Chris Sutton Calls Out ‘Cheeky’ Former Celtic Boss

Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton has come out in strong defence of Brendan Rodgers, following recent criticism from former Celtic manager John Barnes.

Barnes had suggested that Rodgers has it easy managing Celtic, a remark that Sutton has branded “a bit of a cheek.” As someone who has been in charge of the Hoops, Sutton believes Barnes should know better than to make such claims.

Sutton’s Critique of Barnes

Sutton didn’t hold back in his response to Barnes’ comments. Reflecting on Barnes’ own time at Celtic, he pointed out the struggles the former boss faced. “It wasn’t easy falling 20-odd points behind Rangers in the title race back then,” Sutton said: (RecordSport). He also mentioned Barnes’ difficulties in the Scottish Cup, which made Barnes’ criticism of Rodgers even more baffling. Sutton clearly feels that Barnes is in no position to suggest that managing Celtic is a walk in the park.

Rodgers’ Consistency and Achievements

Sutton, however, didn’t stop at criticising Barnes. He went on to praise Brendan Rodgers’ achievements since his return to Celtic. “Let’s be clear, Rodgers has made it look easy,” Sutton stated. Rodgers is currently on track to win 12 out of 13 competitions he’s entered, a record Sutton describes as “remarkable.” Despite the pressure of competition from Rangers, Sutton believes that Rodgers’ success places him among the best Celtic managers in recent years.

The Demands of the Celtic Manager’s Role

Sutton also highlighted the tough nature of being Celtic manager, stressing that it’s far from an easy job. While Celtic may have a larger budget compared to other Scottish teams, Sutton explained that the expectations placed on the manager are huge. “This is a job where draws are a disaster and defeats are a catastrophe,” he said. He went on to emphasise that Celtic managers are expected to perform at the highest level, especially in Europe, despite operating with a budget similar to clubs in the English Championship.

Final Thoughts

In Sutton’s eyes, the job of managing Celtic comes with an immense amount of pressure, and suggesting that it’s easy is nothing short of laughable. With Rodgers’ impressive record and the constant demands of leading the Hoops, Sutton made it clear that the Celtic job is one of the most challenging in football, and only a select few are capable of handling it.