Brendan Fraudgers!

You're right about his attitude. He always thought too highly of himself and had a strong sense of entitlement.

I wasn't overly fond of Strachan but I have to agree with him here. McGeady was forever getting above his station, Strachan needed to bring him down a peg.

 

Yep, his ma is from mayo. I do alot of stone masonry on houses and garden walls and know a few other masons here in Mayo. One was telling me just a few weeks ago he was doing the stone work on her house in Achill island. I also know the guy who was brought up next to a pub on achill where he sends home a few things for the kids football team there. Im near sure he was at Ibrox a few years back aswell whenwe * the huns.

 

Yeah, I think his family are something to do with Gielty's pub there in Dooagh on Achill Island.

 

Thats the name! Been in it few times. Great wee pub! Theres signed pics/tops of him in there.

 

Yeah, he used to work behind the bar there as a kid sometimes I think!

 

BR: "It was a stuffy sort of game but I was still proud of the players and how they came through it."

BR: "You are never going to play perfect football in every game but there were moments in the game where I thought we were very good."

BR: "If we had taken our chances it would have been a bit more comfortable than it was at the end when it was 1-0."

BR: "Obviously I would want us to play & perform better."

BR: "But we have so many games in a such a short space of time and we were up against an opponent who was going to make it difficult."

BR: "All in all, a great result. We will play better, but there were certain parts of the game where we were still very good."

BR on @Leighgriff09 not starting: "We wanted Leigh to get 90 min but his calf played up again and that's always a danger sign."

BR: "Our plan was to give him 60 min against Hearts, 60-70min against Kilmarnock and get him through up towards 90 tonight."

BR: "After the Kilmarnock game he felt tightness in his calf. We assessed it and thought it might be too big a risk."

BR: "He felt fine this morning, got his half-hour in and worked his fitness."

BR on possibility of bolstering striking department: "I will definitely have to look at it a lot closer."

BR on how quickly he would like add to the squad: "About availability of a player, look to bring in quality if it becomes available."

BR on whether he could add to the squad early next week: "Maybe, something we have been working towards over course of last few weeks."




BRENDAN Rodgers praised his players for prevailing in tonight’s Glasgow derby against Partick Thistle in which Celtic took all three points at Firhill thanks to Olivier Ntcham’s stunning first-half volley.

The Frenchman clinched the win for the Hoops in the 25th minute after the hosts could only partially clear a Celtic corner, with the new Bhoy on hand to strike the ball perfectly from outside the box.

Although the manager acknowledged his team could have performed at a higher level, he was quick to credit his team for coming away with the win.

“I would obviously want us to play better and perform better, but there are so many games in such a short space of time and you’re playing against an opponent who’s going to make it difficult for us,” he said.

“I’m still really proud of the players and the way they came through it. You’re never going to play perfect football in every game. There were moments in the game where I thought we were very good and others I thought we could have been better. If we took our chances it would have been a bit more comfortable than how it was towards the end when its 1-0.”

Celtic dominated possession throughout the contest and Kieran Tierney, in particular, troubled the Jags with blistering runs forward and numerous crosses into the box.

While the Hoops failed to add to Ntcham’s thundering strike, they did create a number of chances and their never looked in danger of losing their grip on the points.

“I think it was a game that we were in control of without being at our best,” added the Irishman. “Of course, when you don’t take your chances then you need to stand up and be strong. I think the maturity of the team allowed us to see it through to the end.”

 

Love the guy to bits, but we need to get the ball rolling. It sounds like he has far too much trust in his current squad and players. Loves Bitton at CB, and had said recently that he doesn't think we need players in at the back. Now said he's looking at another striker.

Not disagreeing with that, but we have 1 solid, guaranteed to start CB. RB we look fine, but Tierney is the only natural lefty we have. Something happens to him, then what? Simunovic... then a young guy in Ajer (who I really like, but isn't proven yet), Bitton whose been 50/50, and then injured Boyata and Sviatchenko who have both had their struggles.

We need to shore up the CB position and I have a feeling that we are falling into complacency once again. I hope Rodgers doesn't think that all we need is cover at striker.

 

I can kinda see his point.

We've two top class strikers - one of which will probably take the hump when not playing (fair enough), then you've another one to keep happy when he'll probably no get ahead of either Moussa or Griff.

 

BR on whether he could add to the squad early next week: "Maybe, something we have been working towards over course of last few weeks."

 

Aye I have no problem with that view about strikers, but if the CB position costs us at European level then I will have an issue, we are criminally bare there for the next few months given Boyata and Eriks injuries. That is my main gripe at present.

 

Could be continuity is the problem at CB. To rush a new CB just for the Astana game could be seen as panicking and could be counter productive too because it would take a new CB some time to gel. Brendan's reasoning could be to go with continuity and the experience and familiarity that is already in the squad.

 

I agree with you - would love to have another striker in (preferably a targetman type).

 

Has anyone got a link to Brendan's post match interview and the Armstrong question. Cheers

 

https://mobile.twitter.com/btsportfootball/status/896115644227231744/video/1

 

Brendan Rodgers has revealed he is “seriously” considering signing a new striker after fresh fitness concerns were raised over Leigh Griffiths.

The Celtic manager previously indicated he was happy to continue with Griffiths and Moussa Dembele – currently sidelined with a hamstring injury – beyond the current transfer window as he did not see any need for a third striker.

But with Griffiths again experiencing problems with a calf strain, which restricted him to a substitute appearance in last night’s 1-0 Premiership win over Partick Thistle at Firhill, Rodgers has had a change of heart.

“I will definitely have to look at it a little closer now,” he said. “My vision is to have two 
strikers available and fit, pushing each other. If there’s an unavailability and it’s consistent, then I need to seriously look at that.

“The guys are doing great for us. You look at the games they have come through so far. James Forrest is doing great at times, Tom Rogic has played up front as well. But the dynamic of the team is obviously better when you have a number nine who can actually play the role.

“We wanted Leigh to get 90 minutes tonight but his calf was playing up again. That’s always the danger sign. Our plan was to give him 60 minutes against Hearts last Saturday, 60 to 70 against Kilmarnock on Tuesday then try to get him towards 90 tonight in preparation for Astana next in the Champions League.

“But after the Kilmarnock game he felt tightness in his calf on the Wednesday. You always have to be careful with that. So we assessed it and thought it was maybe too big a risk. He felt fine this morning, so he got his half hour at the end of the game.”

Rodgers is also believed to have revisited the possibility of adding central defensive reinforcements to his squad. It’s understood Celtic are interested in highly rated South African international Rivaldo Coetzee, 20, who is with Ajax Cape Town.
http://www.scotsman.com/rodgers-considering-swoop

 

He needs to give the team a right good boot up the backside. A very sloppy performance against thistle.
Fair enough play * but pick up 3 points is always good but just feel the team is not quite at it, early days though