USMNT: Will Brendan Rodgers’ departure hurt Tim Weah?

Brendan Rodgers played a massive role in bringing Tim Weah to Celtic. So now that he has departed, what will it mean for the young PSG and USMNT star?

A young soccer star hops in a jet after training with Kyllian Mbappe and Neymar Jr. at Paris Saint-Germain’s world-class training grounds to fly to the old Scottish shipbuilding city of Glasgow and its old industrial docks. Now bossing the field with the likes of Scott Brown and Oliver Burke, that young star, Tim Weah, has sparked an American revolution over on Scottish shores.

Since Joining the Bhoys, USMNT prospect Weah has averaged a goal involvement every 75 minutes in league play, providing an instant impact. Celtic sit atop of the Scottish table, and, having been recently knocked out of the Europa League, can turn all their attention towards domestic dominance. On the surface, everything seems to be going very well for Weah in Scotland.

It has been widely reported that Brendan Rodgers played a huge role in convincing Tim Weah that Celtic was the right spot for his development. On Tuesday last week, however, it was suddenly reported that Rodgers had accepted a new challenge in the form of the managerial position at Leicester. The manager’s departure could prove to be a blow for Weah, and will surely test the youngster’s character.

On Wednesday, Neil Lennon was appointed as manager for the rest of the season. The former champion at Celtic coached Hibernian until January and appears a relatively safe choice to replace Rodgers for the rest of the season. Lennon spoke on how he’s approaching the situation at Celtic.

"“All I want to do is carry that on – it’s not broken and I’m not coming in and looking to revolutionize anything.”"

This bodes well for Weah, who had been getting significant time under Rodgers and looked to be an important part of the team’s attack. Further, since Weah is already a fan favorite. Lennon could do himself well allowing his star to flourish in front of the Celtic faithful.

Regardless of all the changes and logistical questions they imply, Weah’s strongest tool in navigating this sudden an unfortunate change is his attitude. Call it cheesy if you want, but Weah has consistently shown an excellent attitude and desire to become one of the best.

Weah has said before that “age is just a number.” Even Neymar has gone on record saying that Weah can be one of the best attackers in Europe. Weah constantly praises his teammates in the press and on social media. And don’t doubt his individual drive, as the youngster has set some pretty lofty goals for himself as well.

This summer, Weah spoke on his aspirations and goals.

"“My dream is eventually becoming the greatest talent to come out of the United States and New York, being a starter and playing for my country… I’m working my butt off everyday to make sure people have my name on the tip of their tongue.”"

Something tells me this kid is going to be alright without Brendan Rodgers. When one looks at the bigger picture, it seems as though Neil Lennon won’t shake too much up in the locker room or on the field, and Weah is always up for a challenge regardless.

Let’s hope Weah can continue his hot start at Celtic without Rodgers, and that he continues to build towards those lofty yet increasingly believable dreams of his. This kid could yet be special.