Brendan Rodgers Discussion Thread

Players need a system to thrive.

Shankland scored 9 goals last season playing in a crap Hearts team. Hes scored 7 already this season with a better manager and more direct style of play.

I dont think Miovski has had a shot on target since he signed for the huns because their set up is rank.

Our squad for SPL level is more than good enough to be putting in better performances and scoring more goals than what we are seeing at the moment.

 

A manger needs players for his system. When you don't back the manager, sell your top scorers and don't replace them makes no difference what your system is, its inevitably going to be worse. Shankland and Miovski are better strikers than Johnnny Kenny. Both of them will likely outscore Iheanacho. As I said in my original posts, stop looking at games on an individual basis. No one cares if we have a better team than Livingston. Basics of a Celtic squad are to play twice a week including Europe and challenge on all fronts. We're woefully short.

 

I was being sarcastic

 

I do think Rodgers is not blameless in all this. It feels to me as if he has checked out essentially and feels he has probably done enough to secure his legacy as it stands. We will win the league but it is going to be a far harder slog than it needed to be. He is wedded to 4-3-3 despite being pretty tactically adept in his first spell. Recruitment has been abysmal. How much is down to him is hard to say, but he certainly signed off the likes of Engels, Trusty, Idah and Bernardo which is appearing like a colossal waste of money in Scottish league terms.

The summer transfer window was utterly unforgivable though. BR has one hand tied behind his back for sure. He has been royally shafted. If someone had told me in January that by September we would have sold Kyogo and Kuhn for the guts of £27 million and replaced them with a £5 million player from the Swedish league and Iheanacho I would have laughed you out of the place. I know we signed Jota which was massive but he then gets a long term injury so we are left with Yang and Forrest on the right wing. I would have said you were mad. But the Celtic Board have managed to achieve it.

 

I agree he's not blameless. Not sure I agree with the mentally checking out though. I think he's proved beyond doubt that he wants to be here and would have been entitled to walk. Can understand that he doesn't want to abandon his formation and tactics, but he may be forced to with what's available to him.

Can also understand why he's signed off on those targets with a view to improving in Europe. And we did improve in Europe last season and had our most enjoyable campaign in a long time. Both Engels and Trusty played well in the Champs League I thought. They look expensive signings on paper for us but let's be honest in modern footballing terms its still peanuts. We could also sell them at any point and recoup the money back if needed so I don't see them as a big issue.

Totally agree in regards to where we're at now. If you had shown any Celtic fan the scenario we'd end up in every one of them would be fuming, which is why I'm so baffled that there are so many on here ignoring the recruitment fiasco and using the failed "Ah well Brendan has enough, look at the trophies we've won in the last 20 years" argument. Its a pathetic situation to be in and folk thinking a new manager could walk in tomorrow and start smashing teams with that squad is laughable.

 

Helps when half our squad hasn't got their eyes elsewhere but.

 

Sorry

 

Right first things first. The board are scum and have never came close to maximise our potential since Martin O’Neill’s days. But if Brendan is our manager in the summer it will stay exactly the same. I think they will loosen the purse strings a bit with a new manager. Think they see his bigger signings , Idah, dud, Engels, dud, Trusty, doesn’t get a game, Bernardo, doesn’t get a game, Balakwisha already under suspicion. That’s nearly £40 million with very little return. They won’t spend under Brendan Rodgers

 

Rodgers best signings are his notebook free transfers.

 

Neither Idah or Engels were/are duds.

 

What’s done is done, we have what we have, so it’s up to manager to get a tune out of them and he’s not doing it. At the end of the day, players we have should be blasting away every spl team but we are a one trick pony team side now and have been for past 9 months, so predictable that every manager has us figured out. And all that’s on Rodger’s and them so called coaches. Way too ridged or stubborn to change things up when things not going to plan, never has a plan b

 

Idah is definitely a dud, Engles is strongly looking that way. Hopefully not.

 

Goal chopped off, wood work twice. Infact it statistically was the most chances we've created this season. Let the attack get confident and goals will flow.

 

Any coincidence that Hatate wasn't playing?

 

Disallowed goals don't count.

Still no goals scored and that is what wins matches. Four goalless games this season already. Five draws already this season. Suggesting no clinical cutting edge upfront. Shots fired straight down the goalkeeper's throat, instead of to either side of him, or out of reach. Shots hitting the woodwork count actually as misses. A goal is 24ft wide and 8ft high, no excuse for your forwards not getting their shots on target, it's actually a sign of poor coaching.

We struggled badly against St.Mirren and especially Kilmarnock.
Taken in insolation, the Red Star performance has probably been our best, but it was still a draw.

We are not tangibly improving, we are arguably getting worse.

 

Brendan, looking at this game, what challenges will you face tomorrow evening?

Braga started the competition with a good victory against Feyenoord. Like most Portuguese teams, they are very well organised. They'll play, we think, 3-4-3. They are maybe not in the best form domestically, but it's irrelevant.

It's a cup competition, and obviously, their last result demonstrated that. They're a team of good players, a good young manager, and it'll be a good test for us.






it also a good gauge for you as well? You were talking about being realistic in this competition, but will this be a good gauge of where your team are at just now?

Yes, I think that we're all in, in the competition, we want to go as far as we possibly can.

We had a good result and the second half performance last week, and if we can take that into this game at home. We want to be really strong, particularly at home. Of course, you need to have strength and resilience, which we've shown all season in all the competitions.

But if you're going to do well in this competition, you want to do well in your home games for sure.







You created plenty of chances over the weekend. Is that a positive you take, but also taking it further, you need to be more clinical?

Yes, it's a simple message. We have to transfer the superiority into the goals. Our ball speed was good, creativity was good. In terms of my baseline philosophy, and how I want to work, it was there.




The speed in the game was good, the creativity was there, chances were there. We just need to find that ruthlessness. That just comes with new players coming into the system, into the structure, understanding how we work, specifically to break down certain defences.

But yes, just that final touch, really.






What do you think the atmosphere is going to be like in this one, given on a European night at Celtic Park, normally, it's very noisy. This time around, it might not be full. There's a protest with the silence for 29 minutes. What do you think it will be like, and how do you try and get the players to deal with that?

I think our focus is pretty much on the performance on the pitch. That is the only thing that we can control.

I really hope that the stadium is full, because that's what Celtic is about for me. It's an incredible club, and our history is based around our supporters and what they bring. So I understand frustrations, but I hope that we still have a full stadium here backing the team.




In that environment, how important is it to get a fast start, given that there is going to be that silence, to give fans something to cheer about?

It always is. It's a big mantra of mine. I always like to start games really quickly and get into the running. You can't always, but that is always our notion, especially at home. We want to challenge every team that comes here right from the very first whistle.

So that quick start in the game is not new; it's what we want to do.







We saw Auston Trusty on social media, that he's back in training. How close is he, and what's the rest of your team news for tomorrow?

Auston's back training, which is great. Reo Hatate is back training, which is good. So we've really only got Alistair Johnston out. Ali will join us probably the week leading into Dundee, after the international break. But he's working really well. The other two guys I mentioned will be close to the squad.




How important do you feel it is for momentum to try and get that first win of the league phase as early as you possibly can?

I do think it's important. I think it can set the tone for the rest of the competition. Of course, at home,we want to be really, really strong and make it really difficult. We were that last year in Europe and we want to be likewise this year




Just mentioning those games last year, especially RBLeipzig and Young Boys and Club Brugge and all that stuff. What did you learn from those games and the approach of the matches? Did you change things, or did you take it the same as you do domestically? What was the feeling in those games?

It was pretty much the same. I suppose what you have is, in Europe, you have the other team here wanting to win also. That gives you space.

When we play RB Leipzig, we know that they're a top team. They were doing great in Germany and hadn't conceded any goals, or very few if any, at the time we played them. They know that we want to win, and I know that they want to win. But on the night, we were outstanding. Just our football, the level of our game, the speed of it, the tempo of the game.

I'm pretty much sure that tomorrow their philosophy will be to attack. We see how they defend, and that always tells you the notion of a team and how much they want to attack.

I believe they will want to press from the beginning. They'll press in the mid-pitch, and hopefully then that can give us space to work the ball. So what did I learn? I learned that at that point last season, we were in a really, really good moment. The team was full of creativity and goals and speed and tempo. That's ultimately how we want to play.






That was a solid result in Belgrade, Brendan. Do you think the players have taken a lot of belief from that? Has that given them confidence going into tomorrow night and the games ahead?

Yes, and I also think the disappointment of not winning the game because we felt that we could have won the game. We're not just happy to take the point in general. I think we played against a team that were doing very, very well.

They had seven straight victories in the domestic league, which gives them confidence. I think they had some really good players, but we went there and challenged that and felt that with the second-half performance, we could have done even more in the game. But like we've been all season, we have a strong foundation defensively.

If we bring that to tomorrow night's game and continue working and look to, as I said, get the goals to match some of the approach play, then that will give us even more confidence.






It was a very intimidating venue, strong atmosphere and the players have dealt with it pretty well. Does that give you a kind of reassurance as well for other venues that are coming up, and just the general pressure of Europe?

Yes, I think the pressure in general of playing for Celtic is always there, and that's something that's inherent. It's something that surprises lots of players when they come to here. There are players who, from the outsid,e will look in and go, I want to be a part of that big club, it's great. It wins trophies, it plays in Europe, so I want to be there.

Then, when they arrive, they feel, wow, there's a cost to all that. You have to perform and there's pressure. I think as a player, as a manager here, you know there's always that pressure.

Playing in the stadiums is all a part of that.






Just on that, you've seen teams come in here in Europe and perhaps been a bit spooked at first by the atmosphere. Does the fact that it might be quieter at the start than usual, does that change your approach to the game at all?

It won't change our approach. Our approach is the same; it's to start fast, get on the front foot and really impose our style in the game straight away. Always, whatever the reaction is to that, we have to control on the pitch, really, what it is we have to do.






Speaking to a few of the fans, they don't seem that fussed about the Europa League, maybe because it's not the Champions League, some are not buying tickets, but for you, how important is Europa League this season?

It's very important. We didn't earn the right as a club to be in the Champions League. We wanted to be there, but we weren't. We're now in a prestigious competition. For us as a team and coaches, and players, we really look forward to this challenge.

We'll come up against some really, really good teams. For us, it's still a great tournament to be involved in.




Will it be nights like this against Braga, away from the domestic scene, where you feel maybe the players will get back to the levels that you want? Do you think it can be some kind of an inspiration?

Yes, I just think it's time. I think we refer back a lot to the opening of last season and where the team is at. In the main, that team was fluid and prepared. A lot of the players played the system, understood the intensity with which we worked, and how we break teams down.

Obviously, we had goal scorers. Now, it's a change in terms of personnel to the new dimensions, the new connections that you bring in. You always hope that they can arrive straight away, but if not, it takes time.

What I do know is that you have to win. Whatever settling-in period there is or isn't, whether you're managing a big club like Celtic or a club in a lower league, when you go out onto the field, you're out to win. That's full stop.

That's what we want to do. For us, we want to play well. That's very important. For us, like I said, guys understanding the connections, understanding the pressures of playing for Celtic. Hopefully, I believe, through the season, we'll improve and get better. Whether it's domestic or Europe, our focus is on performing and winning.






How do you get them better? You alluded to it a year ago that there are guys at the moment whose levels have dipped since then. How do you get that back? Never mind recruitment and that, but the guys that were actually here.

Well, listen, I say levels have dipped. Of course, we're not scoring as many goals as normal. But the team are still showing a real resilient side. We haven't lost this season.

Defensively, we're very strong. You don't need to be a rocket scientist to understand where and why we haven't got the goals. A manager can always transform a team, but the trajectory of a team will always come down to the level of players that you have.

That's not changed. Football is not rocket science. It's the same way back in years as to what it is now. The players ultimately will transform the trajectory of your football.

So for us, we've brought some new players in. We give them time to settle in. But whilst we're doing that, we support them and the players that are here. We continue to work with them and look to push the levels as we go through the season.






Just on Colby Donovan, he got a deserved rest at the weekend? Is he raring to go for tomorrow night?

He'll be available for the squad, yes. I thought he was outstanding last weekend. He's been a real bright spark since coming up. I've really liked Colby since I came back.

Just his personality, what it takes and what it needs to play for Celtic. From a mentality perspective, he's shown really good signs of that early on. You have to manage young players like that.

Like I said, he's played his couple of games with Scotland. He's played games back-to-back with the first team, so you have to be mindful and manage that. I've been so pleased for him and great that he's available for the squad.




Just in the long run, how good can experiences like that be for him, playing in the Europa League consistently?

I think European football gives them that. Obviously, it's a different type of game as well. Domestically, a lot of it is playing on half a pitch.

Over the course of European football, you have different challenges. Just dealing with the different environments. I've got no qualms about Colby with that.

I think it's one of the big factors I like about him. He's frightened of nothing. He shows that in how he trains, and then he takes that into the games. That's what gives you the confidence to play a young player like that.




Just finally, can I ask about Hayato Inamura and Shin Yamada? I don't think either of them have been in the squad since the international break. What's the situation with those two guys?

The guys are just training hard and well. If there's ever a spot that opens for them, then they'll be in as fit a condition as they possibly can be. Like I said, there are players in front of those guys.

They are good guys that are working very hard. If the opportunity comes for them, then they'll put themselves in a good place.




Brendan, you were asked earlier about how a potentially subdued atmosphere could affect your team. But conversely, would you be concerned that a subdued atmosphere could play into the hands of the opposition, who are more used to a hostile, more intimidating environment?

I think that obviously Celtic Park is renowned for its atmosphere and what it can do to the opponent. So it's probably something, in all fairness, you would have to ask the other team.

But I suppose my message is, probably for the longer term, is that hopefully both parties can sit down and respect the differences and find a solution so that we can all pull together again.

Because that's what's always key here for Celtic. Until that happens, I need to manage the team to maximise what we can get out of the team. And knowing that the team will be very focused on getting the results that the club want

 

I haven't seen any reason to think Balikwisha or Bernardo were Rodgers' signings and, whatever is happening with them this season, both Trusty and Engels played a huge part in our best European season in over a decade last season.

The only Rodgers signing that was a clear flop was Idah. Even then, we overpaid due to the board not getting an option to buy as part of the loan deal rather than due to Rodgers.