Now an entire season is about to come down to the outcome of three Old Firm derbies it could be that Brendan Rodgers might finally be returning to his comfort zone.
Two of them will determine the destiny of this year’s title race. The other – although not yet set in stone – is highly likely to decide which of them gets their hands on the final piece of silverware of the season at Hampden on Saturday, May 25.
Three games, the outcome of which will make or break everything Rodgers has been striving to achieve since returning to Glasgow’s east end amid a great deal of shoulder shrugging and a whole lot of indifference. That’s not exactly what he had in mind, following the hysterical fanfare which accompanied his first coming back in the summer of 2016. But there was a reason why Celtic’s supporters were so eager to roll out the red carpet for him all those years ago.
And Rodgers lived up to their heady expectations, in no small part by becoming something of a specialist when it came to dealing with the neighbours from across the river Clyde. In 13 games against Rangers during his first stint in charge, Rodgers won 10, drew two and lost only one. And he’s already two for two second time around. In total then his derby day record reads: Played 15, won 12, drawn 2, lost one.
And so, despite admitting that this has been the single most challenging season of his entire career in management, there is genuine reason for Rodgers to believe it may still come with a silver lining.
Chapter Two of his Celtic story may not have begun in a blaze of glory. But the Irishman has a plot twist up his sleeve now the finishing line is coming sharply into focus. Sunday’s Scottish Cup win over Livingston may have been another largely unconvincing affair. And the latest in a line of them.
But it has put Celtic where Rodgers wants them to be nonetheless – a semi-final win over Aberdeen away from teeing up the perfect curtain downer with the potential of yet another local feud to settle the scores at the national stadium.
Speaking to his club’s own TV channel Rodgers said: “You have to feel good because it’s an opportunity to win two out of three domestic trophies. Against Livingston, I was really pleased to get through. Our attacking performance was good, not so good defensively as a team for me, however, we got the job done and we arrive into another semi final which we cannot wait for that date to come.”
There’s another stat which is worth throwing into the pot at this stage. Rodgers has now managed Celtic in 15 Scottish Cup ties and won every single one of them.
He said: “I have been fortunate. I have worked with fantastic players who have been able to get us through the rounds. There’s clearly something in regards to the pressure of it. We enjoy that pressure and that’s what it has to be at a club like Celtic. To get through to the semi final – with an opportunity to get to the final – you want to be able to make that big step.”
Suffice to say he needs to. As a matter of fact, Rodgers can hardly afford one single further slip up from here on in. In either competition. Despite spending much of the early part of the campaign apparently coasting towards the league title, Rodgers was only being tolerated by a section of support who didn’t want him back in the first place. And doing no more than was expected of him, following in the footsteps of the much adored Ange Postecoglou.
Michael Beale was routinely scalped and sent on his way from the other side of the city. And that, perhaps, is when the problems really started. Because the arrival at Ibrox of Philippe Clement acted as a huge adrenaline shot in the arm of Celtic’s flagging, crisis ravaged rivals.
And, despite beating him at Parkhead at the turn of the year, Rodgers has failed to keep up with the ferocious pace the Belgian has set ever since his appointment. As a result, he has a two point deficit to overturn as this race reaches its final stretch. And then, assuming Rangers get over a semi final hurdle in the shape of Hearts, they pair may meet again for one final showdown.
If Rodgers can maintain his derby day dominance between now and then, then his first season back at the helm will look and feel very different from how it does right now. If not? Then Rodgers knows the general feeling of unrest among his club’s supporters is likely to intensify, perhaps reaching an intolerable level.
Asked about his recent assertion over this being the most turbulent and testing campaign of his time as a boss Rodgers said: “Yeah, it has surprised me, maybe because of what I felt the first time when I was here. The feeling has felt a little different. The biggest frustration has just been the inability to put out the strongest team.
“It’s just felt, from the very beginning, you want to have your best players available and put them on the pitch, in order to showcase the best possible football you can play, because you play for the supporters. That’s who we want to entertain. That’s been the biggest frustration, that constant inability to be able to do that.”
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