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Steven Gerrard once admitted he left Liverpool because of Brendan Rodgers and was gutted when the manager followed him out the door just months later. Exactly 10 years since he was sacked by Liverpool, Rodgers has resigned from his post as Celtic boss. The Northern Irishman’s second stint in charge of the Scottish giants came to an end following a disappointing 3-1 defeat at Hearts, which left Celtic eight points adrift of the Edinburgh club. Rodgers’ side had also struggled in Europe this season, with Celtic 21st in the Europa League group stage table with just one win under their belt. The Scottish champions have since announced that former boss Martin O’Neill and Shaun Maloney have been put in temporary charge at Parkhead. Rodgers returned for his second spell at Celtic Park in 2023, winning successive titles to match his triumphs in 2017 and 2018. His first spell in Glasgow came seven months after his tenure at Anfield ended in October 2015, having come close to winning the Premier League in 2013/14 but ultimately failing to win any silverware. During his time in charge of the Reds, the ageing Gerrard remained a key player for Liverpool and the pair largely enjoyed working with each other . But the manager's role in Gerrard’s departure left a bitter taste in the legendary Reds skipper’s mouth, with Rodgers having informed him that he wouldn’t be a starter if he remained at the club at the end of the 2014/15 season. Gerrard therefore decided to leave his boyhood club for LA Galaxy in the MLS. His departure came just months before the arrival of Jurgen Klopp at Anfield, who transformed Liverpool’s fortunes. And the former midfielder says he now wishes he accepted a year-long contract extension at the club and "put up" with Rodgers so he could play under Klopp. “I was devastated,” Gerrard said in a clip shared by The Anfield Wrap . “I obviously made a decision not to sign a year extension to go to America, whereas if I’d taken the extension, I might have got six months under the guidance of Jurgen Klopp. “But obviously being under Brendan’s management at the time, I was getting told my game time was gonna get less and less. I didn’t wanna be a sub for Liverpool, I didn’t wanna be a squad player. I still felt that I was the best midfielder there at the time. “But in hindsight, if I’d have known what was gonna come off, 100 per cent, I’d have signed the year extension, and I’d have put up with four to five months of Brendan to get six months of Klopp, for sure.” Rodgers has now left Celtic with immediate effect, as the club’s principal shareholder Dermot Desmond launched an incredible attack on the manager after he quit the club. He had repeatedly taken aim at the board over the club's summer business, with raging fans ramping up the pressure on the hierarchy and demanding answers. Now, Desmond has stunningly labelled Rodgers’ words and actions as “divisive, misleading and self-serving” in a scathing statement. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
