I Do Not Think Brendan Rodgers Will Be Missed

ASKED whether or not they wished to remain inside the European Union, the people of Scotland voted by almost two to one to do this. Unfortunately, the people of England, by a smaller majority, opted to leave the EU.

More than two years on from that decision, and after some of the worst negotiating in the history of politics, Scotland is set to be dragged out of Europe and into an uncertain but certainly poorer future, on 29 March. And, on the day when the beleaguered Prime Minister of the United Kingdom made yet another effort to defend the indefensible – while ignoring Scotland's wishes – what was the biggest story of the day on the BBC Scotland News?

The fact that a man who had: “lived the dream” as Celtic manager was leaving the club, for a higher-paid job with a lesser club in England. You could not make that shite up. Only in Scotland would a self-indulgent move by an over-rated football manager be given top slot in the national news.

Rodgers is quoted as believing: “I have taken Celtic as far as I believe I can.” Well, if that is true, then he doesn't have a great deal of belief in his own ability, and, Celtic are well rid.

Allow me to explain; football is evolving, albeit slowly. For the first 75 or ore years of Celtic's history, all the managers in that time: Willie Maley, Jimmy McStay and Jimmy McGrory – all former players – were asked to do was be the best team in Scotland. This amounted to little more than being better than Rangers, because, for most of that time, Scottish football, then as now, was essentially a two-horse race.

Gradually, however, from 1955 on, Europe began to become an issue. Certainly it took Celtic a long time to get into Europe. They first qualified in 1962-63, when they played in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, then the third European tournament in order of importance. Indeed, Celtic were slow starters: Hibs, Rangers, Hearts, Dunfermline Athletic and Dundee had all played in Europe before Celtic got going.

That first season, they lost their first tie, to Valencia and were probably ranked around 78^th in Europe. The following season they were in the Cup-Winners Cup, reaching the semi-final, which probably ranked them 36th in Europe. They dropped back into the Fairs Cup the following season, losing to Barcelona in the second round, a result which probably ranked them around 79^th in Europe.

[How I ranked them in the above – you take the number of European Cup entrants – then usually around 30; they are ranked 1-30. The Cup-Winners Cup entrants then fill places 31-62, followed by the Fairs Cup entrants, from 63 on. So, as first round losers in the Fairs Cup, by two goals in their first season, Celtic could reasonably be ranked the 25^th team in that competition that season. With 28 European Cup entrants, and 25 Cup-Winners Cup entrants ranked higher, then Celtic are ranked 78^th.

So, in February, 1965, Jock Stein took over a club ranked 79^th in Europe that season. In his first full season as manager, he secured the League title, to take Celtic into the European Cup for the first time, while in the European Cup-Winners Cup, he guided them to the semi-final, which ranked them third in that tournament, and 34^th in Europe, behind the 31 teams in the premier competition – the European Cup proper.

Then, in season 1966-67, he guided Celtic to the club's first domestic treble, but, more-importantly, he won the whole shebang, the European Cup, to see the club ranked Number One in Europe.

Did he, at that point, tell the assembled press: “My work here is done, I have taken Celtic as far as I can.” Did he Hell, the Big Man wanted more trophies, domestic and European, more glory, and before he left in 1978, he had broken Rangers' long dominance and made Celtic the Number One team in Scotland, and major players in Europe.

Stein never won the big one again, but, he took Celtic to one further final, two semi-finals and two quarter-finals, before he left the club in 1978. Indeed, in his final season as manager, Celtic were still ranked among the top 16 clubs in Europe.

In fact, even allowing for a couple of bad seasons, during Stein's 13 years as manager, Celtic were consistently one of the top 20 clubs in Europe - that's a far cry from today.

Rodgers leaves them ranked 45^th in Europe – and he says he cannot take them any further, he cannot restore the glory days to a fan base, happy enough with domestic dominance, but, desperate to see the swashbuckling Celtic of the Stein era back as a major European force.

“Aye, but, these days are gone – never again will the European Cup be won by 11 Scots, all raised within a 40 mile radius of Celtic Park.” That, any rate, is what we are told. I say that is absolute bullshit.

Nobody will ever convince me: Simpson; Craig and Gemmell; Murdoch, McNeill and Clark; Johnstone, Wallace, Chalmers, Auld and Lennox are the only 11 men, ever born in the same era, in the same small part of Scotland, who will ever be capable of winning the European Cup.

The Celtic scouting plan, which took Craig, Gemmell, Murdoch, McNeill, Clark, Johnstone, Chalmers, Auld and Lennox to the club as unpolished diamonds, cannot be replicate – RUBBISH.

That level of talent will never again emerge at a single time – MORE RUBBISH.

There will never again be a Scotsman with the managerial magic of Stein, or Busby, Shankly, Ferguson or McLean – STILL MORE RUBBISH.

Of course, football today is different from back in Stein's time. The riches of the English Premiership will, until the full effect of Brexit kicks in, and the whole edifice implodes and collapses, always have an impact on Scottish football.

We have been losing our brightest and best to England for 140 years, that will not stop – even if an Independent Scotland, properly husbanding its vast oil and other riches for the good of the nation, flourishes as poor, wee embittered, friendless post-Brexit England struggles, I dare say there will still be Scottish footballers taking the high road south.

But, our football will, I am sure, rise again. I believe in Scottish football, I believe in Scottish talent, and if we can, somehow, get rid of the stumble bums and idiots who hold our game back, we can again see a Scottish team ruling Europe.

That's where Brendan Rodgers, if he had been the Celtic Man he claimed to be, should have been aiming. No Celtic boss, unwilling to have a go at surpassing the Stein Legend and Legacy, can be anything but a time-serving, self-serving chancer.

Brendan Rodgers is five foot seven inches tall. To six foot one inch Me, that makes him a wee man – he clearly was not, at the end of the day, big enough to truly succeed the Big Man. I do not think Celtic will miss him.