Rodgers on Board’s Communication, January window and his contract

Here’s how the exchange went…

The Celtic Star: Brendan, you talked about putting the summer behind us and moving forward, looking forward to the season. That’s what the supporters want to do as well. The only thing stopping that is communication with the club. We can’t understand why the club can’t come forward and speak to the supporters who put more money into the club every year than any of the sponsors behind you?

Brendan Rodgers: “I think that is something that I’m pretty sure the board and executive team are looking at in terms of ways to better communicate with supporters. I haven’t spoken to the guys today or yesterday, but I know that coming out of the window that was one of the key objectives, to engage more and speak more with supporters.

“I’m pretty sure in time that will be the case. In the modern life, the modern world, communication is absolutely vital. It can stabilise lots of things in life having that clarity and sometimes you have to be harsh, to be clear, but you’re better being harsh and communicating than not saying anything. So I think it’s definitely something the club are looking into, looking at how the comms aspect can improve relations because there’s absolutely no doubt that’s what supporters want. As the manager and executive board, we’re looking after the team and the club for you guys.”

The Celtic Star: On looking forward has there been anything discussed so far about changes that are going to be made for the January transfer window so that we can avoid similar dramas of the summer window?

Brendan Rodgers:  “I really hope so. At this moment in time, for me, the scouting team know exactly what we’re after and what we missed out on in the summer market. So again, a lot of work going on into that. It’s a smaller window, of course, so you have to be slick, you have to be prepared and ready and look to get the business done as early as we possibly can. So I’d be hopeful that we could learn from that and hopefully close that out better in the January window.

The Celtic Star: Anything on your new contract?

Brendan Rodgers: “Nothing as of yet, no.”

Here’s the full media conference with the Celtic manager from Lennoxtown today. The Celtic Star exchange with Brendan starts at 18.30…

Celtic’s grand unveiling of the refurbished Barrowfield complex last week should have been a moment of unqualified celebration. It provides Celtic with the first full-size indoor pitch in Scotland, a modern base for the women’s team and academy and a physical sign that the club is investing in its future.

All of that deserves to be celebrated.

Instead, many supporters were left with the feeling that Barrowfield’s launch was engineered less as a significant infrastructure milestone and more as a quick-win PR exercise.

The same goes for the closure of the club’s tired old store on Argyle Street to be replaced by the bigger, better and more prestigious city flagship store which was many months in the planning. Ordinarily that too would have been a sign of a club on the up and would have been celebrated by the club and the support alike.

After all, the announcements came on the back of chaotic boardroom statements, negative tabloid headlines and mounting supporter frustration and unity.

Then there was the timing, the sudden media push alongside the carefully stage-managed fanfare all bore the hallmarks of the new PR firm apparently recently brought in to steady Celtic’s image.

Better communication is of course welcome. Especially in the absence of any lately, but no amount of slick messaging will matter until the board confronts the football problems that have angered supporters for years now.

Continues on the next page…