Brendan Fraudgers!

Brendan Rodgers speaking to the media in Limerick after the @IntChampionsCup clash with @Inter: 'It was a really good exercise for us.


BR: 'The competitive games have come upon us very quickly so we had to reduce some of the time with guys who played tonight.


BR on latest injury news: 'Nir trained this morning & he looked fine so he comes into the reckoning & Eric is back training tomorrow.


BR on approach for #UCL first-leg on Wed. 'We are a team that wants to win and play offensively and aggressively in defence.


BR: 'Ideally, we take a lead and as big one as we possibly can to 2nd leg and every game we are getting better offensively.


BR: 'I thought the Motherwell game was a good example in how they might setup and if we can do something similar that would be great.


BR: 'We'll be ready. Their mentality and football is getting better every day.


BR: 'As much as it will be difficult game for us, will be a difficult game for them.


BR: 'What did we get from today? We got young players getting a great experience and we will take something away from it.

 

BRENDAN Rodgers felt there were a number of positives to take from last night’s 2-0 friendly defeat to Inter Milan in the International Champions Cup.
Goals in either half from Italian internationalists Eder and Antonio Candreva gave the Nerazzurri the victory at Thomond Park in Limerick.
But Celtic contributed much to the contest and came close to finding the net several times, including a speculative volley from Nadir CIftci that struck the bar.
The manager had selected a side which contained several first-team players in search of game-time, along with one or two younger players, and he was pleased by how they performed against top-class opponents.
The Hoops boss said: “I was really pleased with the way we played against a top side with real good quality. I needed to be fair to these guys here because a lot of them needed the 90 minutes.
“The competitive games have come upon us very quickly in pre-season, so we have had to reduce some of the time with some of the guys that played last night because we have been playing in competition.
“It’s important I got see them against a really good team and I felt tonight was a really good exercise for us and you saw how accomplished they were in a lot of the game.
“We got young players getting a great experience against really good players and we will take something away from it.”
Celtic also confirmed the capture of goalkeeper Dorus de Vries from Nottingham Forest this weekend, the Dutchman signing a two-year deal.
The 35-year-old worked under Brendan Rodgers at Swansea and the Irishman was delighted to add him to the squad.
He said: “For me, for how we play, I need to have a goalkeeper that can distribute the ball and pass it and Dorus is as good as I’ve seen in that in all my travels.
“He’s a real fit guy, he’s 35, but look at guys like Van der Saar who played right through 'till 40 and has some of his best years were in that final part of their career.
“Dorus I know well enough to know he looks after his body and he will come in and get how I work. He’s been nursing a slight knock he took last week so we’re just assessing that.
"He’s with the medical team and I expect him to join the goalkeepers today or Monday and we will see his availability from then.”
Now that Celtic’s final friendly of pre-season has been completed, the manager, the backroom staff and the players will turn their full focus towards Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League play-off first-leg against Hapoel Be’er Sheva.
And the Hoops boss believes his team are improving in every match as they gear up for the crucial contest in Paradise, where a huge crowd is expected to cheer on the Bhoys.
He said: “You want to win and our home game is going to be really important for us, whether it was the first or the second leg. We area a team that wants to win and a team that plays offensively and aggressively in defence.
"Ideally, the situation would be that they take a lead and as big a lead as they possibly can to the second leg. As you can see, as each game goes by, offensively and defensively, we are getting better and better.
We will hopefully have 60,000 there creating and incredible atmosphere and we will pour everything into the game into getting a positive result to take into the following week’s game. It will be a tough game.
"I watched them a number of times now and they are very robust and hard to break down and we will need to be patient in the game. If we can get a victory to take into the second leg then of course we will be happy.
“We will be ready. This is a team we have been working on our mentality and our football is getting better every day. As much as it will be a difficult game for us, I’m sure it will be a really difficult game for them so we will look forward to it.”

 

* manager. Signs 35 year old goalies..

 

When's he going to be shifting the deadwood on

 

He's got rid of a bit to be fair.

 

Barely half if you ask me. Though clearing out the strikers was a good start.
Could lose both boyata and ambrose, though think he is holding off to see what boyata has to offer.
Two keepers can be punted as well now.
And the midfield... Johansen, armstrong, gms could all be moved on and a couple extra to make proper space for proper quality.

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Who is gonna take them? What do you want him to do with them?

 

Two keeper's punted? We only have 3 in the first team. Looks like Gordon and De Vries battling that out..

Henderson will go out on loan, as will a couple other's probably. Johansen will most likely be off, Ambrose maybe as well (if anyone'll take him) and remains to be seen what he's gonna do with Commons and Gms..

 

De vries, gordon bailly, fasan and now Doohan playing the role as next youngster. We don't need 3 keepers at 23 and over. Can see two being moved on in some form.

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I completely forgot Bailly

He'll be off. Fasan play's with the development and Doohan and Hazard are still kid's..

Can see just Bailly going. Got decent enough pedigree to get another club quite easily ad well..

Wouldn't be fussed if Fasan left either. Decent enough but not number 1 class..

 

CELTIC boss Brendan Rodgers wants to add one more player to his squad before the transfer window slams shut in two weeks. But the Northern Irishman believes his squad is in good shape to reach the Champions League whether he gets that extra body in or not.

Rodgers has so far been busy in signing Scott Sinclair, Moussa Dembele, Kolo Toure and Dorus de Vries, with Kristoffer Ajer also arriving in the summer having previously penned a pre-contract agreement when Ronny Deila was manager. Deila’s successor praised the Celtic owner and board for giving him the tools needed to tinker the squad as he saw fit and feels he could not have done any more to prepare for the crunch Champions League play-off tie against Israeli cracks Hapoel Be’er-Sheva on Wednesday.

Rodgers said: “If we could get one more player in that would be the ideal. If we do that we’d have had an incredible market in terms of what we’ve been able to bring in – the club couldn’t have done any more. They have given me great support.

“In all fairness when I took the job I said I would assess the team. The team was Scottish champions and I had to be fair to them and assess the players before I decided what I needed. You have to give huge credit to Peter Lawwell, the board and Dermot Desmond for backing me to get the players I wanted to get in. We have arrived at the point where there’s still a lot of improvement to come but we have shown good signs that the team can play at the tempo and with the technique I want.

“We get to Wednesday in a really good position. It’s the final step and it’s a big step we need to take. We arrive at it with a bit of confidence. Hopefully we can win the game and take some sort of advantage to the second leg. I’m feeling good about it. I think we’ve done everything we possibly could. I don’t think we could have done any more.”

Rodgers felt that there was an Old Firm hangover hanging over the club when he took over from Deila at the end of May, Celtic not having recovered from being beaten in the Scottish Cup semi-final by Rangers. Now he believes his players are in much better shape.

He added: “I saw the games towards the end of the season and the team was suffering after the Rangers game and whatnot. The team wasn’t in a good place. When I took the job I looked forward to see how they would develop and cope with what I wanted.

“I’ve been pleasantly surprised from a positive perspective. The players have bought into what we are doing. Now we have a mentality at the club of dominance, of wanting to be aggressive and press and we play without fear. I still felt the players needed help and needed to bring a different tempo to the game, but they have done that. Now there’s more hard work to do.”

 

Need 2 more at least for me

Ball winning midfielder
Striker
Right Back (Only if Lustig will be playing at CB)


Out
Efe
Boyata
Bailly or Fasan
Mackay Steven
Armstrong
Ciftci

 

I agree we could be doing with a DM and another striker, although maybe he believes there's something Ciftci has to offer and doesn't see it as a priority. I'm skeptical but trust Rodgers' judgement.

Don't really see the glaring need for another RB, especially with us shaping up in a 3-5-2 so far this season.

 

BR: "Going to be a tough couple of games but looking forward to home game in particular.


BR: "A special night for football and night’s like this are why our supporters have an iconic name around the world.


BR: "Really looking forward to that. Will respect the opponent but hopefully it will be tough for them as well.


BR: "We can’t wait to get out there tomorrow evening, and of course we want to win the game.


BR: "In a good moment, team performing really well and mentality very good.


BR: "The last couple of seasons have gone by and the players learn from these experiences but this is a new team with a new identity.


BR: "What we have shown in this part of the season is an ability to deal with pressure, something we have talked about it.


BR: “@eriksviat will come back into the squad, trained the last few days and looks strong and fit now.


BR: "@patrick7roberts has made an excellent recovery, not sure he will be available for tomorrow but will see for the wknd.


BR: "Nir will be fit, has trained very well. A little behind in match fitness but looked strong in training, will be part of the squad.


BR: “Boyata has trained one week, we gave him 45 mins at wknd against Inter. Still not fit to participate in a game of this magnitude.


BR on Dorus de Vries: "Won’t be available for the #UCL tie but will be available at some point.


BR: "We have been asked questions under pressure and I have been really pleased how the players have coped.


BR: "We are ready to accept that challenge and hopefully the players have positive experiences they can take into the games.


BR on how taking Celtic into #UCL would rank in his career: "I’m not sure where it would rank, would just give me extreme pleasure.


BR: "Just pulling up outside tonight you can sense the buzz. To Take the club into the UCL would be important.


BR: "Demand here is to win and qualify and that’s what we want to do.


BR: "Comfortable and satisfied with our preparations and spirit within the team.


BR: "All I ask for the supporters at this game is to continue to offer that incredible support, that passion that noise.


BR: "This is a special arena for football. Been here as a supporter & short time as manager, & support we've received been incredible.


BR: "Tomorrow night, we just ask the same. We know how much want they want to be in the UCL group stages, same as ourselves.


BR: "And when the team requires the patience in the games, we ask the supporters to be patient.


BR: "This is a club synonymous around the world with the European Cup.


BR: "A reason why every team in the land wants to play Celtic in testimonial games - because of huge draw of club, the support.


BR: "We're very honoured and privileged to work here but we want to bring the club back into the highest level, which is UCL.


BR: "Focus on ourselves, want to do best we possibly can. It will be a special atmosphere, support for our players will be fantastic.


BR: "I’m a supporter who stepped out from the stands onto the side of the field, but also a professional.


BR: "I want to get the players, the club & supporters back into an environment where it's renowned.


BR: "We respect there are people travelling from all over the world to support Celtic.


BR: "We will do everything we possibly can to make that #UCL dream come true. All I can promise is team & staff will do our very best.

 

Todays PC

https://vimeo.com/179064058

 

BRENDAN Rodgers says he and his players will do everything in their power to bring UEFA Champions League football back to Paradise for the first time in three years.
Celtic have fallen at the final hurdle in the past two seasons and the manager is determined to start his reign by restoring the club to the biggest stage in European club football.
Israeli title-winners Hapoel Be’er Sheva stand in the Hoops’ way, with the first-leg of the play-off round taking place in Celtic Park tomorrow (Wednesday) night.
And happy with his players’ preparations for the game, the Hoops boss says there is huge anticipation among the squad ahead of another big European night under the floodlights in front of 60,000 passionate fans and all the magic that brings.
He said: “It’s going to be a tough couple of games for us but we're really looking forward to the home-leg in particular. This is a special arena for football and nights like tomorrow are why supporters have that iconic name around the world.
"They are synonymous with the atmosphere and creating a real positive environment for the players to play in, so we are really looking forward to that.
“We respect the opponent and I know it will be tough but hopefully it will be tough for them as well. The ideal scenario is you don’t concede a goal and you win the game, so that will be the idea coming into it. It can’t be won tomorrow night and that was the same in the other games as well.
“We know we're playing at home and we love playing here. Even though it’s really early on, I can see the players are excited, along with myself and the staff. We can’t wait to get out there tomorrow evening. The team is performing very well and the mentality is very good and we are in a good place at the moment.
“Just pulling outside the ground today, I sensed the buzz," continued the Irishman. "I believe we will get a taste of the Champions League music tomorrow. To take the club into the Champions League would be important at this moment.
“I will have plenty of time when I retire to reflect on anything I do in the game but this is certainly very important to us as a football club, having not been in it for a few years.
“This is a club synonymous around the world with the European Cup. There is a reason why every team in the land wants to play Celtic in a testimonial game – because of the huge draw of the club and the support.
“We are very honoured and privileged to work here but we want to bring the club back into the highest level you can in European football, which is obviously the Champions League. We will be doing everything we possibly can to do what the supporters want and what we want to do as well as professionals.”
With the visitors expected to pack their defence in an attempt to frustrate Celtic, the manager knows the home crowd must also show patience along with their normal passion and noise.
He said: “When it’s the second-leg and you're playing at home you know what it is you have to do, and all l I ask of the supporters in this game is they continue to show that incredible support they show to the team, that passion and noise.
“This is a special arena for football. I have been here as a supporter and as a short time as manager now, and the support we have received has been incredible, especially in the Champions League games.
“Tomorrow night, we just ask for the same. We know how much they want to be in the group stages, it’s the same as ourselves. When the team requires patience in the game, we ask the supporters to be patient.
"When you play against a team who may have 10 or 11 players behind the ball, if you can’t disorganise and imbalance their organisation going forward, you might have to take the team out to recycle the ball and move them.
"For that, the players need to have that confidence to come out, play and move the ball from side-to-side to penetrate.
“We saw that in our last game here against Motherwell. It was a different competition, of course, but I felt that was a dangerous game for us, playing Motherwell on the back of the other results we had. Motherwell came here to defend but because of the speed of our game and our patience we were able to break them down.”
The Scottish champions could be able to call upon the services of Erik Sviatchenko and Nir Bitton after both players returned to full training. However, the game will probably come too early for Patrick Roberts and Dedryck Boyata.
The Hoops boss added: “Erik will come back into the squad. He has trained the last few days and looks strong and fit now, which is good.
"Patrick has made an excellent recovery from his injury. He has been outside on the field, but I’m not sure he will be available for tomorrow but we will see for the weekend, and hopefully he will be back training by Friday at the latest.
“Dedryck has trained one week and we gave him 45 minutes at the weekend against Inter Milan. He’s still a way off being fit enough to participate in a game of this magnitude. The important thing for him is that he’s catching up on his fitness.
“Nir Bitton will be fit. He has trained very well. He has come back into training and obviously he’s a little behind in match fitness, but he has looked strong in training and he will certainly be part of the squad.”

 

Glad to see Paddy Roberts is on the mend quicker than first thought

 

Joey Barton on talk sport this morning (taken from elsewhere):

Asked by Alan Brazil if he's bumped into Rodgers

Said he doesn't go to the same places as someone who's having a mid life crisis with the tan and the teeth.




Can't wait until someone does him on Sep 10th \o/