Brendan Rodgers: Quality is a given, focus and the professionalism needed to deliver another Treble

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The Celtic Star

·10 March 2025

Brendan Rodgers: Quality is a given, focus and the professionalism needed to deliver another Treble

Brendan Rodgers spoke to the media after Celtic’s convincing 2-0 victory over Hibernian to book their place in the Scottish Cup semi-final and the Celtic manager turned his attention to theRangers at the weekend…

Adam Idah of Celtic celebrates after scoring to give them a 2-0 lead Celtic v Hibernian, Scottish Gas Scottish Cup, Quarter Final, Celtic Park, – 09 March 2025. Photo Stuart Wallace/Shutterstock

Q: Your thoughts on Celtic’s performance?

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Brendan Rodgers: “We were very good in the game, apart from a little spell in the second half. I thought our compactness and control in the game was really, really good, and the keeper makes some really good saves. We just had a wee spell in the second half, maybe for 10-12 minutes, where we just loosened our passing and didn’t quite connect the game, so that gives them a little bit of impetus.

Daizen Maeda of Celtic scoring during the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup Quarter-Final match between Celtic and Hibernian at Celtic Park on March 09, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

“But no, looking through the course of the game, we were very good, and we have to be, because against a team that’s high in confidence, we wanted to control their system, how they play. We have to move them, so we’ve got to get it side to side, to penetrate, to work them. The keeper makes some brilliant saves, but overall, I thought we were thoroughly deserving to get to the semi-final.”

Q: Did what happened at Easter Road a couple of weeks ago give the players any extra motivation, if they needed it?

Brendan Rodgers: “No, listen, revenge is a word I never like to use in football. It’s just, they got the win on the day, we have to analyse it and see where we can be better. And we were that, right from the first whistle of the game, right to the end. Concentration was really, really good, competitive, aggressive, strong, win the first ball, second ball, and then we looked to play.”

Q: Do you notice a difference when you’ve had a free midweek win, in terms of the energy levels and the performance?

Brendan Rodgers: “Yes, what I would say is, I think the energy levels of the players have been unbelievable throughout the season. I think once we had arrived at Hibs a few weeks back, we were coming towards the end of that spell, which the players had been brilliant in. But there’s absolutely no doubt that when you can have that period to recover and freshen up physically, mentally, then clearly it does help you.”

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7500 Hibernian fans in Celtic Park as the away allocation is increased due to the cup tie Celtic v Hibernian, Scottish Gas Men s Scottish Cup, Quarter Final, Celtic Park, – 09 March2025. Photo Stuart Wallace Shutterstock

Q: That extended away allocation at Hibs, do you think that really added to the occasion? And does that sort of whet the appetite for next weekend, with getting back to bigger numbers for the games against theRangers?

Brendan Rodgers: “I think it’s the first step, isn’t it? I thought it was great atmosphere today, a beautiful day. The noise was good and that activates our supporters as well. Hibs have had, as I said, a really, really good run. They’ll be disappointed to lose, but the supporters can be proud of their team.

“For us, our supporters as well, we give them so much pride in their team because of what they’ve given to the season. The professionalism, the passion that they’re playing with and the hunger to gain results consistently is very impressive. Yes, I thought the atmosphere was really good. And this is the game next week as well, with 2,500 (the)Rangers supporters. Hopefully in time, that might grow. But if not, at least we get some allocation of supporters in the away games.”

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Daizen Maeda of Celtic is seen during the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup Quarter-Final match between Celtic and Hibernian at Celtic Park on March 09, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Q: Your team is in a very good place ahead of the derby game next week?

Brendan Rodgers: “Yes, we can recover now. That was a really good performance. And then, obviously, we’re at home and we love playing here. And we want to attack the game. (the)Rangers are a really good opponent. So, we have to be aware of counter-attack, but we’ll prepare that throughout the week.”

Q: You’ve had goals coming from all over the team this season, but is it in a way pleasing to see both your central strikers scoring?

Brendan Rodgers: “It doesn’t really matter to me. I don’t lose sleep if the strikers don’t score, to be honest. For me, there’s a responsibility to everyone in the team. But it’s absolutely great if those guys that are paid to score goals and create goals are doing it. Daizen Maeda’s anticipation for the first goal is incredible, really. The ground he makes up at such a short speed. If you look at when he moves, the distance and shots are short. The space he makes up over the centre-half to get the finish was great. And Adam coming in, I know what he can bring. He can bring goals. He can give us that physicality when we need it. And like I say, we could have had a few more in the last 10 minutes.”

Adam Idah of Celtic celebrates scoring the second goal with teammate Arne Engels and Cameron Carter-Vickers during the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup Quarter-Final match between Celtic and Hibernian at Celtic Park on March 09, 2025.. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Q: Is that going to be a headache for us ahead of next week?

Brendan Rodgers: “No, there’s no headache. I sleep well, my friend. I sleep very well. And I know the players have been great. They’ve been really, really good for me. So, I’ll pick what I think is the best team and they know that at some point, we’ll need other players to come into the game.”

Q: You mentioned not liking the word revenge, but is there a wee added extra edge to next week, just for the players to kind of show what happened at New Year was an aberration?

Brendan Rodgers: “No, listen, we were well beaten on the day. (the)Rangers stole our game that day. That’s normally how we play and how we do, but they took it from us and deserved the win. But we will be ready for the demands of that game. I said before, I’d never had the team really like that in any of those games. So, the demands that are needed to play in that game, we will be ready for them next week, like we weren’t in the last game.”

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Jota of Celtic acknowledges the fans after the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup Quarter-Final match between Celtic and Hibernian at Celtic Park on March 09, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Q: Are you expecting a different kind of theRangers with the managerial change?

Brendan Rodgers: “I’m not sure. I’m not sure. I think when I analyse (the)Rangers, I see the team that is still doing what they’ve done all season. Been very good in Europe, probably a wee bit inconsistent domestically. But the strength of the team is in counter-attack. It’s not when the team’s camped in and connecting the game. So, we have to be mindful of that. Barry will come with passion and professionalism and want to get a result here. But I do as well. So, it’ll be a great game. We’ll look forward to it and, as I said, when I arrived, it’ll be brilliant.”

Q: When I was speaking to Callum after that game, he was really strong. Did you sense that day that the players were kind of jarred by it, despite the success you’re going to have this season, they want to make up for that?

Brendan Rodgers: “It’s one where you want to win every game. That’s always our mindset and especially those games. We’ve won those well and not always playing brilliant football all the time. But on that day, maybe because we were 14 points clear and you’re in a good position in the league, it just maybe softened us up a wee bit.

Nicolas Kuhn of Celtic and Jack Iredale of Hibernian challenge for the ball Celtic v Hibernian, Scottish Gas Scottish Cup, Quarter Final, Celtic Park, – 09 March 2025 Photo Stuart Wallace/Shutterstock

“But definitely, we didn’t meet the demands of what you need in that game and how my team’s playing with intensity and physicality. So, now we arrive in this game in an even better place than what we were there. But we will be in a different way and sometimes you need that. Sometimes you need that setback to make you think that you have to do the work.

“These players, I have to say, what they’ve given over the course of this season, the demands that they’ve met at every level, the consistency, the mentality, the professionalism, the quality has put us in this amazing position with a semi-final now to look forward to and nine games left in the league.”

Q: With that semi-final, you obviously have a tremendous record in the Scottish Cup. Can I ask you what that means to you?

Brendan Rodgers: “Yes, well, it’s special because I said to the players beforehand, this is a club that over 128 years had won three Trebles. And since 2016, we’ve won the number that we have. And a big part of that, for me, you get down to, because it’s not quality. Teams from years ago have always had quality and they’ve always had passion. But for me, it’s the focus and the professionalism. And that’s what we’ve tried to be.

Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel and Jeffrey Schlupp of Celtic applaud fans after final whistle Celtic v Hibernian, Scottish Gas Scottish Cup, Quarter Final, Celtic Park, 9 March 2025 Photo Stuart Wallace/Shutterstock

“So once we arrive into these games, like today, be professional, get your focus right, get the work in and then that will take you to Hampden. And then when we go to there, everything suits us. Pitch is great, good size, always in decent condition, suits our football, then go and play your game. That’s always been my mantra. So we’ll look forward to whoever we play in the semi-final. And the job will be to, at that point, get to the final.”