It is the moment it will finally become real for Celtic fans.
Brendan Rodgers is back and preparing to step out publicly for the first time since his return to Glasgow was confirmed. The Celtic manager will hold a highly-anticipated press conference on Friday afternoon, from which there will be absolutely no shortage of talking points.
With everything from the acrimonious end to his first spell to his decision to sweep back into Glasgow likely to be on the agenda, all eyes will be on Celtic Park. Here are five things to expect from Rodgers’ official unveiling.
Addressing the past
How he chooses to address the manner of his 2019 departure will be of considerable interest to any Celtic fans still viewing their returning manager with a degree of suspicion. It’s believed even Rodgers himself was taken aback by the level of anger invoked by his move to Leicester City four years ago.
The build-up to his official appointment has seemingly been enough for many supporters to look beyond it, and even if they were still uneasy it still feels unlikely Rodgers will emerge at Celtic Park on his knees begging for forgiveness. Going overboard on the contrition would arguably go down just as well as not addressing it at all.
You’d expect some expression of regret over how it all went down but anything beyond that probably isn’t necessary, or wise, and Rodgers is more than savvy enough to know that. Instead, he and the club will want focus trained firmly on what his vision of the future looks like, not his interpretation of the past.
A timely reminder from the Green Brigade this week – reposting the ‘never a Celt, always a fraud’ banner from 2019 – will be enough to let Rodgers know that not everyone has forgotten, though. He can’t change the past, but he can certainly influence the future and that is how he can wash away any lingering ill-feeling.
Outlining his vision
There have been multiple reports detailing what has been discussed between Rodgers and Celtic over the last few weeks, but this will be the first opportunity to hear it from the man himself. Talk of considerable commitments to improving the club’s standing on the continent have been understandably exciting for fans craving the return of those famous old European nights.
Substantial progress in UEFA competition was the one thing that eluded Rodgers during his first spell, and it seems that has left him with a lingering sense of unfinished business. The very fact that he’s signed up for another go at it suggests significant assurances have been made over the level of resources available; he’s not a man to take on a job without knowing he’ll have the requisite tools to complete it.
Quite how far the manager will go in detailing his plan is the big question. When it comes to Rodgers and the media, people tend to focus on his penchant for an emotive anecdote or two, but he has always been very effective at getting his point across when he feels there is a message to be conveyed. Unmatched ambition has been the issue for the 50-year-old in his last two jobs, so expect him to emphasise he is aiming high over the next three years.
Champions League chat
There can be little doubt that the lure of sitting at UEFA’s top table has been a significant factor in tempting Rodgers back north of the border. He managed to take Leicester City to the Europa Conference League semi-final in 2022, his best return in Europe as a manager.
But that achievement would pale in comparison to making a splash with Celtic in the Champions League. Rodgers has always relished mixing it with the very best, and he’s had one over the likes of Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp and Jose Mourinho in the past, so it seems safe to assert that lording it over SPFL sides with comparatively miniscule resources will not be the extent of his intentions this time around.
Just what had attracted Rodgers back to Scotland when he had already won everything there is to win twice over did raise an eyebrow or two, but the prospect of being the Celtic manager who re-establishes the club on the elite stage is clear to see. It has been reported that Rodgers has a five-year plan to take the Celtic back to a European final, and while he is unlikely to explicitly state such an intention, he will no doubt have plenty to say on the prospect of continental competition and its importance to his second tenure.
The transfer window
Having a new manager in the door in June gives Celtic ample time to conduct their summer business. A question likely to be directed at Rodgers is just how do you improve a side who won it all last season? Throughout Ange Postecoglou’s final season, it was widely remarked that squad depth was as healthy as it had ever been.
Postecoglou was adept at injecting freshness at the right moments, bringing in Alistair Johnston and Hyeon-Gyu Oh in January, with the former especially making a highly positive impact. It is unlikely Rodgers will make wholesale changes to a winning group, with high quality, targeted additions in key areas being a more likely scenario.
He may also move to replace to players who are bound to attract interest from other clubs this summer. Any incomings will be signed and sealed with the intention of taking Celtic to another level, with Europe again likely to be key in decision-making.
It has been reported Rodgers could have an extremely healthy budget to work with, and it will be fascinating to see if he takes a ruthless approach to upgrading this squad’s quality, even if it comes at the expense of some fan favourites.
The club have already signed Odin Thiago Holm from Valerenga and have been linked with Gangwon winger Hyun-jun Yang, two names which could crop up in Friday’s conversations.
A nod to Ange
It feels likely Rodgers will take time to pay tribute to the work done by Postecoglou over the past two seasons. It’s something he touched upon in Celtic’s announcement of his return, but expect him to expand on achievements of his predecessor.
Rodgers knows what it takes to win in this part of the football world, and what it takes to handle the relentless pressure that comes with it, so his respect for Postecoglou’s success will no doubt be considerable. There’s also the fact the Greek-Australian has left him a squad littered with talent.
Celtic were in a transitional period when Rodgers first took the job in 2016, having stagnated in the final months of Ronny Deila’s tenure. This time, though, he assumes control of a team already flying high and, concerningly for everyone else, still with plenty of room to improve further.
