Brendan Rodgers has played down suggestions of friction between himself and the Celtic board — and insists there is no chance of him quitting mid-season.
Tensions have been running high this week after Celtic laboured to a goalless draw with Kairat Almaty in the first leg of their Champions League play-off in Glasgow on Wednesday night.
Many fans turned their anger on chief executive Michael Nicholson and chairman Peter Lawwell, with chants of ‘sack the board’ echoing around the stadium.
A summer of inactivity in the transfer market and a failure to strengthen the squad has left Rodgers and his players facing an uphill task against the unfancied Kazakhs.
The prospect of missing out on Champions League football and the £40million windfall that comes with it has led to many fans questioning whether Rodgers would even see out his contract, which runs until the end of the current season.
With a growing sense of conflict and unrest around the club, supporters are fearful that Rodgers could quit for a second time, when similar circumstances led to his departure to Leicester City in February 2019.
Brendan Rodgers insists he has no intention of stepping down before his contract is up
Reo Hatate couldn’t inspire Celtic to a first-leg play-off victory over Kairat Almaty
Chants of ‘sack the board’ could be heard around Celtic Park midweek as fans voiced their fury
Asked yesterday if there’s any chance he could walk away, the Celtic manager replied: ‘Absolutely no chance. We’ve done that one before — and it didn’t go down well.
‘I said from the first day, there’s no hidden messages and there’s no this and that. I said I’ll be here for three years, I’m here for three years.’
Rodgers also confirmed that right-back Alistair Johnston will be out of action for around 12 weeks due to the hamstring injury he suffered against Almaty.
But he was adamant that the performance and result in midweek hasn’t changed his long-term view and his desire to still manage the club.
‘Not at all, I think that I’m still in the same position,’ he said. ‘I need to earn the right to be here. Of course, I want what’s best for Celtic. I want us to be really successful.
‘But people try and look to find that conflict between me and the board, or me and whoever. It really isn’t the case.
‘The board here have over many years managed the financial side of the game and run the club to an impeccable level.
‘My job here as the football manager is to really drive and demand things on that side. We understand we will lose some players, but it doesn’t need to have this massive impact.
‘We can lose big players and still bring other ones in. That is the cycle I want us to be in. But there’s certainly no conflict.
‘Everyone at this club, from the board to myself, we want the very, very best for Celtic. And for me, longer term, I don’t think so much (about my future) as a manager. Now the season has started, I only want to think of the football. I didn’t want to think of the contract.’
Rodgers confirmed he will look internally at cover for injured Canada international Johnston.
Canadian Alistair Johnston was stretchered off in the first half against the Kazakh outfit
‘It’s not great,’ said Rodgers. ‘He’ll probably be about 12 weeks. He’s obviously had his scan yesterday. It’s disappointing for him because he’s started well.
‘I think when you lose any player, especially of that calibre, then it is a disappointment, but it’ll provide an opportunity for someone to step in and we know we have Tony Ralston.
‘I’ve got young Colby Donovan, who in this last 12 months has made great strides.
‘It’s always an opportunity for someone, but of course for Ali, we just want to make sure that we’re in a really good position in all competitions when he gets back. I always try and look internally first.’
In terms of a squad update ahead of today’s match with Livingston, Rodgers added: ‘Adam Idah is struggling with his knee. Auston Trusty could be out for a bit with a plantar fascia issue that he’s had.
‘Daizen Maeda, we’ve probably had to use him more than we would have liked, but he’s okay. Just a bit stiff and crampy.’
