Brendan Rodgers Discussion Thread

He's very good at this. Never misses and does it quite eloquently. He's also good at diffusing situations.

Absolutely bosses things up here. Glad to have him in charge.

Edit: does it all without without involving the EU,toenails or blaming everyone and anyone else.

 

I can actually listen to his press conferences this time..

 

We have positions absolutely we need strengthened but this squad having ‘very poor’ depth is a mental description. Some of the depth we have just now as a squad makes first 11 week by week unpredictable as *. Look at the threads before games, the amount of different line ups suggested that nobody would argue with if it happens is a lot more than I can remember.

We do not back up in certain areas, very poor though? That’s * bonkers.

He does need backed again though, and we’re making noises that we will. But it’s not about squad guys now, it’s about bringing in additional quality for the first team and the quality currently that hold the position to fight to keep it.

 

I’d rather he didn’t man, he’s probably the first who who would point out the difference from last year to this year, last season until crunch time we were slow, no movement, lack of creativity and relying on individual brilliance from guys like O’Riley. From first game pre-season this year we’re what he’d demand.


And that’s a compliment on him, last year we dragged it out despite a slump mid-season, this year though? Some of the best we’ll see. He found it being pointed out last season disrespectful and it annoys him he’s had a dig a few times about it.

He’s managing performances at every level that speaks for itself, and there’s a major difference in performances… just be smug about it BR, hes * good at smug

 

It is very poor. There's a very noticeable drop off in a few areas from out first choice to our back ups.

Yang has been starting games recently because Kuhn is out. Aye, Forrest would probably be on before Yang but he's 33 and not as good as he was once. Palma and Yang are quite clearly miles off the standard required and have been featuring lately.

Ralston is levels below Johnston. Welsh isn't good enough and Nawrocki has been a ghost since he signed, leaving us with one decent back up to an already quite injury prone area of the squad.

The left side is still an issue with Taylor, and Valle not being able/allowed to establish himself.

Up top we have Kyogo who has been underperforming for months now, and Idah who is very much hit and miss and raw as *.

The only area of the team I'd say we have quite good depth in is midfield, and even then who would you say from our midfield has consistently played really well this season? Hatate and Engels have been in and out of form (largely below par). McGregor has been good but maybe not his usual, massively consistent self. McCowan and Bernardo have done well but not getting on the pitch as often as they probably deserve.

You're saying the amount of different line ups people are suggesting is good, but do you not think that some of it is down to some players not showing consistency? Like the midfield - I'm not sure what our best midfield is right now and that's mainly down to none of them really smashing the door down and demanding a start with their form.

 

BRENDAN Rodgers today stressed the final decision on whether a Celtic player is fit enough to start a match lies with him not his sports science staff as he looked ahead to the meeting with Rangers at Ibrox on Thursday.


His opposite number Philippe Clement has been savaged by supporters and media pundits in recent days for basing his team selections on the advice of members of his backroom staff.

Clement fielded understrength starting line-ups against St Mirren at the SMiSA Stadium last week and Motherwell at Fir Park on Sunday - and his side lost and drew those games respectively to fall 14 points behind their city rivals in the William Hill Premiership table.

Rodgers, who is only missing James Forrest heading into the third Old Firm game of the 2024/25 campaign in Govan, admitted that he takes on board the advice he is given by all of his colleagues at Parkhead but makes the final call on who features in a match himself.

"It's like any sector of my club, whether it's coaching, medicine, sports science, our welfare team,” he said. "I'm always there to listen, but ultimately you make the judgement as a manager, that's what you get paid for.

“You get paid as a manager to listen to opinions, but ultimately the beauty of being a coach and a leader is that you decide.

“I've got a brilliant sports science team here that will give me all the information I ever need if I want it, and like in anything, I'm open to it, but I'm not driven by it. I'm driven by talking with players and getting a feel for them


Because we all have moments in our life that you may not want to do something, but you get somehow dragged to it and you go, 'Okay'. And you quite enjoy it. So for me it's more about feeling.

“I repeat, I've got a brilliant sports science team that knows how we work and we know we have to push players sometimes. It might not sit well and might not look nice on a number, but this game is an art and it's about feeling and emotion.

“It's about working with the players and sometimes pushing them over a hill when perhaps they don't want to go there. But that push gets them over and when they get to the other side, it's a great place.”

Rodgers added: "Your instinct, your experience, matter. Like I said, I listen to all my department in terms of the information that I need. So I'll be informed by it, but not driven by it. The game's about people.

“All the players here, they work ever so hard. I change the team around to keep the energy, keep that enthusiasm in the team and the team has responded brilliantly to that. The game has to be about the emotional and the feel and how the players are.”

 

I get what you mean; but if everyone is fit, then GK, RB, RCB, deep midfielder, LW and RW all pick themselves. There's only really competition for a little under half the positions: LB, LCB, the other 2 midfield slots and striker. Even that's an overestimate as Valle isn't our player and if he's on form, Engels will be a nailed-on starter as well IMO.

 

Great mind games on Baldermort before the Glasgow derby

 

Sorry I might be being a bit slow here. Is Rodgers referring to Clement when he talks about people who can’t manage their way out of an empty room? Or is he talking about the sports scientists?

Cause I think the original question was whether he had any empathy for Clement and he said he did

 

Keith Jackson after his daft article against Dundee United calling it a mini slump

 

Ahhhh that makes a lot more sense

 

Funnily I was speaking to a mate about this a few days ago. Aye, he's far easier on the ear these days. He's in a good place and in total control. Long may it continue.

 

Love Brendan. Could listen to him all day.

 

The swagger is back

 

Some press conference that. Love the mad * all over again.

 

He's so different this time round..he's no longer the self centred bullshitter...comes across a lot more focused and genuine this time round.. almost as if 1st time he didn't realise what he had until he no longer had it. I also think he sees just how a football club should be run compared to the fake money show south of the border.

 

Honestly mate. You see our bench on Sunday?