Brendan Rodgers would reportedly have to be persuaded into making a major life-style U-turn to return to Celtic as manager.
The Daily Record reports that Rodgers has told friends and family he plans to take a year out of football’s front-line following his recent departure from Leicester City. And, after taking that prolonged sabbatical, Rodgers had been hoping to get back into management with a move abroad to one of Europe’s top leagues.
As recently as last week, Rodgers had no plans to make a quick return to the game unless he was offered a job that was ‘too good to turn down’. But the 50-year-old’s best laid plans may have changed dramatically on Monday when Ange Postecoglou put pen to paper on a contract with Spurs to become Antonio Conte’s successor. Rodgers was immediately installed by bookies as the red hot favourite to take over from the Australian in Glasgow’s east end - four years after walking out of the job to move to the King Power.
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That sparked a furious backlash from Celtic’s support and Rodgers is also aware that his soured relationship with the club’s fans might force major shareholder Dermott Desmond and chairman Peter Lawwell to look elsewhere. But Rodgers’ trophy laden record on the pitch at Parkhead, where he bagged back-to-back trebles in his first two seasons and sent the club on its way to a third successive clean sweep before leaving for Leicester, could prove too difficult for the hierarchy to ignore.
But if Rodgers can’t be persuaded, then the second-favourite for the job would be Manchester City No.2 Enzo Maresca. Pep Guardiola’s assistant has backing within the Parkhead hierarchy and he is amongst the managerial options they are looking at to replace their Tottenham Hotspur-bound boss.
Maresca has been one of Guardiola’s key assistants since he returned to the Etihad Stadium last year. City are chasing a treble and will be looking to see off Inter Milan in the Champions League final with any Celtic move put on hold until after that.
Maresca was previously Under-23 coach with the Premier League champs before he left in 2021 for a spell in charge of Parma. Celtic have close links to City, where the Hoops’ head of first-team scouting and recruitment Mark Lawwell, son of chairman Peter, made the switch.
Former Leeds boss Jesse Marsch and Graham Potter – available after a chaotic seven months at basket-case Chelsea – have also been mentioned. But it is understood Celtic have been alerted to potential ‘red flags’ over Marsch following the American’s dismal run at Elland Road which led to relegation.
Desmond and Lawwell produced Postecoglou as a wild card two years ago after a long-running and ill-fated attempt to lure Eddie Howe north. And it’s understood that surprise move was a result of Lawwell’s connections with the City Group.
Postecoglou, 57, became a smash hit in Scottish football, winning a double in his first season. He then delivered the club’s world-record eighth treble on Saturday with a Scottish Cup final win over Inverness Caley Thistle.
Celtic officially granted Spurs permission to open talks with Postecoglou yesterday morning but it’s understood the Aussie’s agent, Frank Trimboli, had already agreed the terms of a two-year deal with a one-year option.
By tea-time, sources in London confirmed an agreement was reached ‘in principle’ which would see Postecoglou confirmed as their new boss in a deal that will cost seven figures in compensation. Postecoglou wants Celts coaches John Kennedy and Gavin Strachan join him.
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