Rodgers makes dramatic return as Celtic manager - reaction

Paul: Not popular with some but Celtic need a keeper upgrade. Joe Hart doesn't make enough saves for me. Any chance we could make an offer to Norwich for Angus Gunn? Seems reliable for Scotland.

Do you agree with Paul? Should Brendan Rodgers look to upgrade on Joe Hart this summer?

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• Rodgers fails to get Celtic through the Champions League qualifiers for the first time while reports emerge of a boardroom rift over transfers.

• Celtic play in the Europa League groups instead, but again their European campaign ends at the round of 32 with defeat to Valencia.
• Rodgers picks up his seventh domestic honour out of a possible seven on offer by winning the League Cup in December.
• But he opts to leave Celtic three months later when Leicester come calling.

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• For the second season running, Rodgers guides Celtic to the group stage of the Champions League.
• This time, Celtic's stay in Europe extends beyond Christmas as they drop into the Europa League after finishing third in their group.
• But defeat to Zenit ends their Europa League campaign at the last-32 stage.
• Rodgers cleans up on the domestic front again, though, claiming another treble.

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• Following his appointment, Brendan Rodgers is unveiled in front of over 10,000 adoring fans at Celtic Park.
• But his reign gets off to a humiliating start with a first-leg defeat to minnows Lincoln Red Imps in Champions League qualifying.
• Celtic turn the tie around, though, and go on to make the groups of Europe's elite club competition.
• But Rodgers' side fail to get out their group despite two impressive draws with Pep Guardiola's Manchester City.
• Domestically, however, Rodgers' men prove to be unstoppable after winning a treble without tasting defeat.

So what happened last time Brendan Rodgers had the reins at Celtic?

Let's have a look back...

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Have Celtic just got even stronger with the return of Brendan Rodgers?

If there was a better available candidate for the job, I’ve yet to see him. Yes, I advocated for Kjetil Knutsen but that was on the assumption the Bodo/Glimt manager wanted to come and was prepared to leave Norway mid-season. It’s not clear if either of those criteria were met.

One thing is crystal clear. Majority shareholder Dermot Desmond always has been a big fan of Rodgers. Which is why, as he did in the summer of 2016, make him an offer he couldn’t turn down.

Rodgers has a track record of proven success at Celtic, he guided Leicester City to their first FA Cup and twice nearly took them into the Champions League.

He encourages his teams to play attractive, attacking football. Lest we forget, he also took the Foxes to a European semi-final last year. His credentials as an elite manager are still strong.

• Read more on our Celtic news page

Robert: Rodgers was a great manager, but we need loyalty as well. I'm not sure if I've forgiven him yet but my mind is open.

Henry: He walked out on 10 in a row and left us halfway through the season. He's a traitor, keep him out of Celtic. If they take him back, the same thing will happen.

Mick: Definitely not, just look at the mess he left at Celtic and Leicester after he departed.

Jayden: He left for a bigger challenge and more money like everyone would. The board wouldn't give him the money to spend on the players he wanted to improve the team, so I don't blame him for leaving.

Read more here and have your say by tweeting us @BBCSportScot.

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Brendan Rodgers' return to Celtic “makes a great deal of sense”, says fellow former manager Martin O’Neill.

Despite lingering anger from some Celtic fans over his abrupt exit, O’Neill believes Rodgers can soon win them over.

“Not every single Celtic fan will be happy with it initially after the way he left the club," O'Neill told BBC Scotland.

"But he was very successful, which is great. When you start to win a few football matches, you’re back in the rhythm again and everything’s going fine.

“Ange Postecoglou did a really fantastic job with the team and everything seems to be in good hands.

“Rodgers knows the club inside out and will still be working with some of the players that he left. If he wins some matches then everything else will fall into place.”

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Now Brendan Rodgers' reappointment is confirmed, the Celtic boss will be looking at summer recruitment.

During his first spell, Rodgers and the club did some astute deals with the likes of Scott Sinclair, Moussa Dembele and Odsonne Edouard.

There were a fair few misses to go along with the hits, though, with cash squandered on the likes of Eboue Kouassi, Maryan Shved and Marvin Compper.

Let us know what Rodgers needs to address this summer by tweeting us @BBCSportScot.

There are a fair few folk who feel Celtic are getting a better manager than the one that's just left.

Brendan Rodgers' domestic success first time around is unquestionable. Seven trophies out of seven.

Ange Postecoglou didn't do too bad either. He managed five out of a possible six.

The doubts about both bosses came in their European performances, however, with neither making a real statement.

What's your view? Thumbs up if you think Rodgers is the better option. Thumbs down if you disagree.

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Former Celtic midfielder Peter Grant is convinced “top-drawer” manager Brendan Rodgers will thrive on the increased pressure he faces second time around at the club.

“The way Brendan left - that's what gets the Celtic supporters. It's not down to his talent or quality of the manager,” Grant told BBC Sportsound.

“Outside of Manchester United, the pressure and expectation at Celtic is massive. It's constant, it's 24/7. Everybody is looking at what you are doing. If you have a draw, it's a horrendous result.

“Brendan knows the expectation. He came through it saying he was a Celtic supporter. He's had the criticism he received when he left. He's had all that to deal with and it takes a strong personality to come back and come under that pressure again."

“There will be the extra pressure of supporters. I’m sure he can handle it and great credit to him for wanting him to come back and do it."

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Paul Brennan, Celtic Quick News

Even sceptics like myself, when Brendan Rodgers is in the door, will get behind the football club. You’ve got to win a few games and sign a few players and it’s all about tomorrow.

There will always be hold-outs but the man delivered an invincible treble, a double treble and then a League Cup before he left. I don’t think anyone believes he’s not capable of doing that again for us.

So even those of us who have concerns over what went on specifically with recruitment last time, we’re going to deal with that as and when recruitment becomes an issue again. The support will be united behind him.

Every manager that comes in will learn from what he picks up. Ange Postecoglou’s football was very entertaining and more effective than Rodgers'.

Rodgers is a clever man, he will not roll back the things already in place to go back to where he was. I’m quite sure he will build on what he has and try and kick us forward.

With Brendan Rodgers' reappointment confirmed, let's revisit how two other managers fared when they returned to Celtic Park for a second stint in charge.

Billy McNeill: The Lisbon Lions captain replaced Davie Hay in 1987 after a barren season and initially enjoyed a triumphant comeback before turbulence hit.

McNeill immediately led Celtic to the double in their centenary season and stopped Rangers winning the treble in 1989 when Joe Miller's goal sealed victory in the Scottish Cup final.

But Celtic missed out on European qualification the following campaign and McNeill was sacked in May 1991 after a second season without a trophy.

Neil Lennon: Continued the success of Rodgers after being drafted in to replace his fellow Northern Irishman in February 2019 but he also suffered a disappointing end to his second reign.

He finished off the clean sweep Rodgers started in 2019 and was in charge when Celtic completed the quadruple treble in December 2020 following Covid disruptions.

But his reign - and Celtic's 10-in-a-row bid - was starting to implode. A League Cup defeat by Ross County ended their 12-trophy run of success and Lennon resigned after a league defeat by the Staggies in February 2021.

Whether Celtic folk see it as the return of the prodigal son or the reappointment of the shameless one, Brendan Rodgers is on his way back.

His dream job, remember. "A way of life…the ultimate…a truly great football club…one of the iconic clubs of the world…the greatest in the world."

Rodgers will bring nous and charisma. It will not be dull, not for one millisecond.

When he speaks later in the week it's hard to know if he'll have the trowel he used to lay on the shtick in his first spell and, if he does, what impact those words will have on the support this time around.

"I was born into Celtic" might not work so well a second time after the bitterness and rancour he left behind when upping and leaving for Leicester in the spring of 2019.

• Read more of Tom's reaction to Rodgers' return

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Celtic chairman Peter Lawwell says Brendan Rodgers was "the outstanding choice" to replace Ange Postecoglou.

“We wanted a proven winner and that’s what Brendan is. Myself and everyone else at the club look forward to working with him again to continue to drive Celtic forward.

“He is someone who knows the club so well and has experience of the huge challenges at Celtic, domestically and in Europe. Brendan is well aware of what it takes to succeed in this role and we know he is delighted to be back with us.

“Brendan is a top quality manager. He has delivered before for Celtic and we are sure through his many qualities, he will do so again.”

Steven: Lazy appointment. I don't buy the 'Rangers will be terrified' nonsense either, we've lost a better manager in Ange. Rodgers was up against the worst Rangers side of all time in his previous spell.

Paul: If when he left before led to a Rangers resurgence, I'd find it difficult to accept his return. But bar one season, we've continued to dominate. Let him get to work, continue the dominance, and make a dent in Europe!

Join the debate by tweeting us @BBCSportScot.

• Invited by Jose Mourinho to join Chelsea as youth team manager in 2004 and was promoted to reserve manager in 2006.
• Appointed manager of Championship club Watford in November 2008 and finished 13th in the league.
• Became manager of Reading in June 2009 but only lasted six months after disappointing results.
• In July 2010 he took charge at Swansea and under his stewardship they become the first Welsh side to be promoted to the Premier League. Rodgers then guided them to an 11th-place finish in their first season in the top flight.
• Joined Liverpool in June 2012, finished seventh in his first season and runners-up in 2013-14. But the following campaign the Reds came sixth and he was dismissed in October 2015 with the team languishing 10th.
• Became Celtic manager in May 2016 and led them to an invincible domestic treble in his first year. He went on to secure back-to-back trebles - taking Celtic's run of titles to seven in a row - and won his third League Cup in December 2018.
• Departed Celtic in acrimonious circumances to join Leicester in February 2019. Led the Foxes to consecutive fifth-place finishes in his first two full seasons as well as the club's first-ever FA Cup success in 2021. He was sacked in April this year with Leicester in the relegation zone after a fifth defeat in six games.
• After being out of work for two months, Rodgers seals return to Celtic as Ange Postecoglou's successor.