Brendan Fraudgers!

BRENDAN RODGERS has vowed Celtic won’t stand still as he eyes January signings.

Celtic could go a record-breaking 63 domestic games unbeaten if they get a result at St Johnstone on Saturday.

But Rodgers plans to make his squad stronger and SunSport understands a top-class stopper is his No1 priority.

Rodgers said: “I will look to go into the market in January. When you are winning and strong, that’s when you have to strengthen.

“It’s inverted in Scotland, arguably the most important window here is January.

“There are one or two areas we want to strengthen, but it’s always about availability and affordability.

“We know what we want and there is a process ongoing to hopefully get the right players in.

“You need to have a different personality to play with Celtic because of the demands.

“You need to be able to cope with the pressures of being at a big club.

“We have seen it before when some players find the jersey too heavy at a big club like this.

“If we are bringing the player in January, he has six months to settle and adapt.

“Most of the players had ten days off last year. The most was three weeks. We are back on the 19th June this year for the qualifiers in July.

“It’s difficult to get players in during the summer and then put them into the most important games of the season.”

Celtic hope to be involved in the Europa League after Christmas and will be if they get a result against Anderlecht.

But Rodgers insists that WON’T have any impact on his transfer business.

He added: “If we are in the Europa League doesn’t make a difference in terms of players coming in. We need to strengthen.”

Rodgers believes Celtic would be competitive in the Europa League, but reacted cautiously to Arjen Robben’s claim they could make the final.

Rodgers said: “We will gain confidence from the last few seasons but it’s still very difficult.

“You just need to look at the level of the teams in the tournament.”

 

https://mobile.twitter.com/CelticGoals/status/926783718332628992/video/1

 

Gret at Henrik's last game, when TB left, when we won the league in centenary year, when Rogic scored for the treble, when we beat Barca, when we won the title for Tommy and probably quite a few other times but that's just off the top of my head

 

Legend.

 

What a man

 

Man love!.

 

What a guy so full of class and respect night and day with most other managers jn this country

 

Brendan speaking after the game
https://mobile.twitter.com/CelticGoals/status/926822710033842177/video/1

 

BR: “As a manager I just said thank you to the players.”

BR: “Because for everyone, Celtic supporters and staff, it’s a really special day.”


BR: “A century old British record and we have broken that today which is no mean feat in modern sport and in particular football.”

BR: “The level of mentality and standard the players have set in training, they have really taken that onto the field.”


BR: “My motto has always been about to win the next game. Football is a very difficult thing to forecast.

BR: “People of my age will be aware of guys like Patsy Gallagher because of how great that team was and what they achieved.”


BR: “For us to go one game beyond that is a really special feeling and we would never have imagined that.”

BR: “It’s a proud day for everyone involved at Celtic.”


BRENDAN Rodgers heaped praise on his record-breaking players after they made it 63 domestic games unbeaten with today’s 4-0 comprehensive victory over St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park.

Scott Sinclair, Moussa Dembele and Olivier Ntcham netted for Scottish treble-winners in a dominant display, while an own goal from Steven Anderson compounded the hosts’ misery.

It was a fitting way for the Hoops to create history as they eclipsed their own 100-year-old British unbeaten record, achieved by Willie Maley’s legendary Celtic side in 1917.

Speaking after the game, the Irishman said: “As manager I just said thank you to the players, because for everyone at the club - Celtic supporters and staff and everyone involved - it’s a really special day.

“A century-old British record which was held by Celtic has been broken by us today, which is no mean feat in modern sport and in particular football.

“The players have had to face everything really - going behind in games, playing in big semi-finals and finals, being tired in games, different surfaces. Everything has been thrown at them but that level of mentality and standard they have set in training, they have really taken that onto the field. It’s a proud day for everyone involved at Celtic.

This stunning sequence of results also means Brendan Rodgers has yet to taste defeat since taking the reins at the club he has always supported 18 months ago.

"I never really thought about as we went along,” he said. “My motto has always been about to win the next game. Football is a very difficult thing to forecast.

“You can look over a month and try and predict where you might get results but my experience now tells me – today is my 400th game as manager – to just focus on the next game and that’s what we do, and the players are very much in that mindset as well.

“You look back to that team that Willie Maley had when he was manager here. People of my age will be aware of guys like Patsy Gallacher and that type of player because of how great that team was and what they achieved. For us to go one game beyond that is a really special feeling and we would never have imagined that.”

The manager had kept faith with the same team that pushed Bayern Munich all the way Tuesday night’s epic UEFA Champions League encounter in Paradise and he was rewarded with another tremendous performance.

“I felt the confidence was high in the team,” he said. “We had that extra day as we were playing on the Tuesday so we could recover Wednesday and have an active recovery on Thursday and pull together our tactical plan over the couple of days.

“I just felt we could start with that team but it was never going to be the team that would finish the game. It was a really good performance today on top of everything else that goes with that. We had to be patient in the game and then our fitness and quality came through.”

 

Whatever else happens, Brendan and the team have now written themselves into Celtic history. His legacy will be remembered forever. I am just glad that I am around to witness it.

 

CELTIC Chief Executive Peter Lawwell has congratulated Brendan Rodgers and his squad for making history by going 63 consecutive domestic games unbeaten.

The 4-0 victory over St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park ensured that the current Celtic team beat a British record that was set 100 years ago by Willie Maley’s Celtic side, with the win today their 56th in this incredible run.

Speaking to the official Celtic website, the Chief Executive said: “I would like to congratulate Brendan, his backroom team and our players on this extraordinary achievement and on writing their names once again in the history of both Celtic and British football.

“So many people have been part of this fantastic effort and, as well as Brendan and the players, I would like to thank and congratulate everyone at the Club, all our staff who do such a great job and, of course, our supporters who have been such an important part of this wonderful record - they are all part of the wider Celtic team.

“It is fitting that, as we are about to celebrate 130 years since the Club's formation, we have reached such a milestone. To break a record which has stood for around 100 years requires something special and this record has been characterised by a very special and relentless pursuit of quality and success.

“Celtic's rich history features so many giants, including the great Willie Maley who previously held this record. Brendan and our players have once again shown why they will also go down as Celtic greats.

“As a Club we always aim to be the best and we will continue to do all we can to keep reaching new heights and give our fans a team and a club they can be proud of.”

 

https://soundcloud.com/celticresearch/brendan-rodgers-speaking-informally-to-some-celtic-fans

 

Love it.
Breaks a British record, and his reaction is let's improve further.

Convinced the centre half position will be addressed in January, ready for the qualifiers in the summer. Which is a very well timed and clever assessment.

 

Brendan speaking with Celtic TV
https://streamable.com/14v4k

 

Messiah!