Brendan Rodgers adds latest Rangers casualty as BBC interview raises eyebrows over Celtic future

He would have relished that challenge. After all, although he has now “seen off” seven Rangers managers during his time at Celtic, Gerrard is not included among them. The former Liverpool midfielder, who played under Rodgers at Anfield, left Rangers on his accord after Rodgers had vacated Parkhead first time around.

A reunion in opposite dugouts would have been fascinating. It now seems certain that Kevin Muscat will be Rodgers’ next Old Firm rival although even that’s not cut and dried yet.

Neil McCann could yet be given the reins in next month’s Premier Sports Cup semi-final Old Firm fixture. There’s a sense of challengers being pushed into the ring to face a remorseless champion. Rodgers ought to be rubbing his hands at the prospect. However, he knows he has his own worries over and above the news that Daizen Maeda will be missing from this weekend’s trip to face Dundee due to a hamstring injury.

There was certainly no triumphalism in his voice when he was asked to consider the departure of Russell Martin. The Northern Irishman has already spoken with compassion about Martin while the former Scotland defender was still in situ at Ibrox and enduring horrible treatment from the stands.

Rodgers asked for more respect to be shown towards his fellow manager although he probably knew, along with everyone else, that the writing was already on the wall. Friday was the first time Rodgers had spoken publicly about Martin’s exit. He was as classy as expected.

“You're always disappointed when any manager loses his job, Russell being no different,” the 52-year-old said. “It was a challenge that he will learn from in his career.

“He's got many more years left as a coach and a manager. I've always said, when you manage here at Celtic or Rangers, the pressure really is relentless. You find out things about yourself in this role and this job and I'm sure he would have done that.

“I wish him all the best. He'll probably have a bit of time out and then look to go again and use this experience.”

Premier League management ‘a holiday’ compared to Celtic

The turmoil at Rangers means the attention on Rodgers’ own future has eased somewhat. However, it remains an issue. An interview for BBC’s Match of the Day programme, which goes online on Saturday morning, has raised eyebrows. Not so much for what Rodgers said – in the clip released so far, he describes managing at some clubs in the English Premier League as “like a holiday” compared with Celtic – but that he chose to do it in the first place.

The timing might be regarded as suspicious. Is he manoeuvring himself into a position where he is more conspicuous to those south of the Border?

The next three weeks before another international break could shape how Rodgers leaves Celtic. He has already proved himself to be a winner. If he does exit at the end of this season, he will wish to do so having freshly underlined this status.

Faced with seven matches in 21 days, including a Premier Sports Cup semi-final against managerless – or maybe not – Rangers, Rodgers is embarking on one of those intense periods where he tends to excel.

Unusually, there’s some overhauling to be done. Hearts lead the league and Celtic are currently looking up at them. Indeed, they might trail the Tynecastle side by five points come Saturday night.

Of course, Celtic do not play until Sunday when they travel to Dundee. Rodgers described it as an “exciting time”. It’s also an unsettled time given what continues to happen off the pitch. An ongoing supporter feud with the club’s board has left Rodgers in a difficult position.

Rodgers focusing on team amid Celtic fan fued with board

A “Not another penny” campaign launched by the Celtic Fans Collective has come into effect where supporters in agreement with this action will refrain from spending any money at all in club outlets until the start of February. This surely won't impact on Rodgers' budget although the manager distanced himself from one report linking Celtic with a January transfer window move for former Liverpool midfielder Bobby Clark, currently on loan from RB Salzburg at Derby County.

“Control what you can, which is the football element, and look to do that on the pitch and on the training pitch every single day,” he said, when asked about the continued protests. “That's really where my focus is, I try to not get too involved.

“Of course, I'm involved. I love Celtic, I love managing Celtic, I want Celtic to be the very best every single season. So of course, there's a focus there on the general health of the club. But like I said, it's for me to focus on the performance level of the team and that won't be clouded at all. I need to make sure that we perform and we get results.”

There’s one place where Celtic always get a result. Or at least they have done at Dens Park on every single visit since a Tommy Coyne goal handed Dundee victory in September 1988.

That was 37 years and 36 league and cup games ago, which is a phenomenal record at an opposition ground. This hex over the hosts was almost broken last season before a stoppage-time penalty equaliser from Arne Engels extended Dundee’s decades-long tale of woe.

Rodgers was just 15 when Celtic last lost to Dundee in Dundee. Davie Hay was the Parkhead side’s manager.

“I didn't know the date, but I now know,” he said. “It never comes into the consideration really. I have always enjoyed going up there. It's a nice big open pitch and we always get a great support there.

“So, yes, we know it'll be a difficult game. Steven (Pressley) will ensure that. He'll have his team really, really well organised. They'll work very hard. The onus will be on us to bring our game to hopefully get the result.”