Brendan Rodgers feels privileged to have been linked with the high-profile job at the Emirates but believes he is more than happy with his current work and does not wish to leave the Hoops. He has spoken out against the people criticizing Arsene Wenger and believes that Wenger should be treated with more respect owing to his contribution to the game.
“Arsenal is a great club with a great manager,” said Rodgers. “People will look at it and see that I went to Liverpool, they were struggling for five seasons for Champions League football and I was able to get them back. And when I came to Celtic, they hadn’t been in the Champions League for three seasons and I got them back. So maybe people are thinking – okay, Arsenal have been out of the Champions League and is that maybe the equation for someone like myself.”
Rodgers is currently living his dream with the Scottish league leaders and hopes to live it as long as he will be allowed to.
“For me, my focus and my life is here. I love my professional life, the challenges of managing, the expectations, the scrutiny that comes with Celtic. Like I say, I’m living the dream. But the other stuff you can’t control, so I can’t worry about it. I’m not going to be here forever, but I’m living in a dream. And dreams always come to an end at some point, that’s for sure. But I am always relaxed about speculation and what not. My focus is only on Celtic. Arsenal is a great club, they have a great manager and they are going through a tough time of course.”
He accepts that the modern day game will now allow him to stay at any club for too long but believes that the culture of sacking managers comes as a pitfall alongside the other perks of the job.
“It’s, unfortunately, the game now but it will always be the case at big clubs, especially if your results just turn the other way,” said the Celtic manager. “What you have to be prepared for when you manage the big clubs is there is maybe going to be between five and ten people linked with your job, you know that. It doesn’t happen in too many other industries.
“But we live a privileged life, we get to manage and work with great players and great people. Like I say, with the big clubs comes big scrutiny and probably when my results drop off here a bit I’m sure there will be names linked but you have to accept that as part of the job. Arsene will know that he’s got great experience, he’s a really good man. He’s done wonders for British football and it’s just unfortunate at this period and for a little period now the focus has really been on him but that’s new football I’m afraid.”
He stood up for Wenger proclaiming the Frenchman to be a pioneer of the modern day game.
“The criticism Arsene takes, unfortunately, is now the modern game, modern football,” said Rodgers. “It’s unfortunate because he has done so much for the British game. He came in 20 odd years ago and revolutionised the game. And it’s sometimes disappointing and sad for another manager to see someone of that esteem and quality go through that.
“But like I say it’s different names every day really. There is always going to be speculation about it. If they are going to pick out names for the job then, of course, they are going to suggest candidates for it.”
This read should come as great news for Celtic fans who are enjoying an excellent spell under Rodgers. The Hoops have always been the top team in Scotland but what Rodgers has done is that he has set in place a system whereby success can be ensured for years to come. He has formed a team that is extremely young in age and has the desire to compete not just in Scotland but also in Europe. Celtic should hold on to their manager as long as they can.
