Alan Brazil questions Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers’ Shved comments

Follow us on Google Discover

Brendan Rodgers did not seem too enthused about Celtic potentially signing Maryan Shved.

Alan Brazil has told the Sunday Post that he is worried about whether Brendan Rodgers’ recent comments on Maryan Shved are an indication that he is not happy with the Celtic hierarchy and could soon pursue another opportunity elsewhere.

Rodgers would have taken many of the Parkhead faithful by surprise recently when he suggested, in comments reported by Sky Sports, that Shved – who is closing on a move to join the Hoops – is a player that he knows little about before insisting that the Bhoys do not need another winger.

It is remarkable to hear a manager confirm that a signing is close and then seemingly question the decision to bring that player in. And Brazil fears that it could be Rodgers’ way of outlining how frustrated he is with the lack of investment in the squad.

“Rodgers’ response to reports of a proposed £1.75 million swoop – confirming the story, but effectively saying he doesn’t need the guy right now – was very strange,” he told the Sunday Post. “Brendan is a very intelligent man, a man who chooses his words very carefully.

“So it’s hard to escape the feeling there was a message buried not too far beneath the surface of his response to Shved’s potential arrival.”

“If Brendan looks across the Clyde and sees his Rangers counterpart being backed in the market, while he feels his desires are being ignored, he won’t be happy,” he went on to add. “If that turns out to be the case, I think it will become a case of when, rather than if, Brendan leaves Celtic for another job.”

In fairness to Rodgers, many of the deals he has done this season have been loan moves. Odsonne Edouard is arguably the one permanent addition who has immediately become a key player – and he was someone who hardly felt like a new signing, having spent last season on loan with the Hoops.

He has delivered so much success during his tenure, so, if he is frustrated, he would be forgiven for wondering why he is not being backed in the market to sign marquee names on permanent deals.

Celtic fans will certainly be hoping that Rodgers’ comments were made with the intention of giving the board a wake-up call heading into the final days of the transfer window. But it is not difficult to see why Brazil is concerned that the issue may lead to a much bigger problem if his frustrations are overlooked.