Brendan Rodgers and The Difference That Two Make

How good is it being a Celtic fan at the moment? Absolutely incredible in my view and it's only going to get better as long as Brendan Rodgers sticks around. Glancing quickly at the league table shows the kind of impact the Northern Irishman has made and while it's tempting to talk about complete transformations, the reality is that Brendan hasn't really even started on his grand plan for the club. 19 points clear with a game in hand, our rivals skelped three times in consecutive matches and the first trophy polished and stuck away in the cabinet has given us all a warm glow, but we shouldn't lose sight of the fact that the biggest transformation has taken place in the attitude department.

When Ronny Deila departed for pastures new at the tail end of last season the club's soul had been ripped away. Fans had become utterly sick of the failed model allegedly implemented by Chief Executive Peter Lawell. Life under this model was a slog for our great club and the buy em cheap, sell em steep mentality was beginning to lumber Celtic with players who weren't fit to wear the jersey. Why? Simply because the well had run dry and after successful sales of Fraser Forster, Gary Hooper, Victor Wanyama, Virgil Van Diijk and Joe Ledley, there was no one left to punt. Each time one of these guys departed they were replaced by less and less quality. Such a damning indictment on the Celtic board had never been laid more bare and the result was a fractured fanbase who were demanding that heads roll for what was irrefutable evidence of downsizing to the point of no return. Reasons for their actions vary and I've discussed one theory HERE but no one could get away from the fact that despite the title being in the bag, Celtic were on their knee's and broken in a spirit when Brendan Rodgers walked through the door.

If you read back on fan forums at the time it was largely agreed that after the Ronny disaster it would take millions upon millions of pounds to restore Celtic to anything like the force we all wanted them to be. Yet fast forward to the present and the club is in such a good place that the argument seems dead in the water. Yes they spent big money to lure Rodgers, yes they paid good money for Scott Sinclair, but the splashing of vast amounts of cash hasn't actually happened. It simply didn't need to because Brendan Rodgers has brought us all together in a way that we never thought possible since the days of Martin O'Neill. Brendan has made two big signings in Scott Sinclair and Moussa Dembele and the big Frenchman cost 500k from Fulham. How much does that make you smile when you consider what our supposed rivals forked out for Joe Garner? Brendan has turned this club around before he has even really started and when he does spend serious money it will be on players that he himself wants to sign, as opposed to someone like John Park forcing players down his throat, as spoken about HERE.

Of course all of what I've just written goes against the media and their agenda where Celtic and the new club are concerned. Despite evidence to the contrary Rangers HAD money. What did they do with it? Squandered all cash on big players for lower league football during their supposed journey, that's what! How many times must I hear about wage budgets and transfer fee's before the penny finally drops for those across the city who weren't as blessed in the brains department as our support? Speaking to one the other night made it clear they are blaming the gulf in finances as the reason they are failing so miserably, yet they are unwilling to look at their own failed transfer policy, inept manager and inflated sense of importance as reasons that have contributed MORE to the situation they find themselves in. Rangers chance to stay on a par with us has long gone and listening to their defeatist talk about budgets makes it all the sweeter. Maybe the way Brendan has transformed our situation should be a lesson to those who maintain money is the most important aspect in football Of course it helps but it is never a substitute for a club and it's fans being in sync with each other and working towards a goal.

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