Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers finds himself under immense pressure following their 2-0 defeat to RB Leipzig in the UEFA Europa League earlier this week.
The defeat ruined the Hoops’ chances of making it beyond the group stages as they now sit third in their group and are three points behind second-placed RB Leipzig and six below leaders RB Salzburg.
Their struggles in Europe, coupled with their scratchy start to defending their Scottish Premiership title, have placed Rodgers under intense pressure to turn things around.
There are concerns that the interest in him from Premier League clubs Newcastle United and Leicester City (h/t The Sun) may turn his head. If the Hoops fail to recover from their current predicament soon, the club might consider letting go of the manager and should that happen, here are two candidates who would be ideal to replace him.
Currently without a job after saving West Ham United from relegation in the Premier League last season, David Moyes should be a name that the Bhoys consider in case Rodgers leaves. The Scotsman’s recent managerial stints haven’t been all too memorable, given his well-documented struggles at Manchester United, Real Sociedad and Sunderland.
But last season, he played a crucial role in turning around the fortunes of West Ham. Having been brought in to replace Slaven Bilic with the club mired in a relegation battle, the 55-year-old guided the East Londoners to a respectable 13th finish. A vastly experienced manager with great knowledge of the game, Moyes has shown that he has the tools to build strong and solid teams on a tight budget.
The fact that he spent three years with Celtic during his playing time should also help his case. He may have not won any silverware apart from the FA Community Shield with Manchester United but Rodgers too hadn’t done so until he took over at Celtic. He might not prove to be the most popular appointment at first, but surely, he has the pedigree to take Celtic to greater heights.
After enjoying a distinguished career as a player at Celtic between 2001 and 2007, the 47-year-old Lennon went on to manage the Hoops for four years since taking over in March 2010. During his time in charge, Lennon won three Scottish Premiership titles and two Scottish Cups. In total, he picked up 159 victories from 227 matches while losing 39.
After leaving Parkhead, the Northern Irishman had a stint in the English Championship with Bolton Wanderers which did not prove much of a success. However, having returned to Scotland with Hibernian FC in 2016, Lennon has proven to be a big success again.
The 47-year-old led the Hibs to the Scottish championship title in his first season in charge, leading them to a promotion to the Premiership. Subsequently, he led them to the 4th place in the top tier last time out. His team is 6th in the table this term, just two points off 3rd-placed Celtic. The kind of attacking football that the Hibs have been playing under him as earned praises from all quarters this term.
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Someone who knows the club in and out, having spent over 11 years at Celtic Park as a player and then a manager, Lennon should be a prime candidate to take over if Rodgers either leaves or is sacked.
