Brendan Rodgers Media Conference – “Well, it’s on to the next game” | OneFootball

Brendan Rodgers spoke to The Celtic Star and other media outlets at this afternoon’s media conference at Lennoxtown as the Hoops prepare to face Hibs at Celtic Park this weekend…

Brendan Rodgers, Celtic Glasgow press conference ahead UEFA Europa league match against Crvena zvezda at Rajko Mitic stadium, Belgrade 23.09.2025 Belgrade Rajko Mitic stadium Serbia Photo VM/MN Press

Q: It’s back to league business after the games in other competitions. What’s the overriding feeling ahead of this weekend?

Brendan Rodgers: “Well, it’s on to the next game. I think, as I said, we take a point and some positives in the performance (against Red Star Belgrade) and show good spirit, resilience and now we’re back playing again. So, yeah, the team’s in good spirits.”

Q: Obviously, the end of the window was a bit hectic and maybe trying to get players up to speed and so on. Can you see that progression?

Brendan Rodgers: “Yeah, I think now and going through, you start to find the rhythm and, of course, there’s another international break soon. I think now you start to play games, and you start to use the squad more and everything else. I think we showed great spirit the other night. It’s not an easy place to go, and plenty of people will tell you that, but we went and found a way to get a result and make the first steps in the competition and now players are starting to find their levels.”

Q: How are you finding the balance of your attack at the moment? I’m thinking of a few different guys, maybe at different levels of form and in different situations at the club. How satisfied or otherwise are you with the balance you’ve got in your front three?

Brendan Rodgers: “Well, I think that is a consequence of where we were, obviously from the summer, so we have to look to find it. It’s not as natural maybe as where it was last year in some ways, but I think we can see opportunities there for the likes of Kelechi Iheanacho coming into the team and I know he’s a natural striker and he can do really good things for us. That’s part of the challenge, of course, is filling the gaps, maybe, where we have some.”

Daizen Maeda – Crvena zvezda vs Celtic Glasgow UEFA Europa league match at Rajko Mitic stadium, Belgrade 24.09.2025Belgrade Rajko Mitic stadium Serbia. Photo: VM/MN Press

Q: Part of that puzzle, I suppose, would be Daizen, who had a brilliant season last season. You mentioned other nights, maybe not at his best. With all the talk about him at the end of the window, where is his head at? Are you trying to fit him into the team at the moment?

Brendan Rodgers: “Well, I think that is part of the management process because you can’t underestimate how difficult it’s been for him. This is a guy who’s given absolutely everything for this football club and even sometimes when you want to give your best, there’s a subconscious thing that can obviously hold you back a little bit. What’s important is, like I say to any player in this situation, it’s so important that you don’t get caught up in this sort of mentality of ‘it’s not fair’ because when you get caught in that, it’s a very dangerous territory and it’s hard to move on from.

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Daizen Maeda at Firhill. Partick Thistle v Celtic. Premier Sports League Cup. Sunday 21 September. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

“You have to really look forward, really do it for your teammates, do it for your family, do it for your supporters and then eventually you get confidence back and you start to get back to your normal self. He’s been an incredible player for this club, and I’m pretty sure over these coming weeks he’ll get back to the form that he’s shown. I can only talk from my couple of years here, he’s been absolutely sensational. So, he will get back to that, but it is always a challenge. It’s not a light bulb, you just switch the flick on and off. This game is about emotions as well, and it can be challenging for players.”

Q: From what you know about his mindset, having worked with him for a good while, are you quite confident that he will be able to get past that period? I think you said in February that he maybe wanted to leave, but from February onwards was probably his best form that he’s had?

Daizen Maeda of Celtic reacts to missing an opportunity Kairat Almaty v Celtic, UEFA Champions League, Play-Off Round, Second Leg, Football, Almaty Central Stadium, Almaty, Kazakhstan – 26 Aug just 2025Almaty Almaty Central Stadium Kazakhstan Photo Nikita Bassov/Shutterstock

Brendan Rodgers: “I think that you’re going to have dips as a player, no matter if he’s here and committed for four or five years for example you can still have dips in your form and I think with Daizen it’s very obvious just because of the level of work and intensity that he plays with. I’m very confident that he will get back to the level, and like I say, as a guy, he’s a great person and leaves everything out on the field. He’s had this little issue around his ankle as well, which hasn’t helped, but he will continue to give absolutely everything.”

Q: What type of challenge are you expecting from Hibs, maybe not in the form he’d want to be in coming into this game?

Brendan Rodgers: “I think David’s teams are well organised. Some good results, some indifferent results for them but David showed last year in that point when they were suffering the he had coaching ability and managerial ability to turn it around and they end up having a great season. Unfortunately in the European work that they didn’t qualify and sometimes it takes a little bit of time to come through that but we’re still prepared for a tough game, they’ve got good players, they’re well-coached will make it difficult for us. Even last year we played really well at Celtic Park in the games but we still have to work very hard to get the result.”

Q: It was revealed today that some sections of the support are planning a silent protest that will increase for the next three home games is that something that maybe concerns you about potentially the impact it could have on the pitch?

Brendan Rodgers: “Well, I haven’t seen that as of yet. All I know, the uniqueness of Celtic as a football club is the supporters, and what makes them unique is the fanatical support that we get, so I can only hope that continues because it really lifts this team, and it lifts myself, it lifts everyone involved with the team, but yeah, I wasn’t aware of that.”

Q: Especially for European games you look to Braga next Thursday, that European atmosphere is something that really helps?

Brendan Rodgers: “Yeah absolutely, it’s a really special place but I would say it for every game the support we had there was incredible and it really pushed us and really helps us. European nights are special at Celtic Park of course but I would always go and say that wherever we travel, whether it’s home or away, it’s the Celtic support that makes this club.”

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Q: Playing three games a week, how does that affect your work on your training pitch?

Brendan Rodgers: “It just limits it of course in terms of the intensity of which you can work, like you say. You play on Wednesday night you travel back, most of the squad and players would have got home about half five in the morning and then you’re recovering the rest of Thursday, then you’re in today to recover and do some light bits of technical work, go through the tactical analysis in here with the players and then you’re straight into the game. I think for a lot of us, when you’re at a big club, you have to get used to it, it’s part of the challenge. It’s the rhythm of games, recovery, play games and then like I say, it’s where your squad comes into it.”

Reo Hatate of Celtic Crvena zvezda v Celtic, UEFA Europa League, Football, Rajko Mitic Stadium, Belgrade, Serbia – 24 Sep 2025Belgrade Rajko Mitic Stadium Serbia Photo Nikola Krstic Shutterstock

Q: Everybody okay from the other night?

Brendan Rodgers: “Yes, we’ve got Reo Hatate as a question mark, but apart from that, we’re virtually the same.”

Q: What’s the issue with Reo?

Brendan Rodgers: “He felt a bit tight in his hamstring, so we’ll just have to monitor that, and I’ll find out this afternoon where he’s at.”

Q: Obviously, we spoke about the attack you had before how do you feel about the midfield and that part of the team how that’s functioning at the moment?

Brendan Rodgers: “I think all those guys in midfield, there’s a purpose why you carry so many at a club like this here because you know that when you get into the thick of the games you need all the energy, you need all the qualities and the ability to change the game if needed. I think in the early part of the season, if you’re playing one game a week, it can be tough. I said before that we’re trying to find rhythm as a team but all those guys will play a part absolutely. Then it’s up to yourself to then take that opportunity when it comes but yeah, we’ve got a good squad of players in there and they’ll all be used.”

Anthony Ralston of Celtic FC in action during the Como Cup match between Ajax and Celtic FC at Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium on July 24, 2025 in Como, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Q: How are your injured players Brendan? Tony Ralston back?

Brendan Rodgers: “Yeah, Tony trained at the beginning of the week. He obviously travelled with us and he’s available for tomorrow. Auston Trusty had his first day back with the training group today. Alistair Johnson will hopefully be joining us soon, but clearly not ready yet.”

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Colby Donovan of Celtic Crvena zvezda v Celtic, UEFA Europa League, Football, Rajko Mitic Stadium, Belgrade, Serbia – 24 Sep 2025Belgrade Rajko Mitic Stadium Serbia Photo Nikola Krstic Shutterstock

Q: You spoke about young Colby the other night and how well he did. Is he, even at this stage in his career, is he able to cope with that volume of games and playing so quickly?

Brendan Rodgers: “Obviously you have to keep an eye on it because he’s obviously played three back-to-back games for me but not only that, he was away and played two games internationally. So he’s played five games in a really short period of time, and of course, now the intensity of games has gone up. I clearly have to manage that for him. He’s a great boy, he’s a tough kid and I’m so pleased for him because you’re given that opportunity and it would be easy not to have played him but this is where young careers, you can make your career in games like that there. I think he showed what we all know here as staff, that he’s got a big personality and he was just like a duck to water really just straight in and got on with it. Thankfully he doesn’t overthink things, he just plays football, and probably the danger starts when he does think too much!”

Colby Donovan celebrates after the Partick Thistle v Celtic match. Premier Sports League Cup tie. Sunday 21 September. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Q: Is this where your experience as a manager comes in? Managing young boys, it might be easy to keep playing them but when you talk about the intensity of the games sometimes you do have to give them a break?

Brendan Rodgers: “Yeah, there’s absolutely no doubt it is all a part of the management of the individual player. When you’re robust and play in season after season and you’re used to that, then you have the rhythm of it but when you’re not, and especially for him on the back of the couple of internationals he’s played, it’s a lot of game time. Especially coming into the first team, all the anxieties, all the intensities that come with games like that. He’s coped very, very well but we’ve also got Tony back now as well. I think we’ve gained a player in that period and that was always the thinking of not putting him out on loan. If we could keep him and then find a way to get him playing and he’s came through it with flying colours really. There’s still a lot of work for him to do, but really pleased and we have to try and manage him for sure.”

Kieran Tierney of Celtic Crvena zvezda v Celtic, UEFA Europa League, Football, Rajko Mitic Stadium, Belgrade, Serbia – 24 Sep 2025Belgrade Rajko Mitic Stadium Serbia: Photo Nikola Krstic Shutterstock

Q: What role does Kieran Tierney, as someone who walked that walk at a young age as a Celtic player, how does he help Colby with the demands of being a Celtic player?

Brendan Rodgers: “I think all the players here are wonderful role models. I think if you look at every single one of them that have come through the system here at Celtic from Callum McGregor, from James Forrest, from Kieran and Tony Ralston. All those boys that have come through the system, they’ve always been great with those younger guys that step up and come in, because they know the burden you carry being a homegrown player playing for Celtic and how special it is. Of course the eyes are really on you so they help the young guys ensure that the humility is held here, that you never get too carried away with yourself which is always important. But thankfully they have a good education in the academy and if they break through to the first team they know the values that are needed and required to play for Celtic, and thankfully young Colby seems to have those.”

Kelechi Iheanacho scores for Celtic Crvena zvezda v Celtic, UEFA Europa League, Football, Rajko Mitic Stadium, Belgrade, Serbia – 24 Sep 2025Belgrade Rajko Mitic Stadium Serbia Photo Nikola Krstic Shutterstock

Q: It was another big moment for Kelechi Iheanacho in Belgrade, you must be delighted with the impact he’s made so early into his Celtic career?

Brendan Rodgers: “Yeah, and he’s only going to get better because I know the player and I know how good he can be, and how good he was for me. I’m delighted for him because when he came in I think because of the timing of his arrival and everything that’s around our window it maybe wasn’t so accepting for him to be in. But there’s absolutely no doubt, of all the players and lists that came to me that actually was available, he was absolutely the standout player. I know his talents and I know how big a player he can be, and now he’s starting to settle into the squad and the group, he’ll show that during his time here.”

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Kelechi Iheanacho of Celtic celebrates his goal Crvena zvezda v Celtic, UEFA Europa League, Football, Rajko Mitic Stadium, Belgrade, Serbia – 24 September 2025Belgrade Rajko Mitic Stadium Serbia Photo Nikola Krstic Shutterstock

Q: Fans were chanting his name as well in Belgrade, that’s a big one for him?

Brendan Rodgers: “It’s a really big one that one. But again it’s his performance, it’s his endeavour. The Celtic support will love him come the end of the season. They’ll be won over by his humility, his hard work and his quality on the field because he’s a goal scorer. He will get goals, all different types of goals, and he’ll give everything. I’m really pleased for him, it was a wonderful finish. He could have maybe had another one, but he’s like that in every game, he looks like he’s always going to score.”

Q: What is it about him that he needs as a player to get the best performances out of him?

Brendan Rodgers: “When he was playing at Leicester he was playing a secondary role for a lot of the time to Jamie Vardy and obviously Jamie was an incredible player for Leicester. So that was always a challenge and if you play in a 4-3-3 then you’re never really playing with two strikers unless you’re changing in the game. What I did for a spell, I played a different system, of which he was playing up there with someone else, but any time he had to produce and come in, he was excellent. And it’s like with any player, you need to feel the trust of the coach or manager, you need to feel you’re part of an environment and really inclusive of everyone. Then your confidence grows from that. Strikers are confidence players so I can see that growing with him. He’s come here physically in a really good place, his body fat is one of the lowest in our squad, so he’s in a really good way physically. He’s just catching up on game time, and he can be a big asset for us.”

Sporting de Lisboa v Celtic FC – Pre-Season Friendly Daizen Maeda of Celtic FC is in action during the Pre-Season Friendly match between Sporting de Lisboa and Celtic FC at Estadio Algarve in Faro, Portugal, on July 16, 2025. Faro Portugal. Photo: DAX Images

Q: What’s the plan for the right flank between now and January? Is it just Yang and Forrest there for now?

Brendan Rodgers: “I think we have options. I think Daizen can play there, I don’t think there’s any doubt about that. I can use that as a possibility for sure. Where he’s played most of his career at Celtic has been on the left side or through the middle but naturally, on the sides is probably where he’s best. I wouldn’t rule that out. It was an area we wanted to reinforce, we weren’t able to do it and I have to try and manage and find a way to juggle the balance in the team to still make us as penetrative and as attacking as we possibly can so that’s what I’m looking at.”

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Michel-Ange Balikwisha. theRangers v Celtic,31 August 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Q: What’s the key to getting Michel-Ange Balikwisha connected to the rest of squad and get the best out of him?

Brendan Rodgers: “Just time, time. I think Sebastian Tounekti’s come in and just been fantastic. Sometimes that shines the torch on other players, and everyone thinks that everyone should be like that. It’s not always the case. Some people come in and hit the ground running; it’s great. For Balikwisha, I don’t think there’s any doubt over time he’ll prove his worth and show that. It’s really difficult, at the biggest clubs, to judge the players in that first year it’s so, so hard. You come into the demands of a club like this here, the personality that’s needed. You would love them all to just come in and hit the ground running but there’s so much that goes on to a move. We know his talent, he was scouted for a long time. There’s enough evidence there by our recruitment team to show that he’s a really gifted and talented player. So in time, I’m pretty sure he will show that.”

Celtic supporters shows their support at full-time following the team’s victory in the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup Semi Final match between St Johnstone and Celtic at Hampden Park on April 20, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

The Celtic Star: Brendan, you talked about putting the summer behind us and moving forward, looking forward to the season. That’s what the supporters want to do as well. The only thing stopping that is communication with the club. We can’t understand why the club can’t come forward and speak to the supporters who put more money into the club every year than any of the sponsors behind you?

Brendan Rodgers:“I think that is something that I’m pretty sure the board and executive team are looking at in terms of ways to better communicate with supporters. I haven’t spoken to the guys today or yesterday, but I know that coming out of the window that was one of the key objectives, to engage more and speak more with supporters. I’m pretty sure in time that will be the case. In the modern life, the modern world, communication is absolutely vital. It can stabilise lots of things in life having that clarity and sometimes you have to be harsh, to be clear, but you’re better being harsh and communicating than not saying anything. So I think it’s definitely something the club are looking into, looking at how the comms aspect can improve relations because there’s absolutely no doubt that’s what supporters want. As the manager and executive board, we’re looking after the team and the club for you guys.”

Brendan Rodgers, Manager of Celtic, waves as he arrives at the stadium prior to the Premier Sports League Cup match between Celtic and Falkirk at Celtic Park on August 15, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

The Celtic Star: On looking forward has there been anything discussed so far about changes that are going to be made for the January transfer window so that we can avoid similar dramas of the summer window?

Brendan Rodgers: “I really hope so. At this moment in time, for me, the scouting team know exactly what we’re after and what we missed out on in the summer market. So again, a lot of work going on into that. It’s a smaller window, of course, so you have to be slick, you have to be prepared and ready and look to get the business done as early as we possibly can. So I’d be hopeful that we could learn from that and hopefully close that out better in the January window.”

The Celtic Star: Anything on your new contract?

Brendan Rodgers: “Nothing as of yet, no.”

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