“You Can’t Drive a Honda Like a Ferrari” – Brendan Rodgers Resigns as Celtic Manager

Brendan Rodgers has resigned as Celtic manager. The club confirmed it on Monday. His decision comes after a poor start to the season. Celtic struggled in the league and fell eight points behind Hearts. Former manager Martin O’Neill and ex-player Shaun Maloney will take temporary charge while a permanent replacement is found.

Rodgers’ second spell ended after Sunday’s 3-1 defeat at Hearts. “Brendan has today tendered his resignation and will leave with immediate effect,” the club said. They thanked him for his work and wished him success in the future.

The Northern Irishman, 52, returned to Celtic in June 2023. He had previously managed Swansea, Liverpool and Leicester. His first Celtic tenure ran from 2016 to 2019. He won consecutive league and cup trebles. In 2016-17, Celtic earned 106 points and went unbeaten all season.

Rodgers led Celtic to back-to-back league titles in 2023-24 and 2024-25. He also won the Scottish Cup and League Cup. However, this season brought problems. Celtic exited the Champions League early. Tensions rose over the summer transfer policy. Rodgers criticized the squad’s firepower. He said, “There’s no way you’ll go into a race and be given the keys to a Honda Civic and say, ‘I want you to drive it like a Ferrari.’”

Celtic’s main shareholder Dermot Desmond disagreed. He said Rodgers had full support in player recruitment. He called Rodgers’ criticism “entirely out of the blue.”

Rodgers leaves a strong legacy. He transformed Celtic and inspired players and fans. The interim managers, O’Neill and Maloney, will guide the team as the search for a permanent manager continues. Despite recent struggles, Rodgers’ impact on Celtic’s history and Scottish football remains significant.