PA.<\/p>\n

\u201cRegrettably, his words and actions since then have been divisive, misleading, and self-serving.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey have contributed to a toxic atmosphere around the club and fuelled hostility towards members of the executive team and the board.\u201d<\/p>\n

Desmond continued: \u201cWhat has failed recently was not due to our structure or model, but to one individual\u2019s desire for self-preservation at the expense of others.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"BrendanBrendan Rodgers first took charge of Celtic in 2016. Photo: Danny Lawson\/PA.<\/p>\n

Rodgers won 11 trophies with Celtic either side of a spell at Leicester and returned to Glasgow in the summer of 2023 with the intention to repair his relationship with fans and make progress in Europe.<\/p>\n

He led Celtic to the Champions League knockout play-offs last season, where they lost narrowly to Bayern Munich, but his frustrations over transfer activity were apparent throughout the summer.<\/p>\n

Celtic failed to replace main goalscorer Kyogo Furuhashi when he was sold in January and then sold Nicolas Kuhn to Como in July after losing fellow winger Jota to a long-term injury.<\/p>\n

\"CelticCeltic fans have campaigned against key board members. Photo: Jane Barlow\/PA.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Brendan<\/p>\n

Sport<\/p>\n

Brendan Rodgers resigns as Celtic boss with Martin O\u2019Neill taking interim charge<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

The only attacking arrival before the Kairat tie was Shin Yamada, who had only scored two goals in 21 J-League games and has not featured for two months.<\/p>\n

Celtic also sold Adam Idah to Swansea before the deadline while adding two left wingers and free agent striker Kelechi Iheanacho.<\/p>\n

One of Rodgers\u2019 final comments over his squad came in the wake of defeat by Dundee, when he said: \u201cThere\u2019s no way you\u2019ll go into a race and be given the keys to a Honda Civic and say \u2018I want you to drive it like a Ferrari\u2019. It\u2019s not going to happen.\u201d<\/p>\n