I don’t know the real reason and neither do you. I do know that he was fucked off, as well all were, about standing still. Or did we not feel that?
To say it was just greed is too easy. To say would I give him the money knowing he would leave, is avoiding the issue of why he was going to leave. And if you are right he was going to go, then why not make him go? Do you actually think that Lawell knew he was going to jump ship, but decided to let him carry on? I can’t believe that and if that is the case then Lawell needs his arse kicked for doing nothing.
I think, I don’t know, but I would bet the disaster last summer, failing to qualify for the CL. No players brought in at all, told Rogers all he needed to know about the boards ambition. It certainly told me. He said in an interview we have stood still. Did you agree with that assessment? If you did, then who is to blame for that? Not Rogers.
The focus should not be Rogers, but an assessment of what he was trying to achieve and wether he was supported to do that. Diverting our issues by focusing on Rogers upping sticks when he did leaves the question why then? Why them? Leicester?
No fucking way did they even come onto his radar. For him to choose to go to them when he did tells a story. It may not fit the story we want, but I don’t believe for a minute he would have left then if he had been backed.
I called out Rogers ratio of shit signings, was pulled up for not using his Christian name, said he couldn’t see a defender if one came up and kicked his arse. I wasn’t deluded into thinking he was the messiah, as many did on this very forum, but I do recognise that whatever he wanted to achieve wasn’t forthcoming. We stood still. He obviously was angry at that, but Lawell moves on. Keeps banking bonus after bonus for fuck all.
Rogers is a symptom of deeper problems in the club. To be conned into just focusing on him leaving without wanting to know why is playing into Lawells hands.
Rogers wanted to go to a richer club in a better league. No problem with that. Going when he did to a mid table team was not his plan. The issues that led to the changing of that plan to me at least, is a worry. I don’t blame him for where we are, but, I never thought the sun shown out of his arse either. Maybe those that did are angrier knowing they called that wrong and have turned on him with increased levels of bile.
As I said, losing Rogers was not our main problem. It’s how we lost him and to say he just wanted more money is, to my mind Bull. He went because things changed. Or I should say, stayed the same old Celtic board lack of ambition.
We need to move on, but if the board continue to avoid investment, then our direction will continue to be downward as we have witnessed these last 18 months.