Celtic had hoped manager Brendan Rodgers would stay.
Celtic were left stunned this week by manager Brendan Rodgers’ decision to leave the club for Leicester City.
The timing of Rodgers’ exit has been widely criticised, with Celtic still competing for two trophies.
Celtic failed to convince Rodgers his future lay at the club, and this is laid clear by comments made by Dermot Desmond last summer, when he was linked with the Arsenal manager’s job.
Desmond is Celtic’s largest shareholder, and admitted it was up to the club to try and convince Rodgers of his future.
He told Sky Sports, reported by the Scottish Sun: “It will be Brendan’s decision and Brendan’s decision only. I’m glad he is the favourite because he deserves to be.
“He is an outstanding person and we wouldn’t like him to leave but we can’t force anybody to stay.
“Hopefully his love for the club and the set-up here will induce him to stay at Celtic.”
The last line of Desmond’s comments is key.
Desmond hoped that Celtic would have done enough off the pitch to show Rodgers that he could achieve his ambitions on it.
Celtic have domestic history here for the taking had Rodgers stayed, but frustrations in European football have shown the club’s limitations.
Transfers has been a real area where Rodgers and Celtic have struggled, and Desmond’s hope of convincing Rodgers to stay ultimately fell flat.
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