Brendan Rodgers Discussion Thread

Hes not pqlying down expectations he's obviously * off at suggestions the only reason he has came back is for money

 

Everything Brendan Rodgers had to say in his post-match interview with Celtic TV after the Hoops ended their tour of Japan with a win over Gamba Osaka.


We end our tour in Japan with a victory. It's always nice to end on a positive note, but what did you make of that match?

Yeah, exactly. It was a good game for us and I thought our levels never stepped up again. In the first half, we had some really, really good passages of play. Some really good moments and could have scored three or four goals at least. But their keeper made some great saves and we didn't have too many threats. Obviously, they scored, it was offside. Overall, really pleased with the second half. It was difficult for the team coming into the game because, obviously, they were working their way in. In the second half in the first 15 to 20 minutes, we were a little bit passive but once we got to the first sort of water break we reinforced the purpose of our game which is to really press and not wait for it. We were much more aggressive after that and we ended up getting the goal later on. So yeah, that was a really good exercise for us with some really good bits of play and even though it is pre-season, it's always nice to have that mentality, not to concede and each game we are progressing


Yeah, there is a lot of good stuff going forward, which must be really pleasing for you to see those patterns of play, but also defensively as well in the end as the players were really putting their bodies on the line, which must again be pleasing to see in a preseason match?

I said at the beginning of the season we'll play to hopefully a high level both technically and tactically. What you can never underestimate is what the heart gives you. As a team and as an individual player, you need to have heart. That's something that I can't give them. It's something that the coaches can't give them, but it's something that they have to have within. I think we've seen that in the second half at times. There were balls coming into the box big (Liam) Scales and Bosun (Lawal) were great, heading it away and making blocks and defending. For some of those boys, that is maybe not their natural game, but you have to do it. So I was really pleased with that aspect of it where you have to defend. You'll go away from home and you'll be at home sometimes, but mostly away from home when you don't have it all your own way and you have to deal with it. I think they dealt with it really well.


One signpost of that heart you were talking about is Alexandro, with his goal as he showed real endeavour to close the keeper down, which again for you must be really nice to see that?

Well, it's great that you can make a pass like that and it is so bad that it ended up in a goal. You have to give massive credit to him. He's played a great ball in of the games out in Portugal with the outside of his foot and we end up getting a goal from it. He tried a similar thing on the other side of the pitch tonight and he kicked the ground. He didn't over analyse it. You know, I always say you played the last pass and it wasn't so good, but he kicked on and he kept going and he pressed the keeper and then he got his reward for that. So yeah, it was a nice way and great for the supporters to obviously feel a goal in the stadium.


This brings an end to the trip to Japan. Try and sum up what it's been like to bring the club over here and just to see some of the support and some of the new supporters that we have now?

Yeah, I think you know, 20-odd years ago, you'd never anticipate coming to Japan and seeing so many shirts. It's an amazing country with a huge population, but to see so many Celtic supporters out here it's been incredible. I know some have travelled from back home and got themselves here, but I think you also see the locals. Obviously, our Japanese players have created an interest in and in both games in and around Japan where we've been there are so many Celtic tops and that's what you want. You want to be able to take your club anywhere in the world as that's the type of club Celtic is. It's a wonderful institution and that fan base is only growing. It's been a great trip. We've got a couple more days to go. We still got hard work to do out here and then we'll get back and I think the cooler temperatures will help us as well. That will help speed up our run on intensity, but overall been a great trip

When we do get back to Glasgow shortly after that, we'll be heading to Dublin to Ireland to play Wolverhampton Wanderers, which again is another exciting test for the team. How much are you Looking forward to that?

Very much so. Having obviously worked against Wolves the last few years in the Premier League, I know how good their squad is and they've got a top-class manager. For us going back to Ireland is special. You know the roots of our club, so to be able to come to Japan and likewise to take the club to Ireland is really special and, obviously, to be in Dublin is great. So we'll get back safe and then get ourselves over there and it's a great game for us.

 

The excitement when he came in about having a big budget, gearing up to have a crack at Europe etc has all dwindled away. Aren’t even near ready to start the league campaign as it stands, what a waste of a summer so far. Will accept just getting another few body’s in and winning the league, can forget about Europe next season.

 

Couple of interesting tactical things to pick up on yesterday.

Playing with 1 inverted full back with 1 wide depending on what side of park the ball was on. When it was on left Taylor would go wide and Iwata would come into middle of the park and vice versa. This then allowed 1 of Mcgregor or Hatate to push on and become a 2nd 10 beside Turnbull. Meaning we had 4 midfielders all playing around the box behind the striker as well as width from the full back.
When we lost the ball the inverted full back would the immediately drop back to create a back 3 and still have a midfielder sitting in front protecting. This will hopefully mean less space in wide areas if we get countered.

Also noticed the 2 6s playing on their opposite side, so Mcgregor/oriley playing Rcm and Holm/Hatate playing at Lcm. This is something Rodgers done b4 with Mcgregor and Armstrong when they played as 8s with idea being it's more natural for them to play inwards leaving more space out wide for wingers and full backs.

Also looks initially like he's gonna play more 4231 rather than 433.

 

I would prefer Rodgers kept the 433 Ange played tbh. Think 4231 is a little outdated myself. I'm sure the best teams in the world all play with a 433 currently.

 

Both are common place in top class teams, they are infact very similar systems

 

Actually quite a lot of the best teams now seem to play with a 3 at the back system of sorts.

The City one that won the treble is a 3-2-4-1 without proper full backs but the left and right centre back play very wide and either of the 2 that sit in front of the defence are comfortable falling back in to centre back.

 

4-2-3-1 is practically 4-3-3. Hardly any difference.

The double pivot will suit us in Europe.

Ange actually played a majorly fluid 4-1-2-3

Actually ended up a 2-1-4-3 at times.

 

What do you mean we aren’t ready to start the league campaign?

 

Will be interesting to see what he does with the formation, once the window is closed and he's fully assessed the squad..

Think we'll see more variations, definitely more than Ange.

 

There was times in his first stint where we'd be so flexible we'd change to about 4 different systems in a single game..

Definitely helps against teams trying to setup against us..

 

We just aren’t ready. It was obvious we needed improvements at the end of last season add that in with Johnson, CCV and potentially Kyogo missing for the start. We have also lost our best player.

 

Even if the game didn’t bring the late goal, Brendan Rodgers would have been leaving the Panasonic Stadium happy with a good day and a good week’s work.

The games in Japan are over now for Celtic, ending in a 1-0 victory over Gamba Osaka thanks to a very late Alexandro Bernabei goal.

There was lots to enjoy about the performance in Osaka, as the team stepped up their levels from the high-scoring defeat against Yokohama F. Marinos on Wednesday night both offensively and defensively, leaving the manager pleased with the 90 minutes of work.

Speaking to Celtic TV after full-time, he said: “It was a really good game for us and I thought our level stepped up again.

“In the first-half we had some really good passages of play and moments. We could have scored three or four goals at least, but their keeper made some great saves.

“Overall, I am really pleased. In the second-half we were much more aggressive after the water break and we ended up getting a goal late on, so it was a really good exercise for us with some really good bits of play.

“It’s always nice in pre-season to have that mentality to not concede and in each game, we’re progressing which is great.

“I said to them at the beginning of the season that you can never underestimate what heart gives you and as a team and an individual player you need to have heart.

“That’s something that I can’t give them and they have to have that within and we saw that in the second-half.

“At times the ball was coming into the box and Liam Scales and Bosun Lawal were making blocks, defending, and for some, it’s not their natural game but you have to do it.

'I was really pleased with that aspect where you have to defend because when you go away from home you don’t have it all your own way.'

"You have to deal with it and we did deal with it well.”

Two tough games against the teams from the J. League have set the team up perfectly for the start of the league campaign in two weeks against Ross County at Celtic Park.

But also important from the trip has been the connection made with the fans in Japan, something the manager is pleased to have witnessed and hopes will continue to grow from strength to strength.

He added: “20–odd years ago you would never have anticipated coming over to Japan and seeing so many shirts.

“Coming out here, it’s an amazing country with a huge population but to see so many Celtic supporters is incredible.

“I know some have travelled but you also see the locals and our Japanese players have created an interest.

'That’s what you want, to take the club all around the world and it’s the type of club that Celtic is, it’s a wonderful institution and the fan base is only growing.'

“It’s been a great trip and we still have a couple of days to go and we have more hard work to do before we get back and I think the cooler temperatures will help speed up the intensity. But overall, it’s been a great trip.”

The next time Celtic will be out in action will be next Saturday, when the Bhoys return to Ireland to take on Wolverhampton Wanderers in Dublin.

There’s plenty of excitement about the Hoops’ returning over the Irish Sea, not just with the fans, but also with Brendan Rodgers himself.

Speaking about the game, he said: “Having worked against Wolves in the last few years in the Premier League I know how good their squad is with a top-class manager.

“For us going back to Ireland is special and to be in Dublin is great. We will get back home hopefully safe and get ourselves over there and it’s a great game for us.”

 

In the ccv thread I think that ccv and ralston have returned to full training now which is a huge plus

 

We are more than ready for the domestic campaign. We need improvements but we are more than ready for the league to start.

 

How much is he getting ?

I'm guessing highest paid manager in Celtic/Scottish history even taking into consideration of inflation, probably was him last time and before that Martin oneil