Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic exit has sent shockwaves through Scottish football.
Rodgers’ position as one of the most successful Celtic managers of all time is itself enough to make his departure the biggest shock of the season so far.
But it’s far from done there. Dermot Desmond’s bombshell statement, released less than an hour after Rodgers’ resignation, has widely been seen as a complete character assassination.
Describing the departed manager as ‘divisive’ and ‘self-serving’, it was clearly an attempt to paint Rodgers as the main cause of all that has gone wrong at Celtic in recent months.
But Rodgers isn’t bound to let that slide quietly, and this ugly public fallout could be set to take another twist.
Ex-Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers prepares Dermot Desmond response
Desmond’s statement was explosive, so much so that it has deflected from the sensational return of Martin O’Neill.
The Hoops icon will return to the dugout at Celtic Park alongside Shaun Maloney and Mark Fotheringham.
Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images
Rodgers’ future employment prospects could be impacted by Desmond’s statement, so it isn’t a surprise that he is considering defending himself.
He is not usually the type of character to get involved in public spats, but on this occasion it doesn’t feel like he has a choice.
The BBC’s Sami Mokbel shared what he has heard about Rodgers’ response on the BBC’s Football Daily podcast.
He said: “What’s happened over the last 24 hours, speaking purely journalistically, will be a gift that will keep on giving.
“I can see Brendan Rodgers, potentially through the LMA (League Managers Association), making a response and making his own statement.
“This will just rumble on. And in terms of that statement, my understanding is that as we speak now on Tuesday, it isn’t going to be tonight.
“But I do understand that there are potentially machinations towards Brendan Rodgers having his say and responding to that.”
Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic response could be imminent
The longer that Rodgers allows time to go on, the longer that he goes without a public defence.
Media from around the world have covered Desmond’s statement, and it hasn’t all reflected well on the 52-year-old.
Rodgers has also been tipped for a Premier League return, but will want to address this fiasco before he steps into a new role.
Despite O’Neill preparing to face Falkirk on Wednesday evening, the saga surrounding his predecessor is not over yet.