Copyright Yardbarker
Jamesy though was well aware of the legendary status of Martin O’Neill and experienced players like him and Callum McGregor will have played an important role in steadying the ship following the events of Monday evening at Celtic Park. The players too will have read much of what was in the media and also on the official Celtic website, with Dermot Desmond releasing an explosive statement taking down Rodgers’ reputation. The players of course will have their own views on Brendan Rodgers and will have undoubtedly have had an early positive view of Martin after an eventful few days where he’s certainly made his presence felt in and around the club. James Forrest, speaking to the mainstream media ahead of today’s Premier Sports Cup semi-final at Hampden agains theRangers, talked about both Brendan Rodgers and also John Kennedy who also left the club after 27 years of continual service, working with all the managers mentioned above, including Martin O’Neill. If the Celtic principal shareholder’s statement was controversial – and it has certainly divided opinion amongst the Celtic supporters – the official Celtic announcement of John Kennedy leaving the club was pathetic, and there’s not too many who would disagree with that. Kennedy deserved a much better sent off, maybe even a testimonial, and he’ll be a huge loss to the fabric of the club and the way things work at Lennoxtown in so many ways. Let’s look at what James Forrest has to say about the departure of Rodgers and Kennedy during his sit-down with the media, including The Herald. On Brendan Rodgers: “I’ve had Rodgers two different spells now, and some of my best football has been under him,” admits Forrest “What he’s done for me has been great over the years.” On John Kennedy: “I’ve known him for so many years. I don’t think anyone at the club can say a bad word about him. I think what he’s done, maybe people don’t see on the outside what he does every day. “For me as well, anything off the pitch or on it, if you ever needed or had a problem, you could go to him, and it wouldn’t go anywhere as well, and I think that’s big in football. “So definitely sad, but these things do happen in football, and you do need to move on, but loads of great memories with them, and you can look back on it positively.” Pretty much every Celtic player in the modern era will have similar stories to tell about John Kennedy. The Celtic Board know this well enough but couldn’t put aside their Monday night anger to recognise a hugely important Celtic man moving on, as he has every right to do.
