Brendan Rodgers Discussion Thread

Our focus was way to much on Kvistgaarden. However Brondby recently had a share issue that raised 20mil gbp in January. So from having to sell they were suddenly in a position to muck us around. And we seemed to have no plan B.

 

Which is also something that's happened before with us and Rodgers - focused only on one option and no plan B

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Think most thought we would have Kieran in

But sometimes that doesn't work how we want it to work

 

I totally dont get that! Like yesterday when Schlupp was finalised it read: now focus on striker?? That sounds crazy

 

Brendan Rodgers has admitted he understands the frustration among Celtic supporters after the club failed to sign a striker in the winter transfer window.


However, the Hoops boss insists the lack of activity will not “kill his joy” as he remains focused on the team’s progress.

Celtic sold Kyogo Furuhashi to Rennes for £10million, leaving Adam Idah as the only senior striker.

Rodgers’ side had been linked with several attacking reinforcements throughout the window, with many fans hoping for an additional forward to strengthen their push to retain domestic supremacy and continue to progress in the UEFA Champions League.

But, as the deadline passed without a new striker arriving, concerns grew over squad depth, particularly in the final third.

Utility man Jeffrey Schlupp was in only incoming on a loan deal from Crystal Palace. Whilst, Jota did make his big Celtic return last week to provide competition on the left-flank


Addressing the club's failure to land another forward, Rodgers said: "We done some really good business in the window. There were probably one or two things that didn't drop for us the way we would've liked.

"However it ends you know the squad you have and fundamentally we are here to develop the players for the rest of the season that are here.

"There's no doubt that the squad is lighter. I said clearly what we wanted to do. We wanted to have that support at the top end of the field, and we didn't manage to do that. It's a fair enough thing to say.

"You could very easily say that you should've got someone in the door before you let him go but there was a situation with that player which meant that wasn't the case.

"I said it myself that I wanted another striker so I'm not hiding behind anything. Absolutely, the supporters will look and see there's a top legendary striker going out and we haven't replaced him. So, I understand that.

"Could we have done better? Yeah, we could. However, as I said, we have to work with the players that are here now. I think that is the focus, I don't really want to be looking back

 

He has channel his obvious anger in the correct manner but as many have said this isn't the first time the board has failed. How many times do you fail before you need to be held accountable.

 

Spot on there, he clearly isn’t happy and making it clear things need to be done better.

Taking the line now’s not the time to basically give the media the negative headlines.

Although I won’t hold my breath on us getting the improvements in how we do business by the summer. Einsteins definition of insanity and all that.

 

Maybe he even stays longer. If he sees us improving in Europe each season and they way the Champ lg is setup its a possibility. We could have easily gotten an easier opponent whom we were able to beat. Huns are in financial turmoil too, so the league is in our hands in foreseeable future. So i think he can build a legislature and his ego maybe wants that most.

 

It's my hope too, but just feel he's been sold a lie when he came back and he's given it enough windows to know the clubs not changing at all.

Either way, this summer or next, I wonder how open he will be (or can be) for his reasoning to leave.



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Biggest concern is keeping Brendan, summer absolutely pivotal.
I don't know how many times have we said how critical the next window is....
but this one really is - for the fans, the team, the board and the manager.
Last chance saloon.Peter, Michael and Dermot

 

Brendan, how do you look back on deadline day and the window as a whole?

Yeah, we've done some really good business in the window. Probably one or two things that didn't quite drop for us that we would have liked. But however it ends, you know the squad you have.

Fundamentally, we're here to develop the players now for the rest of the season that are here. So, bringing in Jota, fantastic player for us. We can see that even just in his return, those early stages. So, we're excited to work with him.

Jeffreu we bring in and I’m delighted to have him in here. We obviously weren't planning to lose Alex Valle but to be able to then bring in a really experienced player who's got great physical qualities, technical qualities, big experience to support Greg. Then yeah, we're obviously delighted with those guys coming in


Obviously you've been speaking a lot about strikers since Kyogo went. What level of frustration do you attach to not being able to bring in a replacement in that area?

I think it's something that I said clearly we wanted to do. We wanted to have that support at the top end of the field. We didn’t manage to do that.

I look now, Johnny Kenny will be here. And Johnny can see even in the three weeks or so he's been training with us. And the guys who, John and the other coaches who've been here before, they see the real difference in him from his experience going back, playing with Shamrock, playing in Europe.

He’s a brilliant finisher and looks physically in a good place. So, I'm now putting my time into him and working with him and seeing how he develops now.

Because he's a natural finisher in the box. There's absolutely no doubt about that. So, yeah, that's what we'll look to do.


I appreciate there might be certain details you can't divulge. But are you able to tell us how or why that didn't happen? Were there deals that were close? Things you couldn't get over the line?

There are so many different facets to the transfer window. Obviously the identification of a player, then convincing the player to come. Which in the main is never a problem for here.

But we just weren't quite able to get a deal done on that front. It’s something that we as a club will go away, we'll review the whole process and then look to be better again in the summer.


Brendan, that was something you said in August after the last window, that the club had to learn from how it operated in the window. Is it learning? The fans are talking about a striker. It's not happening for our reason. Are lessons learned from your previous times here and going forward about how windows should be worked?

I just think they're never as plain and simple as what people will sometimes think. I think we all understood. We all want the same at Celtic.

We all know that we were losing a top-class striker and we wanted to bring in another one. Because it's not just bringing in, it's being able to then allow other players to go out to continue their development.

So it's two-fold really. But if it doesn't happen, then we have to deal with that. And we have to understand going forward the way and how we can be better in that process.

And then, like I say, develop the players that are currently here


Was it a mistake to allow Kyogo to go without having his placement nailed down and planned?

Some people will say that. But you don't have the depth of knowledge that I have on the player and working with him and going back to the summer.

It's a fair enough thing to say. You can very easily say, you should really have someone in the door before you let him go.

But there was a situation with that player, which meant that wasn't the case. That was something that had been running for a number of months, not just for the few days before he left.

I repeat, if a player does not want to be here, then we do the best deal and move on.

You always say that you want to come out of the transfer window stronger than you've gone into it. Do you feel that is the case this month?

I think we've brought in some really good players. Could we have done better? Yes, we could.

However, as I said, we work with the players that are here now. I think that is the focus. I don't really want to be looking back. We have months to look at that.

We've done some good business in the January window. Like I said, I'm not going to become frustrated now and kill my joy of working here every day at the club by thinking, oh, what could have been? We can't effect that now.



Did you find you were getting charged a premium for trying to bring players in during the January window?

No, I didn't think that. There's a myth around you can't get good players in January, which I totally disagree with. I think you can.

Virtually all my career, I've got really good players. Some world-class players in the January window. But it's sometimes about the availability. It's sometimes about the affordability.

There is a little bit of a premium in January, of course, in this period. You may have to pay a little bit more, but that's natural.

But I didn't think there was anything too outward to what would hurt us as a club.


How close were you, or were you close to getting Kieran Tierney up in January?

No, it wasn't close. I think it was clear, obviously, Kieran is for the summer.

If that was the possibility, then that was on Arsenal's terms. If it was to happen, then great. But clearly, he was a part of their squad.

He'll be here in the summer


Are you concerned that you might have just might be a bit light for Bayern Munich? Obviously, Johnny can do a job but Daizen is suspended for the first leg as well. So, don't you have a huge amount of options, assuming that Adam is available?

There's no doubt that the squad is lighter. There's no doubt, but we'll work hard. We'll focus in on this next four months. It's a really exciting period for us, going into these games.

We'll have a tighter squad, but also a squad that is improving in development. I think that's sometimes what gets missed, especially when you have younger players. I think there's still improvement in this squad, but it'll be tighter than what it was before.

We sold some players on, made great money for them. Some have went on loan to get more experience. As I said, we'll work with the players that are here and it'll be tighter than what it was before


You mentioned the club perhaps learning lessons from the window. What things can you do better? Is it better follow-up planning, especially when you get things like qualifiers to maybe negotiate in the summer?

I think in terms of that aspect of it, we're all clear. I think I mentioned that before.

We're a club that understands that January window can be really important when you're in the qualification phase, that hasn't been the case for a number of years. But certainly in my time here, when we had to go through qualifications, January was an important window in order to prepare ourselves for that moment.

I think in terms of that, it's always been the case. I don't think there's anything new that sprung up to surprise anyone.

We understood what we needed to improve the squads. We're clear on that. Unfortunately, it just didn't happen for us.


The recruitment guys, do they now have a job on their hands to be ready for the next window? To make sure that when it opens next time, the club is ready to go and get the guys you need?

Listen, I don't want to pin blame on anyone here. I think as a collective, it wasn't ideal how it ended for us. We have to, as a club now, go away and look at that, like we'll do in every window, that's what you have to do.

You look around, of course, there wasn't a great deal happening. But certainly all I was concerned was for Celtic and what I needed to happen here.

So we'll look into that and move forward



You touched on it on Sunday about not falling out with yourself. Is that something you're consciously trying to take a step back and show how you enjoy being a Celtic manager and not create waves?

Obviously, I know the demands of here. I know the ambition I have for here. I think what's very, very important is that what you learn through experience is the emotional transfer.

Because if you have the hump, with the greatest respect, then as the coach and the leader, my leadership style is very much a motivational style where I like to teach, I like to inspire and I like to motivate.

Now, you've got to be in a good mood for that, in the main. As I said repeatedly, with experience you learn not to kill your joy over things you can't actually control. As we’re sat here now, we can do absolutely nothing about it.

So I go out that door and I’ve still got the same group of players, which I'm really happy with. Players that tomorrow night if we win our game in hand we go 13 points clear with 13 games to go. We've won a trophy, we're in a playoff stage of the Champions League.

We've had a fantastic season until this point. So I don't want to put any clouds over that there and take an attitude which is negative. There can still be a really, really positive season for us until this point.

It's been outstanding. So I want to continue with that and like I say, we can then go away and see what can we do better, how can we deal better with that window. And then once we do that, we've got many games to play and exciting games to play


You're keeping in a good mood about the situation, but can you understand how fans might look at the bigger picture and think you've got yourself in charge, money the bank?

Yeah 100 per cent. I said it myself, we wanted another striker, so we're not hiding behind anything. And absolutely, the supporters will look and see what top strikers have gone out, legendary striker, and we haven't replaced it.

So I understand that. But all I can do is affect what we have now and look to teach and work and work very, very hard and finish off what has been, until now, a great season for us.


How are you going to handle Adam Idah now? Do you get the metaphorical cotton wool out?

No, no, you've got to be robust.

You can't want to play every game and then look for a rest. No, no, listen, we've got to put in the work, as I said.

I was just conscious that we've got 16 goals on either side of the field and the idea was to bring someone else in to support Adam, rather than having to sacrifice those 16 goals to bring back inside. Then you've got to find another winger that can score 16 goals. But either way, we'll be strong mentally, physically, going into our remaining games, whatever team is out there.

As I said, there's still a lot for this group to achieve and I'm looking forward to seeing that over the coming months


When you came back and were in Japan, Daizen played three or four games over there through the middle and you were quite excited about the prospect playing there and you thought you could get more out of him as a centre-forward. Do you still think that's something that could work?

100%. I actually can see a lot of more natural, instinctive striker movements that he has in how he plays the game. I think if you track back to when he came in, if you look back on your stats, I think you'll see his numbers. From when he came in, from Yokohama, he was playing as a striker.

He was up 23 goals in something like 33 games or something.

The point is that I think probably in modern times, we would go through the tradition of a traditional number 9. But he’s a goal scorer. And he's done it in Japan and now you see him doing it here.

Whether he's wide or he's through the middle, if you think of that hat-trick in Yokohama, when I played him up front earlier in the season, when Kyogo didn't play, he scored two. It was the most pressing and penetrating runs that we had of any striker. Way above Kyogo's levels, all penetration running. And he scored two and could have had more. So he's a goal scorer.

He scores a header like Henrik Larsson the other day. So I don't think you can doubt, he might not do some other bits that other strikers will do and be a traditional number 9. But how I ask my number 9s to play and to run and set the game quickly and create space for other players, then I have absolutely no doubt that he can do that.

I didn't want to have to do that, but I know that's something that we can use him.


He's been so used to running away from the ball, I think you described it, but do you think he can get on going towards the ball and link-ups?

No, I'd like them to play the space rather than the position.

And sometimes the space is in front, so you set the game up. And if you don't set up, you create space for the man. That's why our wingers get so many goals.

For me, I'm not precious around who scores. I don't need the striker to score 40 goals because the wingers are getting 3 and 4. The team has scored so many goals this year, I don't know how many it is, but they've scored a lot of goals. And I'm not going to sleep worrying about whether the striker scored or not.

As long as the team is scoring numbers and winning games. Strikers want to score goals, of course they do, but I'm very comfortable with whoever scores. And I think that he can do that from the side, from a central area, if required



What does Jeffrey Schlupp bring to Celtic?

Well, I think firstly his mentality will fit in with the culture here. I've never worked with Jeffrey before, but I've come across him. Obviously, he came through at Leicester City as a young player and won the league there.

The guys I remember speaking to at that time talked about what a good guy he was and what a fantastic player he was. He was multifunctional for them. Incredible pace and power.

Obviously, he moved on to Crystal Palace. And you can see, when he played there a lot of the times in my latter stages there at Leicester, he was a central midfield player. Played in there and played very well.

So, I think what he comes in as, he offers a great option for us in a couple of positions. Greg's been brilliant for us this season, but like all the other players, probably when I look back, we didn't bring in a left-back to cover him last season. I went with Scales as a cover left-back, but I just felt that I didn't want to take that risk this January.

So, we bring him in, his attributes, he's naturally left-sided. Physicality is really good. He's Premier League physicality, running power, touching the ball and, of course, like I say, the experience.

He's really excited about being here and I'm looking forward to spending the next four months with him.

Will he be involved tomorrow?

Yes. Well, hopefully. Hopefully, he will be. He's ready to go. A really good level of fitness and, like I said, he'll really enjoy playing at this club



Do you think, with the additions, you've got a more flexible squad? You have players that can play on each side and inside? Do you think it’s more flexible?

Well, I think we have players that can do that.

It’s like with Jota, he can play on the left or right side, but you'd probably ask him if he'd prefer the left. The view of the game is different.

Jeffrey, like you say, is where he can play in that left-back slot where he's played for Leicester and played for Crystal Palace, but he's also played inside.

So, I think the flexibility is important, especially if you want to have a tight squad. It's probably a little tighter than what I would like, if I'm honest, but the players can do that.

I'm really looking forward to working with him and, like I say, he's a good guy.

He'll fit into the group here, just slip in, no problem. He'll know Kasper from before as well and, like I said, he'll enjoy playing at this club here for the next four months


What do you expect from Dundee in terms of the game and also how do you reconcile training for a team that took you all the way 3-3 but then conceded six against Hearts? How do you balance that?

The training was very easy for that, for 40 minutes, we totally dominated the game. It should have been 2-3 at half-time, conceded a poor goal in counter-attack which typified the rest of the game.

Our counter-pressing wasn't there and then our actual defending. We just weren't physically good enough in the second half. When we're not, I always talk about it when we press well and are aggressive and everything else is good in our game.

It was a very, very easy game to analyse. Counter-attack goal we gave away just before half-time. A deflected goal, comes in but we've got to deal with it. Iin a different area of the pitch then there's no drama and then the third one from a corner.

So we were soft in our defending. Very easy game to analyse. I can absolutely guarantee we won't be that soft again tomorrow.

Is everyone available?

Yes. The ones that are fit are

 

Its true. We were very lucky with the draw we had this season!

 

Sounds like he's expecting a lot better from those around and above him come summer. We really do operate at a tinpot level when it comes to football operations. Yeah business wise we maximise our potential but it's time we started doing the same with our main asset: the football team.

 

We assume not all his fault on this one but he needs a backbone in my humble opinion he should have insisted a striker in before selling Kyogo

 

Can't be arsed with the hassle - exactly how it comes across and I don't blame him.

If the fans want to back the club and really see the club progress, we should be using the next 18 months to hound the board out and keeping Rodgers.

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Big Summer recruitment needed now