Brendan Rodgers Discussion Thread

Brendan, you're heading to Kazakhstan on Champions League qualification duty. How do you feel about that?

Great! Probably like everyone else, but listen, if we're honest, I think everyone would have preferred the closer team and not so much of a journey. Listen, it is what it is. We've been there before, and the first leg we want to make a real push to set a standard in that game on Wednesday, and then we go there the following week and look to qualify. Such a huge game, big game and when it comes, we'll be ready for it.

What did you learn from your previous experience in terms of making sure the logistics don't make the football match any harder?

Well, I think that operationally we were very, very good. I think there's no stone unturned to make sure the preparation's right. We've got a brilliant operations team here, with Brendan O'Neill, who leads that. Wherever we go, the pre-season, everything, he and his staff, they do a brilliant job along with the club in organising and making sure flights and hotels and everything.

So logistically, we'll do everything we possibly can to make the journey and the preparation, because that's what it's all about. You've got to try and prepare for such a mammoth journey, so the preparation is key for that. After this actual press conference, we'll have another sort of meeting on that. But the club will do everything they can, I'm sure, to ensure the preparation is what we would want.




You mentioned before your previous experience as well, really making the home tie count as well. Does that change the dynamics slightly, putting that extra emphasis on that, or is that the same as you would be doing anyway?

I think you would do that in any case. I think you have your home leg first, and you want to play well. And I think over the two legs, I think we had, we had the game against Astana, we had a really good result, 5-0 in that one. And I remember the Be’er Sheva game, we were 5-0 up at a point in that, and I think it ended up 5-2. Our job in the first leg won us the second leg.

So yeah, there was a wee bit of a fret in that game which shouldn't have been. You know, we were 6-1 up at halftime in aggregate, and all of a sudden, they get three goals from nowhere, and then it ends up what, 8-4, I think the aggregate, which makes it look really, really comfortable. But there was a period in that second game, in the second half, that it wasn't great. We'll get there prepared and ready, and as I said, it's such a huge game, so we'll be really focused on that.




There's been so much emphasis on what the squad will look like at the end of the window. What about the date of these games, obviously, come slightly before that. Do you have that date in mind to try and change the squad before then? Would you be confident that you would have any incomings before then?

Hopefully would be the answer to that. We have right up until I believe it's the day before the game to change your squad, so hopefully that can be the case.

I think we've said it all along, and I don't want to dwell too much on it. It's been constant and I'm not clever enough for you guys to say the same thing 20 times differently. So we hope that we can improve it, and hopefully by then we will do.





I spoke to you, Brendan, about the Livingston game before; you chose not to postpone it. Is that still the case, even though you're due to face that mammoth journey afterwards, you're still going to play that match?

Yeah, we’ll play the game. We looked at that and decided that we wanted to play that for a numbers of reasons. Obviously getting players up to speed and fitness and yeah, we'll have a good squad of players here and if I need to rotate it and change it, I can do.




Just in terms of the transfers. Is it a frustration on your part that there are not the movements in the window that you would like in terms of that forward area? Are you becoming frustrated by this?

No, I'm philosophical about it. I think that the club has always notoriously done business towards the end of the window. And I've said it before, I think that all managers and coaches want the players in as soon as we can because preseason is for preparation and you want to be as prepared as you possibly can be.

With the players we get in or not, what I know is that the players that are here have, you know, what has gone unnoticed a little bit is that we've made a really good start. You know, we've had two really good wins, played well. I know we'll get better.

But I can't knock the the performance over the two games to get the results. And sometimes that has been clouded a wee bit in all this sort of negativity around the transfers. So I'm really just trying to focus on the guys that are here. There’s lots of stuff going on in the background and then hopefully we can come out of the the end of the market in a in a good place.




Should we expect a strong team tomorrow night then, just to get the boys up to speed for the European tie?

It will be a strong team, whatever. You know, if I do make changes, I think that we've had players that have come back a little bit later, so they need to get up to speed. There are others that won't play. I also have to maybe think Livingston, you know, rather than throwing players in for maybe a first game there. So the team will be strong and I'll have a good bench if I need to affect it.






Is Kieran getting up to pace?

Yeah, I just think that's going to be time and I just want to take it steady with him because he's full on in training, his mentality's unbelievable. It's also considering that he hasn't played a lot over the last couple of years. So then just throwing him into every single game for 90 minutes, that's not really going to work for us. But I've been so pleased with how he has come in, how he's settled and he's getting between 60 and 70 minutes and just working his fitness level.

Do you have to hold him back and just ease him in, does he sit some things out in training or how do you handle it?

He understands it now. He's obviously got a great maturity to him now and has probably sensed maybe he's been his own worst enemy as it were, because he is so committed and he is so full on.

But you can see his maturity as an experienced player now, that in those moments where you do maybe, you know, if you're doing six exercises and you're taking him out of the last one, then he understands it much better now. Even though he's inherently a guy that gives everything and it's never 80% or 70%, it's 100% always. But I've been so pleased to have him back and he's showed up really well.

Is the long-term benefit that you hope you'll get him to the the point where he's maybe as fit as he's ever been in his career, long-term?

Yeah, I think what we want to try and increase is his level of strength as well. There's parts of that that we feel that we can help him and improve and help in that robustness. Sometimes it's just collagen as well. It's just how you're made up.

Like Kieran, you know, he's not breaking down because he's not doing his work, he's an unbelievable young professional, who in spells has had really, really some bad luck. And in others then you just pick up natural injuries.

Then there are certain players in their career that's just so unfortunate, just their body makeup, their collagen means that they are injured quite a bit. But we're very confident and him coming back, not even at his prime absolutely yet, but we want to help him and manage the process through for him, and that's our duty here.






And for tomorrow night's opponents, how pleased are you to see the progress that John McGlynn has made with his team over the past couple of years?

Yeah, I'm so happy for him as a guy and his footballing. I think what John has demonstrated in his time since he's gone back into management that talent and technique will always override power.

Unless you have the resources and the money to get power and technique and talent, then it's sometimes a difficult ask and especially when you're trying to play football. And I look at his teams at Raith and I look at what he's done here now at Falkirk and bringing them up, and you see how they play and you see the attitude and energy they have in the game and the technical qualities that they have in the game.

Him and Paul, his assistant, they've done a brilliant job and I am just so pleased for them because at the end there was a wee bit of a nervousness last year at the end, but they got the job done and I watched the game and it was a great night for them.

He deserves all the accolades he gets. He's been absolutely fantastic and like I said, they've demonstrated their game idea and how they want to play and they have an inherent belief in that. And that football philosophy has led Falkirk to get promoted for the first time in years.

So well done to him, his staff and his players and for us, we don't underestimate them tomorrow night. We'll be ready from the first whistle to be really aggressive in the game.





There’s been a bit of talk about Daizen Maeda this week. Is there any update on his contract talks, there’s been some suggestion he might be looking for a move in this window. Is there anything on him?

He’s obviously got a couple of years. There have been discussions and that going on in the background, but I don't have any sort of updates on it. You know, he's been here four years, he's progressed every year he's been here and finished off a brilliant season for him.

I think what you always get with Daizen is 100%. He's not quite up to full speed yet, but no, I don't know of any developments on there.

Are you quite confident he’ll be here at the end of the window?

Yeah, yeah. I'm fairly confident of that, yeah. As could be.

You played Daizen through the middle last season, is that something you could revisit?

Yeah. I've always said that he's a player that can play in there. We've had other options before in the past. And yeah, he's always shown when he's gone in there that he can play the role really well. So, it's always an option for me."






Brendan, this is today's silly question. There was a bit of furore on Gordon’s show, a number of people had phoned in anxious that you didn't wear a tie at Pittodrie on Sunday. Was there any reason other than you chose not to wear a tie?

I know. It's unbelievable. Someone has told me this here. I'm supposedly sending a message. It’s unbelievable. I'm basically like everyone else. See when it's really hot, you either have to take off your jacket or your tie. And see when it's really cold, you wear a jumper.

So I remember last year I wore a jumper. People says, he's sending a message. What message? It was * freezing. I was standing with a jumper on and a big coat and it was up to there and I'm fine.

And last week, there were two grounds that I've realised in my career that are absolutely boiling, right? If you get it at the at the time and the sun's hitting your dugout. Pittodrie and Preston.

I went there once before and I got absolutely roasted on the on the day and Pittodrie's the same because the sun comes and it hits you. So I thought, well, I've either got to take off my jacket or take off my tie. So I took my tie off. I don't know what message that is. I'm just warm.

This is modern football, hey? So, I'm sorry if I've wasted people's energy and time on being wrong, but I was just a wee bit hot and that's why I was no tie.

Tie be back on tomorrow night then?

I'll look at the temperature! It should be back on tomorrow. Yes, listen, I've always been the shirt and tie man. My father always brought me up, be respectful. When he sent me on trial to clubs when I was younger, 13, 14, he would send me away in a shirt and tie. From that, I've always represented him and respect level. So, it's always shirt and tie where it can be.






Just going back to the logistics for Almaty. Last time, was it the Rolling Stones' plane you got last time? Is it Madonna's plane you got the last time? What's the plan for this, this one?

Hopefully a plane that gives you the chance to relax and get rest and recovery. When you travel that far, you know, then again, there is a serious side to it. There's preparation and not just for the game that you're going to, but the game you're coming back for.

So you always want to ensure that you get the best possible plane that allows you to relax and recover and recover the best you possibly can. Whoever's plane it is, I don't really know, but as I said, the club will make the best efforts to get the best one.

Any injuries or knocks?

No, we’re in a good place. Players have been working well and yeah, looking forward to the game. So nothing injury-wise.

 

He's heard that we went for Grealish so he knows that we're only going for top quality signings now and they take time

 

Someone willing to work for 200 grand a year and accept that Lawwell alone calls the shots

 

THE sight of Brendan Rodgers not wearing a tie in the dugout at Pittodrie was enough to send some Celtic fans into a frenzy.

A frenzy, that is, leading to the conclusion that the lack of tie was Rodgers sending some kind of coded MESSAGE to club chiefs.


The Celtic boss is known for being particularly well turned out in the dugout.

He's rarely seen without a full suit, shirt, club tie and smart shoes.

While he was still well-dressed as the Hoops faced Aberdeen last Sunday, the lack of tie was a glaring omission for many Celts supporters


And several fans feared Rodgers was sending a message to the board, sharing their thoughts on social media.



As the game against Aberdeen took place, one fan said: "Perhaps it's me looking too much into it but Rodgers not wearing the club tie might be saying something."

Another worried supporter added: "I think the Rodgers tie-less look today was a message. Didn't want to be in the board uniform."

A third said: "Brendan Rodgers isn't wearing a tie with his suit and I feel like it's a sign of something."


Then on the Monday night following the 2-0 win over the Dons, a fan dialled-in to Clyde Superscoreboard with the same sentiment.



The caller described Rodgers' lack of tie as "alarming for every Celtic fan" and that it said to him that the manager wouldn't be there next season.



Rodgers' contract at Celtic Park is up at the end of this season and he revealed earlier this month that no new deal is currently on the table.



The Hoops boss has also voiced his frustrations at this summer's transfer activity, repeating calls for his squad to be strengthened further.

A couple of weeks ago, Rodgers said: "It’s my responsibility to convince the club that we really need them and clearly I’m not doing that job as well as maybe what I can."



So COULD the lack of tie be a message to the Celtic hierarchy after all?

Well, to put it simply, no.

Rodgers himself was quizzed on the conspiracy talk as he addressed the media ahead of Friday night's Premier Sports Cupclash with Falkirk.

And putting any suggestion of coded messages to bed, he insisted the only message he was sending was that he was too WARM!

Acknowledging he was aware of the furore, Rodgers replied: "It's unbelievable. Someone has told me this here.


I'm supposedly sending messages - it's unbelievable!

"I'm basically like everyone else. See when it's really hot, you either take off your jacket or your tie.

"See when it's really cold, you wear a jumper.

"I remember last year I wore a jumper and people said 'he's sending a message.'

"What message? It's * freezing




I had a jumper on and my big coat and it was up to there and I'm fine.

"There's two grounds I've realised in my career that are absolutely boiling.


If you get it at the time and the sun's hitting your dugout - Pittodrie and Preston, Deepdale.

"I went there once before and I got absolutely roasted on the day and Pittodrie is the same, the sun hits you.



So I thought 'I better take off my jacket or take off my tie.'

"So I took my tie off, I don't know what message that is, I'm just warm!"

Rodgers then apologised - but only for people wasting their time on being WRONG.

He then revealed it's ALWAYS his intention to wear a suit and tie - a tradition that goes all the way back to his younger days.

Rodgers continued: "I'm sorry if I've wasted people's energy and time on being wrong but I was just a wee bit hot and that's why I was no tie?"


Asked if the tie would be back tomorrow night, he continued: "I'll look at the temperature and it should be back on tomorrow.

"I've always been the shirt and tie man, my father always brought me up to be respectful.

"When he sent me on trial to clubs when I was younger, at 13 or 14, he'd send me away with a shirt and tie.


From that, I've always represented him in respect level.

"So it's always shirt and tie where it can be."

 

For context here’s George on SSB with his theory about Brendan’s tie

 

That’s right out the @Blochairnbhoy Conspiracy theory playbook

 

He's the manager, if he's doing what makes him more popular but not what's best in the circumstances he's not doing his job. Didn't blame him last time, but reserve the right to this time.

 

Tie back on tonight

 

Really doesn't help himself at times.

Aye the board are a shower of * but doesn't mean he isn't one aswell.

The constant bizarre team selections and poor treatment of certain players alongside the utterly bizarre favouritism for others just to send a message to the board is a * joke because at the end of the day the ones suffering are the supporters.

* paying 25 quid to watch Jonny Kenny run about like a headless chicken. No doubt Scales will get half an hour "playing" left back too

 

Brendan Rodgers ran out of patience as he was once again quizzed on Celtic transfers after the win over Falkirk.

The Premier Sports Cup holders eased into the quarter-finals of this year's competition with goals from Daizen Maeda, Alistair Johnston, Dane Murray and a Liam Henderson own goal.


Rodgers has repeatedly been asked about the prospect of signing players in time for the Champions League play-off against Kairat Almaty and it was the case again last night.

His initial response in a BBC Scotland interview was: "I've just come out of the game here, so we'll wait and see. We've named the squad and then we'll wait and see what happens before the game. If not, that's the squad we'll go with.



When the interviewer tried to press for more, he bit back: "Okay, so let me repeat what I said. Right? I've just finished the game. I haven't spoken to anybody for the game and during the 90 odd minutes of the game, I don't know anything. I don't know anything. So, there might be, or there might not be. So, but we have the team that we have."





Murray, 22, had signed a new deal with Celtic earlier in the day and capped a brilliant day for himself by scoring his first goal for the club.

Rodgers was delighted for him and said: "He's a big talent. Fair play to Gavin (Strachan), he was working on that yesterday and getting the ball wide into that area to then go on the attack, you know, and he's he's very good in there.

"So I think it all comes from the delivery. The delivery onto his head was sensational, his speed, precision, and he got the rewards for that. But like you say, Ali's (Johnston) goal comes from the aggression, good numbers around the ball and then we can break away and and affect the goal."

Winger Yang was another who drew praise from the manager after having a strong impact off the bench.

But he wasn't the only one, with a number of fringe men seizing the opportunity to impress.

Rodgers added: "He (yang) did and he was very good. Came in and played with freedom, was excellent and that's what we want from movement was clever. Rolled inside when he had to and worked very hard. So, so yeah, overall really, really pleased.

"Again a lot of players who haven't played come in, they were there, giving great value to the team and like I say we had a really good variety in our attack tonight I thought. We crossed it, we made good runs, and yeah we were precise around the box when we had to be, but the variety in our play I thought was was excellent."











Brendan Rodgers was delighted with his side’s performance as they defeated Falkirk 4-1 at home to progress to the last eight of the Premier Sports Cup.

Daizen Maeda gave the Hoops a first-half lead, while second-half goals from Alistair Johnston, Dane Murray and a Falkirk own goal set the seal on an emphatic victory for the cup holders.

They will find out who they face when the draw for the last eight is made on Saturday night, and while the focus from tomorrow will be on the UEFA Champions League play-off tie against FC Kairat on Wednesday night, the Celtic manager reflected on an impressive display from his side under the lights on Friday night.

Speaking to Celtic TV after the game, he said: “I thought it was a very good performance. We started the game where we wanted to in that first five minutes.

"The tempo was really good, we were precise in our passing and scored some outstanding goals.

“To be fair to Scott Bain, he’s made some very good saves for them.

"Falkirk are a dangerous team if you let them play because they’ve got good flexibility and good technical players, but I think we dominated the game and, overall, I’m really pleased.”


Alistair Johnston’s performance, including his superb goal, earned him a well-deserved Man of the Match Award, and his manager was pleased with his contribution.

“We said to him at half-time that he needed to come inside the pressure, and that was a great example,” said Brendan Rodgers, “and it was a wonderful finish. He guided it into the far corner, so I’m really pleased for him.

“Every game, the opening five minutes is very important for us, so that’s something we want to bring to the game on Wednesday.

“Being at home in the first leg, you want to bring an advantage away with you, so if we play like that and put in that performance then we can have a really good opportunity to take a lead away with us.”

 

What was so bizarre? It was a league cup first round and before a champions league qualifier. He managed to rest a few players, guys who came in looked keen, and we still won easy enough playing pretty decent football. I dont see anything to suggest Rodgers is sending messages to the board and if he was im not sure how the board were supposed to take a 4 1 win with a rotated team other than positively?

 

Interesting quote post match "We've named a squad and we'll wait and see what happens before the game"

To me that suggests he thinks someone we'll be in before Wednesday.

 

Quotes from Brendan via the Celtic way website




Brendan, how happy were you with the result and the performance tonight?

"I thought the performance was very good. From the first whistle, you've seen the hunger in the team and the intensity in the team. First half, we were good with the ball. We were not so good without it. We gave Falkirk a couple of wee opportunities to break through. We weren't aggressive enough and tight enough on them. When we correct that at halftime, we really dominated the second half. So yeah, very pleased. Goals were excellent, and I thought we played really well."

Do you think that's the best it's looked so far this season?

"We've only played three games. So clearly, you want progression, you want development. And there are different contexts of games. They're a team that want to come and play. And we want to play, so it becomes a really good football game. St Mirren come here, they sit deep, sit low, and it's early season, so you're still finding your connections and everything else. Aberdeen, similar. They put it in a different shape, low, but we controlled the game.

"John McGlynn’s a really courageous, brave manager, and that's why he's had the success he's had. Again his team to play. And we knew we had to be good to get through, and thankfully we were."




It's obviously such a big week for the club, so how pleasing is it that you can go and make six changes tonight and still dominate the game against Premiership opposition?

"Yeah, I value every player that we have. I trust them. So when I put them in, I expect them to perform, and they did that."

Is the tie staying now?



"It depends. If it's really hot, I'll probably take it off again. If it is cold, I might wear a jumper. Everyone missed the belt, I wasn't wearing a belt the other day, so I don't know how we missed that



Can I ask about Kieran Tierney and Daizen Maeda linking up for the first goal. How pleased are you with how their partnership is starting to get into a rhythm on that left side?

"Yeah, I think there's still a lot of work for them to do. I think they became sometimes a little predictable on that side, where we were constantly crossing it. We want to cross it, of course, but we need to vary it, but that will come. But I thought Kieran was outstanding in the game. You can see him each game, his dominance, and it gives us that real security when we haven't got the ball. But he's going to get even better as his fitness develops.

"And obviously, it's a different player for Daizen to connect with because Kieran will at times be wider. So that means he has to move inside, whereas Greg was very much on the inside, playing out to Daizen. But no, I thought that through the team, the connections were really good and it was good to see both of those boys playing well and getting that understanding."






Regarding Dane Murray, he signs a contract and scores a great goal.

"Great header. I thought Arne's deliveries all night were brilliant. He had maybe just one early on, or sorry, at the end of the half. But other than that, the precision, and credit to Gavin and Greg and the guys working on the set pieces, that's exactly what they had planned.

"Get the delivery right, in the middle of the box, and Dane was there to score it. So it was very good. And great for him because he's a great boy. He's got a lot of potential, and I think over the next 12 to 18 months he's going to really grow."

He's obviously somebody you really believe in?

"Yeah, I think his ceiling's so high. There's areas of the game that he needs to clearly, obviously work on. But he's 6'4", he's quick, he can take the ball. He has a comfort with the ball which aligns with top players and he just, again, concentration is something that's key for defenders. But I really like him and that's hence the reason we've tied him down. And I think he's got a great future."






In terms of Arne, his attitude and deliveries seemed spot on tonight.

"There's obviously negativity around Arne and some of these guys, but for a manager, we've put a really good player in, we took a really good player out. And then I can change it and it's great for the squad. So his attitude is great. He tired a little bit, so he had a little bit of looseness towards the last five, 10 minutes, but his quality from his set piece and his general work rate and intensity was great.

"So he's a boy that gives everything. And there's a lot on his shoulders as an expensive player. But we bought potential. The club has bought potential many times. And a lot of them aren't here. This is a guy who has potential but it cost a little bit more. And you have to pay that little bit more because if you're going to be sat away in Bayern Munich and watching the team play and he has that athleticism, then that's what you need because it costs you money. But he's nowhere near the finished article.

"We've just had to pay more for potential. You can buy potential at a million quid and two million quid. And a lot of the time, it doesn't work. Sometimes it does. I will tell you a lot of time it doesn't. But him, we've had to pay a little bit more to get the athleticism, to get the physicality that this team needed. And now I've got great options in there. Guys that are physical but guys that are technical. So I don't complain."

You could still add a couple of wildcards before the first leg next week. Is that a possibility?

"Hopefully. It would be great. We've obviously named a squad, but right up until just before the game, we can do that. So that would be really good if we can."

A start for Johnny Kenny tonight as well Brendan, were you happy with his performance?

"Yeah, I think he worked very hard. He's an honest boy who gives his all in the game and that's what the team's about. Didn't have so many chances, a couple of good wee runs, didn't quite drop to him in the box, but I thought he worked very hard and then created the chance then for Shin Yamada to come on."

 

Need to elaborate on that Shelby when you say attackers are you meaning the striker position

Cause Maeda scores for me he’s an attacking position same as was nygren Yang

Winger and striker probably two positions that need quality added


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Press conference should be fun later on today

 

I don't understand how folk can blame him for anything this window he's as frustrated as the rest of us it seems

 

Marc Albrighton with Brendan this morning at training