After Abada’s transfer to MLS team Charlotte FC was confirmed, the head coach of the Hoops made his first public remarks.

After the Celtics star finalized a £10 million transfer to Charlotte FC, Brendan Rodgers called Liel Abada’s exit “desperately sad”.

Distracted by off-field concerns over the ongoing Middle East conflict involving his home country of Israel and Palestine, Abada decided to end his two and a half years at Parkhead. The young winger faced intense pressure to leave the Scottish champions back home because of the Green Brigade’s and the Hoops’ broader support for the Palestinian people. An international teammate even urged him to move on.

Abada had only signed a new four-year deal in September, but due to a thigh injury he received while serving for his country overseas, he was sidelined for the majority of the season. Before being declared ineligible for selection, he played his final game for Celtic in their 2-1 victory against Hibs last month. Rodgers said the 22-year-old wasn’t in the proper frame of mind at the time.

He remarked, “To start with, the entire situation is quite depressing. A great player who arrived here as a 19-year-old from another nation, lighting up the field with numerous goals and having an amazing time. Despite his reservations from the summer, he was thrilled to commit and sign a new contract.

“He has now been forced to go to pursue his career abroad, through no fault of his own or the club’s. On Monday, I had a conversation with Liel and showed him around the house as I knew he would be leaving early the next morning. Extremely disappointing because I had hoped to collaborate with him over time to see whether we might elevate and advance his skills. Looking back, he made some amazing memories at Celtic, and Glasgow will always hold a special place in his heart. We hope the best for him.”

The Green Brigade’s unfurled banners stating “Free Palestine” and “Victory to the resistance” sparked intense reactions in Israel the day following Hamas’ October 7 attacks, especially from former Hoops midfielder Nir Bitton.

When Abada returned from injury against Rangers in December, he received a standing ovation. However, in the games that followed, he appeared unwell, rushing down Easter Road as his teammates celebrated a thrilling victory in the championship battle.

According to Rodgers, “it was really, really difficult for him.” “He is a great professional who is dedicated to his business and trains daily. However, the circumstances and the way they developed felt really tough. Furthermore, football is primarily a mental game. Of course, it becomes really difficult to perform at your absolute best if you’re not fully focused or if you find it tough to set aside something as important as this. Regretfully, that was true for him.

“We talked most days, simply to see how he was doing and to see if he was well, but his main goal is to play football. And when I thought there was no hope left, we both took a look at it and decided that the wisest course of action would be for him to move on, as did the club.”

In response to a question about whether the player was feeling a lot of pressure from Israel, Rodgers stated: “There were a number of reasons not to be in that state of mind, and it’s obvious that this was an unexpected circumstance. But, hear me out: it’s finished. We must move on since he moved on, had a fantastic two and a half years, and performed admirably.”
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