Roy Keane has admitted he was taken aback by a strongly worded Celtic statement from Dermot Desmond regarding Brendan Rodgers, as Gary Neville offered his own view on growing tensions between managers and club hierarchies.
The former Manchester United captain was speaking alongside Neville, Jamie Carragher, Jill Scott and Ian Wright on The Overlap, where the panel discussed major talking points in English football following Manchester United’s decision to part company with Ruben Amorim. The conversation followed reports of similar boardroom tensions at Chelsea after Enzo Maresca’s departure.
Keane, who spent a short spell at Celtic at the end of his playing career, drew comparisons with events at Parkhead earlier this season when Rodgers resigned. That exit prompted an unusually forceful public response from major shareholder Desmond, which Keane felt reflected a wider trend in the modern game.
Carragher opened the debate by criticising public disputes between clubs and managers, arguing that disagreements should be handled privately. He pointed to recent situations involving Amorim and Maresca, saying he disliked seeing internal conflicts played out in the media and stressing that results, not arguments, should determine a manager’s fate.
Keane then referenced Celtic’s situation, saying the public nature of Desmond’s statement following Rodgers’ departure was striking. He suggested it highlighted how clubs are now increasingly willing to issue detailed responses when managers leave under a cloud.
Neville countered by defending the perspective of owners and sporting directors, arguing that managers can often be difficult to deal with. He claimed that many coaches react badly when questioned, becoming defensive and suspicious, even at the highest level.
Desmond’s statement on Rodgers was extensive and forthright. He said Rodgers was reappointed two years ago with full trust and belief in his leadership, but claimed that the manager’s conduct and public comments in recent months had undermined that relationship. Desmond stated that both he and chief executive Michael Nicholson had expressed a desire to extend Rodgers’ contract, only for the manager to later suggest publicly that no such commitment had been offered.
According to Desmond, Rodgers was involved in regular meetings and had full knowledge and approval of all transfer dealings during his tenure. He rejected any suggestion that the board failed to support the manager, insisting Rodgers had final say on football matters and benefited from record investment in players he personally approved.
Desmond also revealed that he met Rodgers for several hours to address the public comments directly, but claimed the manager could not provide examples of being blocked or unsupported. He accused Rodgers of making divisive and misleading statements that contributed to a toxic atmosphere around the club and led to unacceptable abuse aimed at board members and their families.
The statement concluded by stressing that Celtic’s long-standing structure had delivered sustained success and that no individual was bigger than the club. Desmond reaffirmed the board’s commitment to restoring unity, strengthening the squad and continuing to invest all revenues into the club’s long-term ambitions.
Keane’s reaction underlined how rare and eye-catching such a public rebuke from a club hierarchy can be, while the wider discussion reflected a growing acceptance that friction between managers and boards is becoming an increasingly visible part of modern football.