Brendan Rodgers Made an Example of Petulant Celtic Player

Malmo has officially secured the signing of Sead Haksabanovic on a four-year deal, drawing a close to his brief stint at Celtic. Having made just 42 appearances for the club, Haksabanovic’s time in Glasgow was marked by unfulfilled expectations and sporadic contributions on the pitch.

When a new player arrives, there’s always a wave of optimism among the supporters. Initial performances are often met with patience as fans wait for glimpses of talent that justify the signing. Unfortunately for Haksabanovic, he never truly moved past this probationary phase. His departure leaves many Celtic supporters in agreement that he simply wasn’t cut out for the team, although a faction believes he deserved more opportunities.

The crux of the matter is that Haksabanovic’s performances never showcased the spark needed to cement his place in the squad. Talent tends to reveal itself even if a player isn’t consistently delivering. In Sead’s case, such flashes of brilliance were scarce. His self-confidence, while admirable, became problematic and arguably contributed to his downfall at Celtic.

A significant turning point was his social media outburst last August, where he publicly aired his frustration over limited playing time. This move did not sit well with manager Brendan Rodgers, who values respect and direct communication. Rodgers has a clear policy: grievances should be addressed privately, not publicly. Haksabanovic’s choice to vent online instead of having a direct conversation with Rodgers led to immediate consequences.

Rodgers, known for his disciplinary stance, did not tolerate such public dissent. Haksabanovic was promptly loaned to Stoke City, a decision that some interpreted as a punishment fitting of the transgression. This episode highlighted the Celtic manager’s commitment to maintaining a unified and disciplined team ethos. Any player deviating from this path is swiftly dealt with, ensuring the collective spirit remains intact.

Now, Haksabanovic moves on to Malmo, a team currently riding high. His swift transfer before Celtic’s pre-season underscores the swiftness with which he was moved on from the club. The message from Rodgers is clear: individual agendas have no place in his vision for Celtic.

He wrote a nice farewell to Celtic fans and players in his instagram post on Wednesday, but did have the slightest digs saying ‘other people had other opinions’ when it came to his talents even if he mentioned he would have to respect that decision. That was clearly aimed at Brendan.