Brendan Rodgers Discussion Thread

Absolutely, but emphatically not the board.

 

Disappointed with the window. However, it will give him time to fully assess the squad. I'm sure it'll be even more glaringly obvious we need GK, DL, and MC come January.

 

Hope he does walk. His style of play is * dire regardless of the board. The board didn't stop him from playing a high intensity style of play. Or made him play Kyogo in the stupid false nine. Or stop the fullbacks playing inverted when it worked domestically at least in the past.

Also his comment about turning the team into winners was hilarious. Winning wasn't a problem until now when he appeared back on the scene. He's not used to taken over a team that was a winning machine

 

You could also just back him, which isn't difficult. It's clear he's here no matter what happens tomorrow.

 

He might even walk sooner as he's got past history

 

No matter what the team is and no matter what formation he puts out I'll be right behind the team the minute that whistle blows

 

Brendan Rodgers says he can’t wait to find out who’ll cut it for his Celtic side in the Ibrox cauldron.

Rodgers believes he’s still learning about the Celtic squad inherited from Ange Postecoglou and his own new signings. But he insists he’ll discover a whole lot more in the first Old Firm clash of the campaign in front of an entirely partisan crowd. The champs arrive for the high noon showdown on the back of a Viaplay Cup exit to Kilmarnock and scoreless draw with struggling St Johnstone.

Rodgers stressed issues from those games are ‘easily fixed’ and pledged his players are ready to prove themselves in the derby day test. Rodgers said: “I knew what I had in the time I was here before so I’m still finding out about this group. That’s exciting in its own way. They’re not born as a good team; they have to grow to become that. A number of these players did the Treble last year but if you look at it, it’s a different group.

“Players want to move on and you have to regenerate the team. Listen, we’ve obviously got some players out that was missing. However, from the players that are there and playing, I will learn a lot for sure.

“This is where you get judged as a Celtic player - in games like this. So you must have this courage to go and play with no fear, play the level of football that we want to. To take the ball, to take responsibility. Especially when you have no supporters there. Impose your way on the game, play with a speed and intensity and organisation that is consistent from the first whistle to the last.”

Rodgers is set to renew the rivalry with Rangers over four-and-a-half years since his last taste of the fixture. He lost 1-0 to Steven Gerrard’s side and a Ryan Jack goal in December 2018 - a first defeat in 13 Old Firm games.

His first, in September 2016, saw Moussa Dembele explode on the Celtic scene with a hat-trick in a 5-1 romp. Rodgers stressed that making an impact today in Govan can set the tone for a successful Celtic playing career.

He said: “I think if you can perform in these types of games then it’s a real marker for where you can go, always a good sign of your qualities going forward. Because I always think the biggest players perform in the biggest games and make the biggest contributions. That’s the nature of the big games.”




Brendan Rodgers recalls his sparkling Celtic moment - 'everything in the game was just what I wanted to see'

Brendan Rodgers enjoyed a stellar derby record in his first stint as Celtic manager, his only loss coming in his 13th and final outing. None sparkled, however, quite like his first.

It was 2016, Rangers were back in the top flight and their supporters were making bullish noises about “going for 55”. But those title credentials were exposed as hollow in a devastating September afternoon at Celtic Park as Moussa Dembele rammed in a hat-trick and Rodgers showed he hadn’t moved north merely to finish second. As he prepares to resume hostilities with Rangers on Sunday afternoon, Rodgers reflected on that occasion and outlined his desire for more of the same.

“It was September 10, the sun was shining and I remember it all very well,” he recalled. “I had obviously watched the game for so many years on TV. But I was driving in when I realised that was me inside it, that I was in the game. We played ever so well. I remember Leigh Griffiths was out and Moussa introduced himself to the Celtic support. Everything in the game was just what I wanted to see. We were fast, powerful, creative, organised and there was an intensity there. That spilled into the stands, they had a great day. To win 5-1 was special. I think I was involved in 13 when I was up here last time and every game felt really big, really special. It’s such a big part of being here. I can’t wait.”

The gap between Celtic and Rangers is a lot closer now than it was at the start of Rodgers’ first reign but the Northern Irishman insists his mindset ahead of the trip to Ibrox hasn’t changed, even with no Celtic fans inside the stadium to lend their vocal support. “Our idea is to play the game we want to play,” he added. “And my way is always to attack the game. You play with no fear. This is where you get judged as a Celtic player, in games like this. Impose your way on the game, play with a speed and intensity and organisation in the game that is consistent from the first whistle to the last.”

Celtic have endured a few stumbles at the start of Rodgers’ second coming, most notably the Viaplay Cup exit to Kilmarnock and then last weekend’s draw with St Johnstone. The former Liverpool manager concedes it’s been far from flawless but believes it won’t take much to fix it. “We should win that (St Johnstone) game. There were few positives in it. But I look at the speed of it, the positioning and all the technical things and crystallise that in the review that we do with the players. And they are easily fixed. This is what excites me about the team.”

Rangers have endured their own struggles, too, most recently the midweek walloping by PSV Eindhoven that ended their Champions League aspirations. “PSV are a good side," reasoned Rodgers. "Rangers beating them last year maybe created that expectation of going there again and doing the same thing. You have to lick your wounds. It’s not nice, especially when there’s a Champions League pot at the end of it. Part of success sometimes is when you don’t get the results and you have to be strong enough to go again.”

 

They have more games under their belt than we do. They have faced some quality opposition in recent weeks and we haven't. Both these factors will help their sharpness compared to ours. Their signings have had longer to bed in. As far as I know, they have no injury crisis, we do. It's at Ibrox with no away fans.

I think we'll be better than them in 3 or 4 weeks; but right here and now, we're going to be right up against it. Even an absolute pumping (whch is very possible) won't change my mind about anything. I still back Rodgers to do a good job here and turn it round by Halloween. We'll pump them silly in the return fixture.

 

If we get pumped I want shot of him. It'll turn toxic as * and we'll be looking at another covid season if we leave or too long

 

It will turn toxic as f*** for a few days, I don't doubt that. That's up to us TBH. It got toxic as f*** in Lenny's last season and it achieved precisely nothing. It would be better not to do that again. However Lenny (for whatever reason) wasn't in a place where he could turn that around and the toxicity dragged on for months. Rodgers, on the other hand, will turn it around quite quickly.

 

We will win tomorrow and the doubters will need to get behind him. He made a mistake going elsewhere, he's home.

 

This kind of talk; already is toxic. You’ve lost control of emotions even before kick off. Talk of getting pumped seems frenzied and misguided. Why would it turn toxic as * after loosing to them? Seem a bit of an irrational response to something we have time to turn around. In saying that I’m not even contemplating loosing never mind getting in a rage and chasing the manager out the doors before a ball is kicked.

 

Even if we lose, we need calm heads. We have plenty of time to settle a side. Jota, CCV, and GG were failed and/or one season wonders when they signed.

 

The result will mean * all to Rodgers' job longevity here.

I agree he'll be under pressure, but it's far too early to stick the boot into him if we don't turn up.

We've a new system, new players, new manager, against a side with more games under their belt and in better shape, that's not to mention the environment will be toxic as *, and something the new guys might not take to right away.

This is coming from me, a guy who has zero time for BR and thinks his appointment was lazy, unprofessional and lacked ambition.

On the flip side of that coin, a result in our favour will also buy him more "believers". (Not myself, I'm sticking to my guns, I said two full seasons and Ill re-evaluate).
But in honesty , a result wouldn't be some sort of tactical masterclass. Sevco are pish and are likely to collapse if we get the first goal.

 

I'm no happy clapper but win or lose today, I won't be pinning it on the manager.

He's only back a few weeks and a window full of Ange-era projects has * him over as much as us. He'll struggle to implement the system he wants now and will have to make compromises. So long as over the next few weeks he makes those compromises, I don't think we can point the finger his way.

 

Everyone jumping on the inverted fullback wagon pish...even the wee teams were starting to work out Ang'es system.

Get behind the manager ,while he's fukin here .

 

He'll get leeway for a loss just because the state of our squad is not all on him. A pumping will definitely put a * tonne of pressure on him tho. Any kind of result will go a huge way to lifting the mood around the club.

Time to show us all how to win then, Brendan...

 

If he makes obvious selection and tactical mistakes, he should get no leeway. I want to see Kyogo not dropping off, but attacking the box. The former is the manager's fault.

 

I may change my view after the game but if we do get beat - which I fear is likely - I won't attach any blame to him.

He's been badly let down, that's the truth of it.