Brendan Fraudgers!

Klopp had a worse point per game ratio when he took over than Rodgers. Give him that continued investment and he would be competing just like klopp now. We have a quality manager. Oneil though will live in my memory as one of the greatest iv seen. Seville, Larson, a great treble, plus I was a young kid and everything's more magical and brilliant as a child. Love that man.

 

Again - proving my point for me

 

Not really seeing as he wasn’t in a job.

 

Will probably send Kennedy or Davies!

 

So nothing about players coming in then no?

Didn't think their would be!

 

When Brendon Rodgers arrived at our beloved Club i really thought a new level of ambition was about to happen,i was so happy and could see such a bright future.I really thought this must be the case,Brendon Rodgers must have made his total ambition clear to the Board who surely were up for the task.
Instead it is a bad case of

 

Brendan Rodgers ahead of
#CELSUD
: "The
@EuropaLeague
provides us with an opportunity to play against really good teams and to develop. We have a great opportunity to finish the job at home and go into a prestigious tournament for us which is important

BR: "It’s important for us to have European football at least through to Christmas and that’s something we want to do. It’s an opportunity for all of us to play against really good teams and work against very good managers."


BR: "It’s a competition we can use our experience and do well in. We were disappointed going out last season especially after playing well at home. We need the support behind us and get into what is a very good European competition

BR on
@MDembele_10
: "Moussa & his representatives were speaking to the club today. He’s not a player we want to lose. He’s a phenomenal talent. He’s not going to be here forever. Like a lot of the European boys, they develop at a great club and look to move on."


BR: "We don’t want to lose a top class player without having a replacement. Not been an official bid but interest. It’s the ‘what-if’ scenario. You always have to be prepared for that. That’s natural. It’s not an ideal situation, with a few days to go."

BR: "It’s one where we hope to ensure by the end of the window we are strong. We are looking for players to come in and freshen up the squad and also fit in to what we are doing. A lot of work going on behind the scenes to try and improve the squad."


BR on
@Oedouard22
: "Back training and looking very good. He’s been a miss for us. Big talent but it’s great to have him back."


BR on Craig Levein: "I was shocked when I saw that, I sent Craig a message and thankfully he came back. All is good. Its a treacherous job at times. Most importantly is someone’s health and we all hope he can recover well over the next few months."

 

Gerry talks *.

 

* should call himself Gerry and the pacemakers cause he's just after giving me a heart attack.

 

We won't need Gerry to tell us Brendan is offski we know they already!!!

 

Thought the invincible season was going to be the start of us pushing forward and being competitive in Europe and now it looks like Rodgers will be off at the end of the season, * the board

 

Gerry Rafferty

"This is my way of telling you"...a loada *..

 

Rumbling transfer tension, the Dedryck Boyata affair and now the possibility of losing prized striker Moussa Dembele.

But asked by SunSport if it was his toughest period over two years at the helm, the double Treble winner insisted a midweek visit to a children’s hospice in Balloch provided real perspective.

Rodgers said: “It’s just different things to deal with. There’s always something.

“They say about football management that you’re always in it, it depends how deep — ankle deep, knee deep or neck deep. You’ve just got to keep it as low as you can.

“We got from back from Lithuania and I popped up to the hospice on the Friday afternoon. Robin House is a special place because of the care they give the kids there.

“You must NEVER lose touch with the real world amid the madness that goes on. The people there are very inspiring. I try to get there as often as I can.”

However, Rodgers, naturally still accepts the intense interest and scrutiny over Celtic right now. And it’s hard not to view the Hoops as being in turmoil.

By the closure of the transfer window on Friday evening, the champions could be left looking like they have strengthened, stood still or gone backwards.

Rodgers said: “There’s a lot to take in but you certainly can’t let your top striker move on without even having anyone to come in and replace him.

“I thought I could work with two strikers in my first season here. With the number of games and competitions we wanted to be in, that proved to be very difficult so we NEED three strikers.

“There are areas of the pitch where we’re strong and that’s an area we’re very strong in, especially with Odsonne Edouard coming back. It wasn’t one we were looking at.

“There are going to be players going out on loan — young players who will go and get experience.

“When I came in here, I felt before I touched a ball, that the squad was too big. One, in order for competition, and then two, for spirit.

“It’s very difficult when you’ve got 29 players plus keepers. And the squad is round about that just now.

“Naturally, a few years on it’s the same idea. It’s too big. And it’s something that I’m sure will change over the next few days.

“It’s not all going to be plain sailing and smooth. If the window shuts and the players are here, it’s a lot easier for players as they know there is no movement until January and it allows them to focus.

“If an opportunity comes up they want to look at and do then the player concerned is not worried about who is going to come in and replace them — it’s just about them and their position.

“We have to deal with that — that is about the individual player.

“We have big games and that’s my focus — preparing the team, to get a result and have European football through until Christmas.

“Then come in and prepare for the Rangers game.”

Porto tried to buy midfielder Olivier Ntcham, with reports in Portugal last night claiming they’ll lodge a £14million bid before the window closes.

Rodgers, whose side hosts Suduva with a place in the Europa League group stages on the line and the tie balanced at 1-1, is hoping he’s managed to appease the playmaker.

The Celts boss confirmed talks over an improved deal for the Frenchman.

He said: “There was interest in Olivier but we sat down with him and his representatives and talked through the plan.

“He’s been here one year and it shows the development he’s had with the interest shown in him.

“We’re not ready to sell. When we took Olivier here, there was a plan for him and his situation has come up earlier than we’d have thought.

“He and his representatives are in discussions about a new deal so hopefully it could be finalised soon.”

Rodgers — who confirmed that unsettled stopper Boyata is fit and available to play again against Suduva— spoke last weekend about a desire for “three or four” new signings.

But yesterday his tone changed as he said: “I don’t want to put numbers on it. There’s no change to that and we’ll see where we are come Friday.”

Amid the transfer turmoil, Rodgers will demand his players deliver a far better display than they managed in last week’s draw in Lithuania.

He added: “I wasn’t overly pleased with the performance but we came together as a squad and spoke about our direction going forward and it’s a time that can be very unstable for players.

“My job is to stabilise the emotions of the team and make sure we are focused on the football.”

Meanwhile, Rodgers has a decision to make on comeback £10m striker Edouard who returned to training on Tuesday.

He said: “We’ll see how he finishes up. He’s looking good and if he isn’t involved this time, he’ll definitely be involved at the weekend.

Flop German defender Marvin Compper has been training but could exit before the deadline.

 

BRENDAN Rodgers may be confident the potential departure of Moussa Dembele from Celtic before the transfer window closes tomorrow night will not have an adverse impact on their immediate objectives – beating FK Suduva in the Europa League play-off this evening and then winning the Ladbrokes Premiership game against Rangers on Sunday.

Yet, Rodgers accepts the long-term implications of Dembele, as well as other overseas players who have spent two seasons in this country, leaving the Parkhead club may be more difficult for him to deal with.

The Northern Irishman has been well aware of the Scottish champions’ hugely-successful and long-standing business plan – buying promising foreign players for affordable fees, developing them by giving them game time domestically and in Europe and then selling them on for multi-million pound profits – since he was appointed over two years ago.

But if Dembele moves on - and it is, despite concrete interest from French club Lyon and talk of a £15 million bid that would be too rich to turn down, by no means a certainty the French striker will be sold - it will be the first time he has lost one of his key men.

The former Swansea City and Liverpool manager, whose team has won all six of the competitions they have entered in this country, appreciates that Celtic need to cash in on their leading players in order to remain financially robust.

Nevertheless, he feels it will be hard to improve upon his achievements to date as a result.

“It’s very difficult to build something here because every two years there is going to be recycle,” he said. “That’s the way it is. There’s no secret.

“Of course, you’d love to be able to say we want to keep some of these players for five, six, seven years, but it’s not the reality, especially now when players can get offered three or four times the money they are on here. It’s a really short career.

“It’s football. It happens. You just have to deal with it best you can whether Moussa stays or goes. It’s not all going to be plain sailing and smooth.”

Rodgers continued: “It’s worth mentioning that Moussa has been brilliant in my time here. It’s been perfect. When I met with him a few years ago I explained how it could go in terms of him improving and becoming a winner and showing that he can play at the highest level.

“All these steps have been taken. It’s something you have to deal with. It’s great that you have players with lots of value that can move on, but I think that Celtic is a club with cycles and this is the first of them in my time.”

The interest in and uncertainty over the future of Dembele has hardly come at an ideal moment for Rodgers and Celtic.

The outcome of their double header with Suduva is by no means a certainty following an underwhelming performance and 1-1 draw in the first leg over in Lithuania last week.

The first Glasgow derby of the 2018/19 campaign this weekend also promises to be far closer than their meetings with Rangers last term due to the arrival of Steven Gerrard as manager and the extensive strengthening work his former Liverpool captain has carried out since.

If Dembele, who has scored three goals in six appearances this season, does join Lyon or another interested club then Rodgers will have to bring in a replacement at short notice in an area he had thought he was well covered in.

So is there a danger his attention will be diverted from the forthcoming fixtures as he scours the transfer market? He has no fears that will happen.

“It’s straightforward,” he said. “Last week in the game I wasn’t overly pleased with the performance, but we came together as a squad and spoke about our direction going forward and it’s a time that can be unstable for players. My job is to stabilise the emotions of the team and make sure we are focused on the football.

“There are young players with talents who show that every time we play, so we’ve dealt with other issues, but this adds a little bit more because it’s that time of year. But you learn to deal with it.

“It’s just different things to deal with. There’s always something. They say about football management that you’re always in it, it just depends how deep – ankle deep, knee deep or neck deep. You’ve just got to keep it as low as you can.

“I think it’s difficult for players. But if the window shuts and the players are here, it’s a lot easier because they know then there is no movement until January. It allows them to focus, but I can’t say it’s easy.”

Dembele is highly unlikely to be involved against Suduva tonight and if no deal is agreed before the transfer window closes then Rodgers will assess if he is in the right mental and physical condition to face Rangers.

But with Odsonne Edouard set to return after a fortnight out with a hamstring injury he is optimistic they will be well covered.

“I have empathy for all the players who are in this situation,” he said. “But what I have to ensure is that when the player pulls on the shirt there’s a total commitment to performing. If there’s not then it’s understandable, especially if there’s speculation around it. But, we can’t afford to not have that commitment.

“But Odsonne is looking good. If he isn’t ready, then he’ll definitely be involved at the weekend. He’s worked very hard, but we’ll wait to see what’s the best game for him to come back in – tomorrow or Sunday. He’s fantastic player and a big miss for us, to go back to what we were working on pre-season and to lose him was a blow.”

 

He isnt blameless indeed, but he is our only hope. His mistakes, such as trusting Boyata, being bad at setting up a defence, ridiculous signings, etc, are things he can improve at or compensate in some other ways.

The board isnt, these guys will never change and will only leave us in peace if they are forced out.

Without Rodgers we will get an even worse team with some sub par manager that will make us miss Deila badly