Brendan Rodgers Discussion Thread

Understandable but some of this is on him too. His refusal to change tactics or formation is slowly strangling the team. We are so predictable every side we play knows what to expect. He puts too much faith in certain playes too but that is true of most football managers tbf.

 

Think it's crazy the lengths people will go to to defend him and alleviate him of any responsibility for how poorly we play.

The board are responsible for the long term mismanagement and decline in standards, we all know that, but you can't give credit and not criticism in equal measure, for as good as he's done at times with not enough backing, he's also failed to get a team playing any coherent style of play with any purpose now for the best part of 8 months.

He's not a motivator type like Lennon and Ange, he's a methodical and detailed coach. For me he's overloaded the players heads with a complicated and rigid system that is too risk averse and lacking any invention or spontaneity. He needs to carry the can for this, regardless of the failings above him.

 

Infuriating seeing us go backwards constantly, that's on Rodgers and his tactics, you can't blame recruitment on us getting a free kick in their half and going back to our CB/GK instead of sending it in their box. Two games against Almaty and a hun team that everyone is putting ridiculous shot numbers against and we're barely playing it into the final third.

 

You watch us win a free kick in Rangers half - and we pass the ball backwards.

We get a throw in - and have no options to get the ball back in play.

We have an opportunity to break and slow the play down.

These are red flags that indicate coaching issue for me.

Its just incredible to see Yamada win a free kick in Rangers half and 10 seconds later the ball is back with Kasper without even a single attempt to play it forward.

You have to buy a ticket to win the lottery even against defences as poor as Rangers

 

We were free flowing the first 6 months last season. He hasn’t just all of a sudden told players to stop doing that. I just refuse to accept that. We have zero freshness about us though, and lack quality in the final 3rd. It’s so obvious we need new faces in to give the team a lift.

 

We’re just so dismal to watch.

It’s Gollum-ball, possession for the sake of possession, with very little impetus or desire to actually do anything with it. Poor recruitment isn’t an excuse for guys constantly passing side to side or backwards and not even trying the risky pass.

I could count on one hand how many games we’ve played this year that didn’t feel like a chore to watch - and I probably wouldn’t even need all five fingers. If I’m being honest, we’ve been a dull watch for a large period of his second tenure in general.

 

If rangurs were not so poor we would struggle this season,the board seem to be meh about it all, and the manager being predictable as night and day does not help matters.
The whole * squad needs gutted. Some players have over stayed their welcome in the club,sad to say but its true.

 

Rodger’s has mainly been superb for Celtic, but his recruitment and lack of willingness to move away from 433, with a single holding player are his biggest weaknesses

His Liverpool team, should have won the title, but he refused to deviate from Gerrard holding on his own.

And his Leicester team went from European challengers to relegation candidates, with him
seemingly unable to adapt.

I can’t see Rodgers willing, or able, to change now. And I also can’t see the board stumping up the money required to refresh the team to the previous standards.

 

Elite managers are tactically flexible. Rodgers isn't tactically flexible.

 

As much as the board should have had our team for the season sorted long before the champions League qualifiers, it's ridiculous we're still not there even now with 30 hours to go same in them.

Rodgers should be sacked, there's enough quality in our squad to be playing other formations and we'd be a million times better, though not ideal for OOR BRENDAN no!!! but that's why he should be sacked!!!

He's not making the most from the players that he's got, trying to continue to play his 433 with players that are not good enough for the formation but insisting on in it is negligent.

The players from the back and the midfield are going backwards and slowing things down because the outlet isn't there in the 3 up top but HE continues to play that way!!! It is bull *.

He's wanting sacked he's wanting out this is the same as last time when we eventually sold him for £9 million quid a miracle we came through that season winning the league eventually and getting £9m for an unhappy manager.

I don't think lightning will strike twice here get shot of the *, between him and the board is toxic and it's obviously affecting the players.

Last time was Exactly the same we lost to ask Athens and we had problems cause boyata wanted away and he didn't sanction it then never played boyata anyway

We need rid of the *

 

You're probably right, sadly. If we don't see any improvement though its going to be a slog of a season and will be relying on the huns being *, again.

 

He chatting bout not passing forward and players been safe and passing backwards.
Don’t think all backwards passes are on him. It’s players not taking risk

 

There's no third party to blame there though. Yes, we were playing unreal stuff this time last year but we hit that "slog" through winter as he called it himself and never really got back to that level again.

I agree the squad has gone stale but again removing him from that equation is naive, particularly when he's just this week used himself as a human shield for the board with his "they bleed for the club" and they're all connected patter. Either he's influential on what goes on with the team or he's not. If he is then he cops his fair share of criticism, if he's not then he's feeding us lies.

 

The club just needs freshened up but no matter who comes in will not be allowed to go above their narrative which is hoard money, buy * and stay an inch in front of the huns.

 

He reminds me of a robot vacuum cleaner.

Does a fantastic job but eventually the room is so full of * that it wont plough through.

Skickat från min SM-F956B via Tapatalk

 

Plenty of blame to go around for the sorry state we now find ourselves in but it was clear BR had the team moving in the right direction with last seasons CL performance. Since then he's had the rug pulled from under him. Does he need to do better no doubt. But I also thibk given the sorry state the board had left the squad we have to give him credit for even getting 10 points from the opening four games. Yes, thats how far we have fallen.

 

Usual match quotes from Brendan today





Brendan, how do you reflect on that today?

I thought it was a poor game, if I'm being brutally honest. The positive for us being we haven't given away much over the course of pre-season, and today I don't think we had a shot against us on target (today).

So defensively, we've been good and solid and showed lots of endeavour, which is great. But the actual quality in the game was not at the level I'd expect a Celtic team to be.

So that was a disappointment, but I felt overall, the quality of the game wasn't at a high enough level.

Why do you think the team may have been quite blunt today, and in those two legs against Kairat as well?

Sadly, it's about the profile of player. I think that it's very clear on that.

As I said, we're getting lots of work, guys are working well and working hard. And sometimes in teams, whenever you don't quite have that feeling going into a game that you can score goals, and like we were this period last year, which was plentiful.

So the team then goes in with a different energy and a different feeling, which then sparks everything off and brings that energy and that real game attitude that you want.


When you're lacking that, then that's sometimes what you get.









Brendan, you seldom see a Celtic team, one of your teams, play the ball backwards as much as Celtic did. Is that part of that whole thing?

Aye, it's when you stop taking the risk.

Of course, we're missing some players, but in the meantime, when you feel that your top end of the pitch and your front players can get you goals, then you get the ball through nice and quickly and that speed of it.

That wasn't quite today. We were a bit safe and playing it sideways or backwards, and that's not our idea of football.

So that wasn't a plan; there wasn't a plan to contain? Just the way the game worked?

I don't think you go into a game as a Celtic manager and say, 'right, pass the ball sideways or backwards'.

It's never been a plan for any offensive team or club. So no, it definitely wasn't the plan.

How disruptive were your preparations, given all the things in the background with the transfer window and Adam (Idah) up and down the road and all that stuff?

In terms of all of that, you just have to narrow in your focus on what you can control.

Of course, it's not been ideal for Adam and for the club, but we still have to look beyond that. I think it's very, very clear what we've needed and what we need.

Hopefully, in the next 24 hours, we can do that. Because like I say, that was a hard watch.

I'm guessing the next 24 hours are going to be big, Brendan, in terms of what you want to achieve this season?

Well, yeah, I feel it is. It's something that has been so clear, what the team has needed and what's required.

And I really hope that in this period we can do that. Because like I say, Celtic's DNA is around about their attacking intent, mentality and that bit of quality, and you arrive into the final third and you're creating chances.

12 months ago, the dynamism in the team and the speed and the creativity, everything was there, and you feel you can go into games and be really dynamic and creative, and that's what we all want to see.

So when it's a wee bit like that there today, then it's not a great watch.



Is today a bit of a warning then that unless the business is done in the next 24 hours, this is kind of what's going to be the fallback position?

Yeah, listen, we've had a period of time, so we've had a long time to reinforce the squad and listen, I'm hopeful that we can do that, and get it over the line.

The game is about the quality of your players. You can take the game to different levels based on your players. But it's my responsibility to try and maximise what I can get out of the players that will be here.

Hopefully, we can get that competition in the team and reinvigorate some of the players that have been here for a long time. Because, as you say, they've been here for four years, guys like Daizen (Maeda), they need competition.

Do you understand people being confused or surprised that you're in this position with only 24 hours of the window to go?

Yeah, but as I said, we can assess it at the end of the window.

I repeat again that every coach and manager wants the players in early to embed them in and adapt to the systems and styles, and get that profile of player that we need.

We're hopeful that we can do our work in this next period.

In terms of Adam, Brendan, fans are wondering why Adam was allowed to even travel to Swansea, not being in the matchday squad, without a replacement coming in. Can you understand their amusement or bemusement at that?

No, I've got no explanation for it. I think that it's not Adam's fault or anything.

Hopefully, that will be cleared up by today.

Do you expect him to still be a Celtic player come the end of the window tomorrow?

I don't know.

You said he wouldn't be allowed to leave unless you had those guarantees that he would be replaced. Have you had those guarantees yet that he would be replaced?

I haven't spoken to anyone since we left yesterday.

We left and have been in the hotel preparing for the game, and obviously, nothing today. So I'll pretty much get an update on where we're at once we leave here.

Is Kasper Dolberg a player who could potentially replace Adam if he is to leave?

There are lots of names that are out there.

So, I think from our perspective, we just need that quality and speed in the team and the creativity. That's key for us.

Is that the type of player, the profile of player you think that could do well at Celtic, someone like Kasper Dolberg?

I'm over 800 games in. I don't fall for them.

What did you make of Balikwisha's contribution? He was sort of thrown in at the deep end.

No, no, he was thrown in at the deep end. It's a tough one, but in terms of wingers, he goes in and he shows some nice touches and he shows nice balance.

Once he gets up to the speed and the aggression and everything that we need, I think he's going to be a really good player for us.

So, yeah, tough game to come in away at Ibrox, but yeah once he gets that real positivity in his game, he'll hopefully do well.

Just to ask you about Kieran Tierney as well, obviously had 70 minutes, and that's his ceiling at the moment. Do you expect that to change after the international break, or are there concerns about where he is at the moment (fitness)?

I think it has to. That's the reality of it, but we knew there was going to be a period of adaptation from the challenges that he's had over the last couple of years or so.

But yeah, there's no doubt I believe that will come. But in the meantime, he's there and he's working and playing and obviously because of the little bit of history of the injuries, then we're just making sure with him, and if he feels something then...

I'm pretty sure that will end over a period of time, where it just might be tiredness rather than thinking that you're maybe going to be reinjured. But yeah, it's something that we will do (up his minutes) over time.

 

Not to defend the board in any way, but since then we sold Kuhn and replaced Taylor with Tierney.

We havent beaten Rangers in 5 attempts. Beaten off Barry Ferguson at Celtic Park. Lost cup final to Aberdeen. Beaten by Khazak minnows in Europe. That really isnt good enough when we spent 25m or so last summer on 3 guys who dont start every week.

Our squad depth is a state and the way our board manage the club is awful, but I think Rodgers is getting away with an awful lot here.

 

The amount of corners and free kicks we get too and you know we are never going to score.