Brendan Fraudgers!

BRENDAN RODGERS has admitted he wants a new centre-half in January — to bring Celtic stability in defence.

Hoops boss Rodgers has been rocked by the news Jozo Simunovic has been ruled out for three weeks.

Fellow central defenders Erik Sviatchenko and Dedryck Boyata have also been crocked, and Rodgers will act when the transfer window opens.

Rodgers said: “It’s definitely an area I need to look at now, centre-half is a position where you need stability.

“It’s been unfortunate for us we haven’t had that.

“It hasn’t just been one player who’s been affected, it’s been two and sometimes three at a time who have been out.

“It’s unfortunate, but we have to make do, and we’ll see what January brings.

“In the meantime we move on with the players we have, and we’ll always look to find a way.

“Jozo’s new injury is similar to what it was before, it’s a recurrence and he could be two or three weeks out.

“I would think he will miss the next game against Bayern Munich.

“It’s been difficult for Jozo, but he’s a tough boy and he will come again.”

Rodgers was on the verge of signing South African defender Rivaldo Coetzee in the summer before he failed a medical.

Rodgers then opted against bringing in deadline-day cover, but insists he never expected to be so short on bodies.

He added: “It was also about the availability of the right type because I don’t want to stockpile players and bring one in just for the sake of it.

“Unless you bring in someone who can make an immediate impact — and we tried — it’s something we just have to work around.

“Of course, if someone was to tell me all of my centre-halves would be unavailable for a certain amount of time then I would have had to consider signing someone.

“But I’m a developer of talent, and that’s one of my loves of being in Scotland.

“I love the notion I can groom young players and improve them, and then put them into the team.

“If you just keep buying players then you lose the opportunity to do that.

“You are always open to criticism as a manager if you don’t have a ready-made replacement like they do in the computer games — but unfortunately, it doesn’t work like that.

“I’m one who will give young players a chance. I’ll look from within and see what we have.

“What’s frustrating, of course, is the instability that can bring.

“That’s why you need to have a systematic approach where one goes out and another comes in and they know what they are doing.

“But you have to keep your door open for young players.”

 

I genuinely thought we’d go into the last game against Anderlecht with 0 points and we’d need a big win, anything now is a bonus. We are through.

 

If we qualify for the Europa league we should have players identified and bought with the mindset of winning the thing. Teams like Milan and Arsenal clearly don’t give a * about it, we’d have a good chance against them I’m sure of it. Our main threat are the usual suspects of this competition, Sevilla, Dortmund, Porto. A quarter final is a realistic aim, and from there anything can happen.

We need a new long term defence. Lustigs replacement, an injury free Jozo, Gordon replacement. Don’t expect us to get all them in, but a CB is the minimum expected in this window.

 

The man is infallible as far as I'm concerned. He could finish 4th in the CL group, get papped out of both cups and only win the league and he would still have earned the next 4 years.

The next 4 years is what he is going to get as well. Here we go 10 in a row!!!

 

The progression of PSG and Bayern in the CL will give us a benchmark as to how we are doing.....the results and performance against the above two teams were disappointing but that is the stark reality of the elite gap in Europe.
As supporters we knew when the CL draw took place that we were up against it, but as it got closer to the kick offs then the heart took over and expectations rose and for me .....that is why I felt the pain so much.
However, in the light of day....when I look at the dominance and confidence we have domestically and the records being broke by BR and the march towards ten in a row fills me with immense pleasure.
Getting into the Europa cup is progress........Of course I want us to be competing with the CL elite in Europe, but that will take a few seasons.
I would rather build and develop the team slowly as opposed to borrowing money and jeopardising the club financially.
BR has us on track...Hail Hail.

 

If he manages to sign a top class CB in January and we're in the Europa I can see us doing some serious damage. Even with Boyata and Jozo at their best we could definitely get to the latter stages imo.

 

Brendan Rodgers “absolutely delighted” with Celtic performance esp after midweek in Munich. Knew Hibs could be “potential banana skin”
https://mobile.twitter.com/AlisonGConroy/status/921735597991104513


Brendan Rodgers says “all the players are tired...we just have to manage that”

 

Squad rotation going to be in full swing soon. Hope to see the likes of Ajer getting a game.

 

Should see him and others come in.

 

Aye he is always talking long term, I fully expect him to stay here for the full 4. I have a feeling he wants another treble, was listening to them on the radio talking about how European games could hamper another treble if we are still in it after Christmas. I don't think Brendan will be thinking like that.

 

He wants the quadrupole.

 

Only 44 games more, to beat the record..

 

He’s a man with a plan.

 

BR: “I’m delighted to reach another final, our third one in a year. It’s a great tribute to the mentality of the players.”

BR: "We’ve come back from a tough physical and mental game against Bayern Munich so this could have been a real banana skin.”

BR: "For us to come here, get the win and play the way we did at times and get the goals, has naturally made me very happy.”

BR: "It was a tough game. Lenny’s done a great job with Hibs, first to get them promoted and then to get them really competitive."

BR: "Two really good finishes from Lustig today. It’s a great contribution from him and you can see why he’s a top class international."

BR: "The three subs were important for us today. We needed to change the momentum in the game and I felt they did that.”

BR: "This is a competition that started our journey together as a team. This last year we’ve made history at the club.

BR: "We want to keep rewriting history at the club and that comes with this relentless mentality to win and always perform.”

BR: "We put it to bed now, we have a big game on Wednesday, but when we come back here for the final, we aim to win again.”

 

You can't be serious.

 

I dunno, mate. That describes me perfectly and I'm pretty realistic about the CL and absolutely thrilled with the job Brendan has done.

 

For that comment alone id have just banned him from the site.