Three (3) primary explanations were provided for why Irish football manager Brendan Rodgers resigned as Celtic F.C. coach.

Brendan Rodgers’ second stint as Celtic manager comes to an end when he steps down.

Officially, Brendan Rodgers’ second stint at Celtic is over.

His second term as Parkhead’s manager came to an end on Monday when the Northern Irishman submitted his resignation. Current Professional Player Pathway Manager Shaun Maloney and legendary former manager Martin O’Neill have been named interim coaches.

Rodgers’ exit comes after Celtic lost to Hearts 3-1 at Tynecastle on Sunday, dropping them eight points behind the top of the Scottish Premiership.

Failed Transfer Strategy: Due to the dismal summer 2025 transfer window, Rodgers was unable to find suitable replacements for Kyogo Furuhashi and other important departures. His faith in the board was damaged by the club’s frugal spending and missed goals.

European embarrassment: Losing to underdogs Kairat Almaty in the Champions League qualifying round was a serious setback that revealed the shortcomings of a team he had frequently warned was lacking in quality.

Public Criticism and Tension in the Dressing Room: Rodgers’ post-game “Honda Civic” simile, which was intended to draw attention to the team’s shortcomings, infuriated the board and senior players alike. This was a glaring indication that his relationship with the club had entirely collapsed.

A Horrible Summer Window
Celtic came into the 2025 summer transfer window having won the Premiership for the fourth consecutive year and the Premier Sports Cup once more. It was the ideal chance to solidify from a position of superiority and be ready for another attempt at Europe.

Rather, the window became a nightmare.

The club spent little over £14 million, with few of the acquisitions judged good enough for Celtic’s level, even though they had three months to replace Kyogo Furuhashi and plenty of time to find a replacement for Nicolas Kühn, who left in mid-July.

The board’s reputation for making lowball proposals once again proved costly, leaving Rodgers unhappy after missing out on multiple important targets. Celtic was in a panic by the deadline, and on September 1st, Sebastian Tounekti was the lone addition. After the window closed, Kelechi Iheanacho was later signed on a free transfer, which many perceived as a desperation move.

Pressure Increases Due to European Failure
The difficulties with hiring continued into Europe. Celtic fell short even though they drew well with Kairat Almaty in the Champions League play-offs. They were eliminated and demoted to the Europa League after two goalless draws and a penalty shootout loss.

Even if Rodgers was good enough to defeat the Kazakh team, the absence of summer reinforcements was a major blow. He later clarified that the club’s inadequate transfer strategy was a significant contributing factor, notwithstanding his acceptance of blame.

“Honda Civic” Jibe Marks the End Following the unexpected loss to Dundee last weekend, tensions between Rodgers and the Celtic board reached a breaking point.

After the game, Rodgers joked that “you can’t drive your car like a Ferrari when you’ve been given the keys to a Honda Civic” in a hardly disguised jab at the team’s decline in speed and quality as well as the club’s lack of investment.

The connotation was clear, even though he later explained that his remarks were about the team’s lack of speed in comparison to the previous season. Senior members in the dressing room, notably captain Callum McGregor, took offense at what was perceived as his harshest reprimand to date toward the board.