'Divisive' Brendan Rodgers quits as Celtic manager

Brendan Rodgers has stepped down as Celtic manager, with the club's primary shareholder criticising him for behaviour described as "divisive, misleading and self-serving".

The club announced on Monday that former manager Martin O'Neill, aged 73, and ex-player Shaun Maloney will oversee the team temporarily until a new appointment is made.

Rodgers' return to Celtic concluded following the 3-1 loss to Hearts in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday, which positioned the club eight points behind the Edinburgh team in second place.

A club statement expressed gratitude for Rodgers' contributions during a successful era and extended best wishes for his future endeavours.

It further noted satisfaction that ex-Celtic manager Martin O'Neill and former player Shaun Maloney have consented to manage first-team activities in the interim.

The club indicated that efforts to find a successor are progressing, with ex-manager Ange Postecoglou emerging as a leading candidate among betting firms after his dismissal from Nottingham Forest.

At 52 years old, Rodgers resumed his role at Celtic in 2023, securing back-to-back titles to complement his earlier victories in 2017 and 2018.

However, issues have mounted this season, including an exit from the Champions League at the hands of Kazakh side Kairat Almaty.

Rodgers seemed at loggerheads with the board regarding their approach to summer signings.

Following Celtic's initial loss to Dundee in 37 years earlier this month, he remarked that the squad had "lost a lot of firepower, a lot of goals".

He added, "And 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'. It's not going to happen."

In his own statement on Monday, Celtic's principal shareholder Dermot Desmond responded, claiming Rodgers' remarks arrived "entirely out of the blue".

"Despite ample opportunity he was unable to identify a single instance where the club had obstructed or failed to support him. The facts did not match his public narrative," Desmond stated.

"Regrettably, his words and actions since then have been divisive, misleading, and self-serving.

"They have contributed to a toxic atmosphere around the club and fuelled hostility towards members of the executive team and the board."

Rodgers has prior experience managing Swansea, Liverpool, and Leicester, rejoining Celtic in June 2023 to replace Postecoglou.

The Northern Irish coach had led Celtic from May 2016 to February 2019, achieving consecutive league and cup doubles.

During his initial campaign, Celtic amassed a record 106 points and became the first Scottish team to finish a top-flight season unbeaten since 1899.

Rodgers maintained Celtic's dominance at home by clinching the league in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 campaigns, alongside the Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup.