Brendan Rodgers Discussion Thread

rodgers cant sign a new contract if he isnt offered one . the pathetic * leaking stories thinks rodgers is tearing the club apart ,this has gone unchallenged ,case closed .the board must think this action and its message are acceptable ,why would they offer him a new contract if they think weaseling away to scum sun newspaper about him is ok

 

Who is the next manager and how much support will they get

 

Or maybe alot of fans are sick of his play style and want something fresh next year so wont offer one.

 

aye im sick of his style of play ,the outrageous behaviour of trying to sabotage our own manager in the press simply because he asked for better players cant just be brushed off as case closed. the people that did that and supported it by pretending it didnt happen have absolutely no buisness deciding who the next manager should be

 

The next manager in won't be allowed the freedom of thought. They walk to the line of Lawell and His wee gimp Nicolson.

 

Which is exactly why support have to do more to force that * Lawwell out.

* stupid silent protests. Ridiculous decision

 

Do you want to start with injuries then, Brendan? How is everyone ahead of this weekend

Daizen Maeda will be out. He felt his hamstring a little bit towards the end of the last game against Motherwell. He went away internationally to see if it would get better, but he obviously didn't play when he was away.

So, he will miss this weekend, and we'll assess it after that. Paulo Bernardo's been ill, so we'll see how he recovers in the next 24 hours. Apart from that, everyone's okay.

Alistair Johnston?

Yes, Ali's back in training, which is great news for us. Hopefully, all being well, we'll finalise the squad tomorrow, but hopefully he's good to go.

How do you assess the start to the season? What needs to improve for you over the coming months?

I think it's always a challenge, the European aspect of everything. There's a lot made of the past and what has happened. But really, it's addressing now the future going forward.

We've shown glimpses of our game in a lot of our domestic games. We just need to find a more consistent level and, of course, that's something I'm really looking forward to doing. The players are working very, very hard.

We had a really good victory in the last game against a good team that were unbeaten in the league so far. So, we knew we had to really work for that, and we showed our spirit and our quality by the end of that game. So, we want to continue in that vein.

Now, the focus is very much on the seven games in 21 days, and that's my only focus.

What do you expect from Dundee? It can be a difficult trip up the Dens.

Yes, always. Our record there is very, very good as a club over numbers of years, but it still doesn't make it an easy place to go.

I think Steven Preslley will have them really well organised. He'll have them competitive. They've shown already this season that they can get good results and performances.

So, we know coming back after the international game, we need to get our fluency and get our tempo into the game as quickly as we can and look to make it really difficult for them, hopefully.





Brendan, I don't know if you're aware, but the Celtic Fans Collective have put out another statement today, 'not another penny' into the club. Is there a concern that the divide between the supporters and the club is getting deeper?

Well, one, I haven't seen that.

Two, I would say, listen, the Celtic supporters are at the heart of this club. That is what Celtic is synonymous with, and hopefully going forward, we can find that balance that allows that great support to spill onto the field and obviously, we have that harmony throughout the club.

But until then, I'm sure both parties will continue discussing. In the meantime, it's really about affecting what we can, and that's on the pitch.

Just on that, do you think it can have any impact on the team in any way?

Well, we have to control that or try and influence that as much as we possibly can. I think on a day-to-day basis up here on the training field, of course, it doesn't. Our focus is very much on training, developing, preparing the team and then obviously bringing that out onto the matchday.

Then from that, we get the great support, and they can hopefully push the team and that's all you can hope for.

Brendan, do you almost feel that yourself and the team can be caught between the two because you can see both sides of the debate almost? You see what the fans want, and you can also see what the board might be getting at and where they come from as well. Do you feel that sometimes you and the team can be stuck between the two?

No, I just think that I can really only affect going forward and affect the future of the team and influence as best I can. You can't control everything in terms of as a manager, but you can certainly influence. The biggest influence is for the players and the training and the team and that's what we have to focus on.

In terms of the meeting, Brendan, that took place last week between some figures from the club's board and fan representatives, as manager, were you given any feedback to what was discussed or do you try and separate yourself from that as much as you can?

I get to understand and get to hear a little bit, but of course, that remains closed, what we'll speak about.

How difficult has it been and how frustrating is it when you've still got all these things bubbling on in the background? Look at the moment you guys had in the last game where there was a real togetherness in that last minute, because then you might think that's been put to the back burner and then it's the international break and it starts to bubble up again?

Like I said, I think that with my experience, you tend to try to focus on what you actually can do. I think if you go too deep into it, and of course, we want the synergy throughout the whole club. That's what we all want, we all want what's best for Celtic.

Control what you can, which is the football element and look to do that on the pitch and on the training pitch every single day. That's really where my focus is.

I try not to get too involved, of course I'm involved. I love Celtic, I love managing Celtic, I want Celtic to be the very best every single season. Of course, there's a focus there on the general health of the club, but like I said, it's for me to focus on the performance level of the team and that won't be clouded at all. I need to make sure that we perform and we make results.

Still a while before the transfer window opens again, you're linked with Bobby Clark. Is there anything you can tell us about that?

It's one that's come from a long way out. I wouldn't normally say anything on anything, but I really don't know where that has come from at all. Especially in October. I'm really not sure where that's come from.

Is it like what happened in the last window, Brendan? Is there a real urgency when you're doing business, if you're doing business, it's early doors come January?

Listen, for the overall health of the club, like I say, it's not just about one window. The club is about progressing each time you go through each window. That's the whole idea.

Obviously, when January comes, the squad, if it needs strengthening, then that's what hopefully can be done. But we're quite away from that yet, so if you can just park that for a few more weeks, then we can focus on the football here and now.

You mentioned there's seven games in 21 days. Does this feel at the start of a kind of intensive spell for the club?

I think it's a really exciting spell for the club. I think that early part of the season, where sometimes you are playing one game a week, and obviously, we've had some of the European games as well. But I think when you come into this period, and especially after the break in November, you're really starting to get into the thick of it then.

But there's no doubt this period now, between now and the next break, is some big games in there, some really important games. But it's for us to really embrace and really take on the challenge, and let's just do it. It's exciting, seven days as well, we begin next Sunday.

It's going to be something like Dens Park on Sunday. Does that put extra pressure on you, somewhere where you haven't lost for so long? As you mentioned earlier, I think it's 1988 since Celtic last lost there?

I haven't really thought of it, I don't know the date, but I now know. It never comes into the consideration really. I think that we go into the games, I've always enjoyed going to there. It's a nice big open pitch and we always get a great support there.

We know it'll be a difficult game. Steven will ensure that. He'll have his team really, really well organised. They'll work very hard, but the onus will be on us to bring our game to hopefully make the result.

How have you found the international breaks? Obviously, you've got these seven games now, you're trying to get a bit of rhythm up. It's been quite difficult to do that when you've had these stoppages.

Yes, I think the preference would have been, ideally, was that you'd lose one of these and put them in, whether you had a break in January would have been the ideal scenario.

It is that little bit challenging, of course, to find that rhythm, but there's still enough games in there. We all know it's there before the start of the season. We all know.

You just want to make sure that you can find your performance level whilst you're playing and get to the next international break in a good place.

I think this is the first time I've had the chance to speak to you since Russell Martin left Rangers. What was your reaction to the news and the surprise that he was given such a short period of time, albeit there was fans protesting?

I think you're always disappointed when any manager loses his job and Russell being no different. It was a challenge that he'll learn from in his career. He's got many more years left as a coach and a manager. I've always said, when you manage here at Celtic or Rangers, the pressure really is relentless.

You find out things about yourself and this role and this job, and I'm sure he would have done that. I wish him all the best, and he'll probably have a bit of time out and then look to go again and use this experience.

You said earlier this morning that a job in the Premier League sometimes can feel like a holiday compared to up here. Is that something underestimated?

Yes, I think it's something that, especially for people down south and without knowing the level and the intensity and the sheer size of the clubs up here. Especially Celtic and Rangers, they're huge clubs. I've always said that this job here is right up there in terms of pressure.

From managing at different clubs in the Premier League at different times, a promoted club, a mid-table club and a top club. Celtic is right up there at the very top in terms of pressure and resilience needed. It is a challenge for every manager, especially coming into Celtic and Rangers.

You only hope that you can meet that pressure and deal with that and somehow succeed.

It looks like Kevin Muscat is going to be appointed at Rangers. He spent most of his career in Asia and Australia. Is he someone you've ever come across in your career? Also, when your rivals appoint a new manager, is it a challenge you welcome or do you not pay too much heed to it?

I think every team that changes manager, you always accept and take on the challenge of new ideas and that freshness that they may bring.

I don't know Kevin that well, but I came across him a few times when I was at Liverpool. He came in to training when I was manager at Liverpool and I spent some time with him there.

Then, of course, when we travelled over to Australia with Liverpool and met him and Ange when I was there. As I said, I don't know him that well, but he's done a really good job in the teams that he's been at in Asia. If he's to be the new manager coming in, then it's another new challenge. As I said, for us, we'll be ready for it.

 

The Nicholson shrug wont have gone unnoticed by Rodgers. Combine that with the lack of willingness to flush the rat out after he'd taken a very public stance on it then it's safe to say he'll now know he's not got the support of those above him. They've nailed their colours to the mast with those two actions and I think that'll see him gone at the seasons end. Not unless the collective can force some serious change between now and then.

 

I get the board are the major problem, but why is Rodgers suddenly untouchable/infallible? How did that happen?

The teams not been great, other than over a few months last season, and our domestic haul is worse than the previous managers, whilst the team and style of plays went downhill.

I get some of that's to do with not investing enough, but given Rodgers ineptitude in the transfer window I don't get the clamour for him to get complete oversight and decision making on targets.

Am I missing something?

 

Aye seems to be getting a free ride due to issues with the board.

Can get rid of that board, sort recruitment and spend serious money in the summer and next season he'd still be having us play the same slow, boring, side to side passing he's had us play the vast majority of his time as manager here.

His 1st 18 months or so as manager here when we were invincible was great. His last year was brutal and this time around he's had a 4 months of good football out of 2 and a bit years