Carnlough native Brendan Rodgers is now hot favourite to succeed Ange Postecoglou at Celtic - and it will be another major payday for the Co Antrim if the board can talk him into a return.
Rodgers began his career as a defender at Ballymena United, where he stayed until he was signed by Reading at the age of 18, although a genetic knee condition forced him to retire at age 20. He has enjoyed some great days in management however, not least at Celtic Park.
He has some making up to do with the fans after his exit for Leicester where the Parkhead loyal accused him of chasing the money and the bright lights of the Premier League, walking out on the verge of a 'treble Treble' for a return to England. In the end he had mixed results at the King Power; he brought Champions League football back for the first time since the Ranieri glory days and won the FA Cup but it ended under a shroud as he was dismissed amid a relegation battle last season.
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But it looks as if he may get straight back on the horse with another bumper contract at Celtic lying in wait. It won't all be about the money for Rodgers who has undeniable emotional ties to Glasgow's East end but it's likely to be the biggest wage ever shelled out for a manager at Celtic Park.
It will come as Rodgers' latest big payday as Leicester were once believed to be paying him more than Jurgen Klopp was on at Liverpool to keep him around. Here's a look at what Rodgers has earned at each of his previous clubs.
Watford - £350,000/y
Rodgers' first job out on his own, Watford took a chance on a highly-rated Chelsea youth coach and it initially seemed as if it would pay off. But they were left seething when, after recovering from a difficult start to the season to lead them to a 13th-placed finish in the Championship, he walked out for Reading after just 192 days in the job.
That came just days after he'd shunned speculation and said he was '100 per cent committed' to the club. Reports at the time suggested he was on around £350,000 per year - not bad for your first contract.
Reading - £500,000/y
Promotion to the Premier League was the goal for Reading when Rodgers took the reins as he left just weeks after sealing Watford's survival. The Watford Supporters' Trust said that Rodgers' reputation was "severely damaged" in the eyes of the fans for the nature of his exit and it didn't all go to plan with Rodgers leaving by mutual consent in December of his first year.
Swansea - £750,000/y
And then came Swansea, agreeing a 12-month rolling contract in the summer of 2010. He'd rejected an offer to join Roberto Mancini's coaching team at Manchester City for another crack at senior management and this was the move that kickstarted his rise in prominence.
Rodgers' brand of possession-based football took Swansea to the playoff final where Stephen Dobbie and Scott Sinclair helped fire them into the Premier League. He helped establish them there and after an 11th-placed finish in his first season, along came...
Liverpool - £6m/y
It was a serious salary bump for the Irishman as he took over at Anfield where he would eventually go oh-so close to leading them to the Premier League title. There were ups and downs but that season with Luis Suarez, Daniel Sturridge and Raheem Sterling firing the goals in was one of the early signs of the Anfield revival that ultimately came to pass in later years under Jurgen Klopp.
He spent three years at Anfield before patience eventually wore thin and he was dismissed in 2016, banking a mega payoff. He reportedly took home £6m per year.
Celtic - £2.3m/y (first contract), circa £4m/y (second contract)
After a brief spell out of the game, Rodgers became a statement appointment at Celtic Park and took them to a new level of dominance. He presided over some of the best Celtic teams of the modern age, leading them to a unique 'Invincible Treble' all while playing some of the most aesthetically pleasing football seen in Scottish football.
His initial deal saw him take home £2.3m per yearm but he signed a four-year extension after just 12 months. And while it's not clear exactly how much he banked as part of that, Leicester had to pay £9m halfway through it to take him and his coaching team to the Premier League. That would suggest an annual salary around £4m per year.
Leicester - £10m/y
And then the big bucks came along. Leicester wanted Rodgers and the former Premier League champions threw money at it to make it happen. Celtic landed a major payday while Rodgers saw his salary more than double, something that paid off in the years at followed, leading them back into the Champions League and then to FA Cup glory in 2021. It didn't end like he'd planned but a return to Celtic Park now looks on the pipeline.
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