Brendan Fraudgers!

BRENDAN Rodgers allowed himself a small window of quiet celebration on Hogmanay after masterminding Celtic’s latest Glasgow derby success, but once the New Year arrived his mind quickly turned back to making the dominant team in Scottish football even better in 2017.

The Irishman’s first six months in charge have been nothing short of sensational, with qualification to the UEFA Champions League group stages for the first time in three years, an unbeaten record in domestic football and lifting the first silverware of the season among the many highlights.

This has all been achieved within the framework of attacking, entertaining football which has captured the imagination of the Celtic supporters.

But the manager is determined to keep his players working at the same intensity to maintain this momentum into the second half of the season.

Speaking exclusively to this week’s View several days after the victory at Ibrox, he said: “I went back to the house and had a couple of glasses of champagne which was nice. I then watched Liverpool versus Manchester City on the telly and had a nice meal that evening and then pretty quietly took in the year. It’s been a really special six months being manager at Celtic but now I’m really looking to the coming months of 2017 and focusing on improving the overall team again and the club.

“It’s just about being the best we can be. That means every day, taking the opportunity every day to be better than before, to learn to develop and to keep pushing and working hard.

“We have already began our journey together but there is lots for us to do and to achieve and you only do that by working, so while it’s nice that the team is getting credit at the moment, it can very quickly change and you have to be wary of that.

“The minute you stop working, it all changes so it’s important we continue with that and I have no doubt it will and we will look forward to hopefully a healthy and successful 2017.”

Putting Rangers to the sword at Ibrox was the perfect way to crown off part one of the season and usher in the New Year.

Responding calmly and positively to adversity is something the Irishman has been working on with his players since pre-season and he was pleased at their mental reaction to going behind at Ibrox.

“It’s key for a good team,” he explained. “You are never always going to have it all your own way in every game – you get results in different ways.

“We have identity in terms of how we play but sometimes the opponent makes it so difficult you have to counteract that and find a way, and this team has shown that in pressure situations that they can go on and do that and win which is important.

“Their belief is growing all the time and the connection between the supporters and the team is growing all the time which is vitally important and you saw in terms of how they celebrated afterwards - together. Managing games and understanding the state of the game is important.”

 

great read ,its like ectacy reading quotes from br and players ,seeing the enjoyment in players ,behind the scenes carry on ,i love it ,if there is a better run club and feel good factor atm at another club i would call bs .

 

aye it's great to see.

 

Sunday Mail back page article states BR has been given free rein by Dermot Desmond to run the Club as he sees fit..

https://mobile.twitter.com/SundayMailSport/status/817864689338216448

 

Aye I've heard him talk about that before and that was a big factor in him signing for us. I believe it to be totally true as well because at heart Desmond is not in this for the money as there isn't any, he's a Celtic fan and wants to let an expert run it for a change. It's possible he didn't trust Lenny and that's how the whole mess of the last two years happened and made us look unprofessional. Rodgers is someone who's travelled extensively and worked in many different environments and on top of that not only is he a Celtic fan himself he is a fan of attractive football.

All of that has Dermot rather smitten I feel and he'll be feeling very satisfied during this break that he made the fight decision and picked the right man.

 

aye I wouldn't be surprised if it's true.

 

I really like the sound of that

Sent from my E6553 using Tapatalk

 

2nd best striker for celtic the now, and look at us. I actually love the full team the now.

 

Something special is happening just now at our club, and I know we can all feel it

 

How many manager of the months has he won now? Could set a record this season.

 

I'm quite excited to see how much better we are as a team after the winter break. The break gives Brendan a chance to put some prolonged work in on the tactical side of things, that's something he hasn't really had a chance to do yet. Since the Champions League qualifiers began it's been flat out and you are pretty much just managing fitness levels and working on things like set pieces when you are in the midst of the full flow of the season. So this break gives us a chance to work on some other things. If we come back even better than we were before then the rest of Scotland better look out.

 

Call me old fashioned but this is the way it should be. Particularly with signings. When you play a very specific way like BR you need certain types of players.

Reports of BR turning down Snodgrass. A class act and better than Forrest. But he has a lack of pace and possibly doesn't suit the way BR wants us to break.

Down South has a major problem where players are being signed who possibly don't suit the manager's style. BR himself was a victim of it at Liverpool. Particularly with Balotelli.

 

August
October

December

 

Mon Brendan!

 

When he eventually leaves reckon his value will go up and he will be chased by big sides again or will he be a victim of the old 'Scottish Football is * and its his level' bollocks?

 

Not been on much in the last couple of weeks but is it true Brendan said this on Celtic TV?

"Coming to Ibrox isn't just about the points, it's about defending the culture of our club."

I love him.