Brendan Fraudgers!

Brendan Rodgers speaking ahead of #CELRBK: "They’re a talented team. Over the two games it’s always going to be a test for us, but we are a good team as well and we’ll look forward to whatever challenge we have in this phase of the

BR on @MDembele_10: "Its unfortunate because he’s looked very good over pre-season but he’ll be back fit and strong in the next few weeks. He’s with the medical team now and hopefully over the next couple of weeks he’ll be back and ready to work.

BR on @Leighgriff09: "He’ll return to the squad to train on Thursday. Him and @jonnyhayes15 have been out for a while now so will be good to have them back on Thursday."


BR: "This period of the season is always tough. Managers and players expected to be in full flow in one to two weeks up here. We have to do our best to get as many of the players through this phase of the season fit and strong whilst also trying to qualify."

BR on Rosenborg managerial change: "It can either work in one or two ways. Galvanise the team or have a negative effect but we’ll see. Our concentration is very much on ourselves to do our own job and we’ll look to do that over the two legs.

BR on Mikael Lustig: "He only joined on Monday so he can’t play the game on Wednesday. We have to build him, reintroduce him back into his fitness work and we’ll see his availability over the next couple of weeks.

BR: "The players have been brilliant in my time here. They’re very adaptable. We can play out of different shapes. We have a good squad of players here that will be ready no matter what system we decide to play."

 

BRENDAN Rodgers last night stressed it will require “big money” to strengthen his Celtic squad - and admitted he is unsure if he will be able to improve the double treble winners before the transfer window closes.

The Glasgow club, who take on Rosenborg in the first leg of the Champions League third qualifying round at Parkhead tonight, spent a club record £9 million on Odsonne Edouard last month.

But their attempts to sign John McGinn from Hibernian have proved in vain and they had a £2 million offer knocked back earlier this week.

And they will field an inexperienced defence against their Norwegian opponents due to the absence of key players Dedryck Boyata, Mikael Lustig and Jozo Simunovic.

Rodgers is keen to qualify for Europe’s premier club competition for the third season running and make a major impression in it.

But asked if he thought his Celtic squad would be better when the transfer window closes next month, he said: “I’m not sure. The problem is that if you are going to bring in a top, top centre-half then that is going to cost you money. It is as simple as that. And big money. That is out of my control.

“We can’t do it. The club works in a specific way. You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to know that if you are going to improve drastically from where this group is at and where it has got to over the last couple of years and make the improvements that people want to make, it costs money. But that is out of my control.

“You have to do what the club has always done. You bring in players who fit the model of the club and you develop them and improve them and then probably eventually they move on. Somewhere along the line you’ll need that level of experience to come in and try and support and then you hope that can work out for you.”


Meanwhile, Rodgers has stressed he is keen to hold onto Boyata, who impressed for Belgium at the World Cup, and emphasised there was no prospect of the defender moving on while Celtic can still qualify for the Champions League.



He’s got a year left on his contract,” he said. “He’s done well in the last 18 months for us and did well at the World Cup, so naturally there’s going to be interest in him.

“We don’t want to lose him, he’s a very valuable player for us, but if he doesn’t sign his contract then he goes on to another club. That’ll be up to him in the end.

“But at this point in time he’s very important for us to help us achieve our goals early on in the season.”

Rodgers added: “I’m not sure there’s an offer that would make us even think about it because of the stage of the season we’re at. We’re playing very important games that can set us up for the season. We need our best players available for that and he is clearly one of them."

Meanwhile, Rodgers, who will be missing Moussa Dembele and Leigh Griffiths for the Rosenborg game tonight, revealed that he had feared Edouard would miss out as well.

"Edouard had a swollen knee after the Alashkert game and didn’t train until yesterday," he said. "Moussa is probably a good couple of weeks away. He’s come back so fit and strong."

Rodgers won't rush Lustig, who returned to training Monday, back for this game, but confirmed that Tom Rogic was available for selection. He also revealed that Jonny Hayes and Leigh Griffiths will return to training after lay-offs on Thursday.

 

Well and truly shat on my cornflakes

 

so this is the start of "we tried but there wanst any suitable players to sign" pish.

 

It certainly doesn’t take “big money” to bring in top defenders, correct me if I’m wrong but our fee for Van Dijk wasn’t massive. I’m really starting to get a bit * off with our lack of transfer activity.

 

Yup, starting to get really * off with them treating us like mugs. And the sad thing is Brendan seems to be settling for the narrative he is either being fed or has bought into. Well that defence is a shambles and no ‘quotes’ about big money and out of his control will change that.

 

That is utter nonsense. Maybe if he looked beyond the land of milk and honey, he would find an affordable centre-half who would improve us.

 

Sack the board…

Poor excuses again. If we can’t find improvements to the defence then sack Congerton and the rest of scouts because that is just bullshit.

Annoying as * when there is clearly money there to be spent but everyone at the club seems to think we have to spend over £10 million to improve.

Think I will start a GoFund me page for a centre half and a full back :brendy:

 

Exactly mate, and given Brendan’s past record on defenders I’m not holding out much hope. We were linked loosely with Schar who’s buy out clause isn’t exactly big money, now apart from ITK * on twitter and what not no other defensive players linked at all. It is getting a bit concerning especially after that interview just given, I hope to * he hasn’t blown our full budget on Edouard tbh.

 

Unless of course those in charge are gambling on the group stages. Again!

 

It is an Anglocentric mindset. Celtic cannot compete in Europe; Celtic cannot compete in the transfer market. I am fed up hearing it.

We signed a centre-half who would go on to be the most expensive defender in history and took 10 points from a difficult Champions League group under Lennon. Our success in Europe and in the transfer market always comes against the odds.

His lack of belief is frustrating.

 

Surely to * they must know how much we have to spend and how much a decent centre half costs.
To simply say it costs too much, sorry, don’t mention it again won’t do. This defence will get pumped in Europe again, losing 3 or 4 every game fs.

 

I really like Brendan like most of us all do what he has done for the club as a whole is nothing short of wonderful but some of his interviews since January have * me right off when it comes to players coming and going;

Giving it tight to Moussa in January
The KT interview was a disgrace
His interview today contradicts everything he said a few weeks back.

If he is happy with the squad as it is going forward I have no issues at the back its weak.

 

Does that mean Brendan thinks jack Hendry was the best centre back in the world that was realistic for Celtic to sign?

Strange words there.

 

That last bit really annoys me about him..

Ok he might say different behind closed door's but repeatedly he publicly says the same downbeat pish in Europe and during transfer window's..

Stop waffling pish man and make sure we're stronger at the back. The whole world knows where we're weak. Right back and centre half. It's been the case for numerous window's..

Loan's, frees, 500 grands. I couldn't give a * what they were if we brought upgrades in..

Big money. Can't do it. Out of my control. Bollocks..

 

I think Brendan just doesn't care about the defense. To him, it is an unimportant area of the team. I genuinely fear we have money, but he is not interested in spending the majority of it to improve our defense.