Brendan Rodgers admits a recent banner depicting him smoking a cigar has gone down much better than one he remembers vividly from his last stint at Celtic.
The AI image unveiled by fans during the title run-in shows the manager with cigar in hand, laying back and channelling a calm authority befitting a champion.
👀 Celtic fans’ banner for Brendan Rodgers ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/W5TyjFM5aM
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) April 26, 2025
It’s a far cry from the fury of six years ago, when Rodgers’ abrupt departure for Leicester City was met with fury by a section of the support.
In his first match after leaving, away at Tynecastle, a scathing banner from the Celtic end read: “You traded immortality for mediocrity… Never a Celt, always a fraud.”
Tensions were high and many fans were angry at how the manager left mid-season, before an important away trip to Tynecastle. It’s fair to say that he has made up for that though, with a double in his first season back, a good run in the Champions League during his second season, and a treble on the cards for the Hoops.
Speaking after the title win, Rodgers was asked about the recent image of him celebrated by supporters. It prompted a chuckle and a reflection on how far things have come.
“It’s better than what it was a few years ago,” as quoted by The National.
“It certainly warms the heart more than the banner at Tynecastle when I left.
“Listen, for every coach or manager, when you feel wanted or appreciated at a club, of course it gives you motivation and commitment to do even more for the club.
“Celtic have a fanatical support base and they deliver an expectation on you.
“I know what the supporters want and that gives me that drive to make them proud and be the best I can be.
“It warms the heart as a manager when you get that kind of support, but I’m not Michael Jordan…I’m not a smoker!”
The appreciation shown in recent weeks signals a clear shift in sentiment. Once the target of intense criticism, Rodgers is now viewed as the architect of yet another successful campaign. Whether lifting trophies or lifting cigars, he’s back at the top table and this time, he’s earned the smoke.
