OPINION
It is never a good sign when a manager has to address concerns about his own future with the players at a club, but for Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers, it appears that is exactly what he has had to do.
Despite only being seven games into their campaign, having kicked off their season earlier thanks to the Champions League qualifiers, things are already not going to plan for the former Liverpool man, with injuries and absences due to the World Cup leaving him fighting a battle with a limited squad.
Now he is having to deal with a rebellious Dedryck Boyata, who appears to be angling for a move away from the club after comments from his agent to the media, and the issues appear to be taking their toll.
Rodgers has confirmed that he has held crunch talks with the players about the situation, which includes his own future, and insisted he has done what he can to steady the ship – but that only suggests that there is behind-the-scenes unrest at Parkhead.
He told the Daily Record: “I spoke to the players just to stabilise them a little bit. I think that, despite the noise, it’s important that the players understand the real story.
“I never once said that I was quitting Celtic. What I said was we wanted the squad to be stronger.
“It’s always a difficult period of the season, juggling your league campaign with your Champions League qualification. It’s something we have to manage and navigate our way through, whether it’s on or off the park.
“It’s private. I don’t need to go on any more about it.”
While it is understandable that Rodgers wants to keep things in-house, especially with the Boyata situation rumbling on, it does not go to convince that he has a handle on the situation, especially when he is having to convince the players about his future at the club.
Things might be going alright on the pitch – although defeat to Hearts will have been a painful blow to suffer – but it appears as though things are not all well behind closed doors.
Is this the beginning of the end for Rodgers? Probably not, but at the same time things are not going to plan, and that is something which needs sorting out sooner rather than later.