Brendan Fraudgers!

If there is any chance that Sinclair can get done for it, then it makes sense that Rodgers doesnt admit it was a dive.

 

No problem.

 

AS someone who was a fan of Celtic long before he became their manager, Brendan Rodgersknows all about, as the song says, the history.

So suggestions he may grow restless at Parkhead due to the lack of a credible challenge to the Parkhead club’s domestic dominance, as well as the fact there appears to be no prospect of one emerging any time in the near future, and decide to move on bemuse him.

Speculation that the Northern Irishman may seek another challenge at a club down south or in another major footballing nation further afield due to a frustration at the Scottish champions’ inability to compete with far wealthier rivals at the very top level in Europe is also without foundation.

The one-sided 2-0 triumph Celtic recorded against Motherwell in the Betfred Cup final at Hampden on Sunday underlined just how dominant a force they have become in this country since Rodgers was appointed last summer.

They played four Ladbrokes Premiership teams in the competition – they beat Kilmarnock, Dundee, Hibernian en route to the final – but scored 15 goals and conceded just two in those fixtures.

Rodgers is the first man to occupy his position to win the first four domestic tournaments which his team has entered and the first to win four in succession since the legendary Jock Stein did so back in 1969.

With Aberdeen, runners-up in the top flight in each of the last three campaigns, not having beaten them in over a season and Rangers, traditionally their greatest adversaries, in increasing disarray both on and off the park, it looks decidedly like their monopoly of Scottish silverware will continue.

However, Rodgers' appreciation of what his predecessors achieved, his desire to build on to their accomplishments and the emotional attachment he has to the Glasgow club which he grew up supporting in Carnlough, will ensure his ambition stays undiminished and his professional contentment remains high for some time to come. He is going nowhere.

“Like I have said to the players, Celtic is a really special football club and the time that we’re here is limited,” he said. “We have a responsibility to honour the great history of the club, what they’ve won before and then add to that while we’re here. I’ll always have a cause for which the players stay hungry to fight for.

“Whenever we move on and pass the ball to someone else we’ve left a legacy that will echo way beyond our time here. But to do that, the actions of today mean you have to win.

“These are the messages we give to the players to ensure that every game, every cup final, we fight for our life because, like I say, when we’re long gone it’ll be spoken about. So create it while you’re here. There’s always a challenge at Celtic and there always will be, whoever is in charge here.”

Having worked at the highest level down in England before with Swansea City and Liverpool, Rodgers has seen at close quarters how rapidly a successful manager can fall out of favour and be discarded when his side's form dips and results dries up.

He enjoys the chance to work with players - and Stuart Armstrong, James Forrest, Leigh Griffiths and Kieran Tierney, individuals who have all flourished since he took over, were all integral to the cup win at the weekend – on the training ground and is convinced further improvements can be made.

“I’m very happy in my professional life,” he said. “I’m developing players. I love that side of the game. I have a look at England now and I see how a manager can very quickly be out of his job and maybe not have the time to improve players.

“That’s my life, that’s what I’ve always done. I enjoy that side of it, but I also enjoy the pressure of managing a big club. It feels natural for me to do that and Celtic’s a huge club.

“It’s one where I’m happy, I’ve got an energy, I’m still 44 so I’ve got a long way to go, but I don’t even think of that, as long as I’m working well with the club and the club believes in me, the supporters believe in me and I’m obviously very happy to be here.”

Rodgers added: “I’ve been at Premier League level. I’m now up here and genuinely love my life. What people think it doesn’t really concern me to be honest.

“I know the demands of Celtic, I know the pressures up here and my challenge is, like I said when I met with Dermot Desmond and Peter Lawwell, to dominate domestically and qualify for the Champions League.

“Now we’re qualifying for Champions League, I think we’re expected to take on these super clubs which is so, so tough. But I’ll always put myself out there to challenge that and that’s how I’ve always been. I’ve been optimistic for the club.

He continued: “There’s a real authenticness about being in Scotland. My attitude has always been to help the mentality of the Scottish players because there can be a wee bit of a mentality that everything is a negativity - Hampden’s not very good and the players aren’t very good and everything.

“But I don’t buy into that. I arrived into my professional life being very optimistic in life, in terms of trying to help people and develop them. And, so far, in the early part of my time here, it’s working well. But I’ve got a real burning hunger to keep pushing on and developing and not standing still.”

 

Brendan stay as long as you like, another twenty years would be nice.....just thinking about the amount of trophies accrued by then

 

Brendan is very much happy here you can tell from his interviews.

 

The man just oozes quality, we supporters and the club are reaping the benefits.....he is creating history.....loving every euphoric minute .....HH

 

Very true enjoy the good times.

 

Brendan is doing what Ronnie should have by winning every trophy domestically. The unbeaten run is what makes it special however. We're approaching 70 matches now which is an unbelievable achievement and will never be done again. The current standard in Scotland is at an all time low but even at that, you would expect one or two matches where freak defeats occur in the duration of a season.

Next test is the Europa League. The Euro tactics need improving big time!

 

Yeah, looking forward to see how we fare at the Europa level.....mon the hoops

 

‘An Evening with Brendan Rodgers’ event raised £217,000 for the Kilbryde Hospice

 

the scottish premiership is improving not getting worse

 

Absolute quality fae the manager and players tae take the time oot to go right along the full line of fans for comments, handshakes, selfies and the lot. Great time tae be a tim.

 

Canny beat it just now.

 

West Ham fans actually thought they would get Rodgers lol, only football club I know to complain that the stadium is too big to make a good atmosphere.

 

BR: “If there’s a penalty to be taken in that situation, then it’s him. I’ve watched him in front of 90,000 at Wembley and he scored two penalties for me in a play-off final which is a £100m game. He never budged, he was calm and composed."

BR: “Whether it’s in front of nine, 60 or 90 thousand, I’d always back Sinclair to score. You could see he was straight on to it tonight and he finished it really well.”

BR: “We should have been a couple of goals to the good. We didn’t take our chances and then all of a sudden we were behind."

BR: “The response from the team after that was absolutely brilliant. They stayed calm, we made some changes and took a defender off for a striker. We kept our control and calmness and got ourselves back into it again."

BR: “The team really showed their spirit. We know we can score. In this run we’ve had, we’ve scored in every game so we know we have goals in the team."

BR: “We should have been more clinical in the game but in saying that when you go behind away from home against a team that are tough and keep working then it’s really difficult.”

BR: “I couldn’t be more proud of the players than I am at this moment in time because they continue to answer the questions that are put before them. Tonight was another chance for them to show that spirit, quality and mentality."

 

Once again I've just popped into this thread to say that I love you Brendan Rodgers

 

Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers insists he wasn't surprised at the angry reaction shown by Motherwell players after his side were awarded a last-gasp penalty to extend their unbeaten record.

The Hoops fought back from going a goal behind to their Lanarkshire rivals to grab a late 1-1 draw at Fir Park after referee Willie Collum pointed to the spot with only two minutes remaining to cause fury among the Fir Parks ranks.

Rodgers men had gone behind with only 12 minutes remaining after Hoops right-back Mikael Lustig knocked the ball into his own net as he tried to clear a Craig Tanner free-kick.

With their unbeaten run looking set to end on 65 games, Collum pointed to the spot after Callum McGregor went down in the penalty area under a challenge from Andy Rose.

Scott Sinclair - who earned a contentious spot kick in Sunday's 2-0 Betfred Cup victory that also saw Well's Cedric Kipre red carded - stepped up to blast the ball home to extend the domestic run to 66 games and leave the home supporters fuming.

Hoops boss Rodgers , who fiercely defended Sinclair following Sunday's controversy maintained that the referee had again got the decision correct and insisted the Well players complaints were no surprise.

He said: "They have been angry with a lot since Sunday, they seem to be angry with everything.

"In this run that we've been on since I came in we've scored in every single domestic game so we always believe that we can score.

"I think that their keeper was brilliant and I thought he made a number of outstanding saves mixed in with us not being clinical enough.

"I didn't think it was a foul and thought Scott Brown won the ball well using his strength and I didn't think it was a free kick but it comes in and we're unfortunate enough to score an own goal.

"And then yet again the question is asked of the players and you can see from the game tonight why the run that they're on is such a special achievement because you can lose any game of football in many different ways.

"Again, their keeper made a great save, we should have finished it, the ball rebounds out, the player makes an attempt to get the ball, Callum steps in front, gets his body there and he knocks him over.

"And of you look at the referees decision, he is in the perfect position to give it so yes, I thought it was a penalty.

"Of course when you are the opposition, you probably think it's not.

Rodgers was delighted with the efforts of his side in such a high pressure situation and praised well keeper Trevor Carson for keeping his side at bay, adding: "The team showed their spirit, we know we can score and we should have been more clinical.

"I am really proud of the team tonight."

"This is a team that never leaves the game early.