“Celtic Park’s built for a night like that,” Brendan Rodgers tells The Celtic Star

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The Celtic Star

·8 de noviembre de 2024

“Celtic Park’s built for a night like that,” Brendan Rodgers tells The Celtic Star

“Celtic Park’s built for a night like that. Big game, a big performance and an absolutely fanatical fan base,” Brendan Rodgers tells The Celtic Star at today’s Media Conference ahead of the Scottish Premiership match against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park on Sunday afternoon…

Nicolas Kuhn celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the UEFA Champions League match between Celtic FC and RB Leipzig at Celtic Park on November 05, 2024. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Q: Brendan, can we start with some team news ahead of the weekend, how’s the team looking after Tuesday night’s match?

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Brendan Rodgers: “Yeah, well hopefully all being well, a couple of little knocks and minor things that the medical team are working with, but hopefully the same squad, obviously in a really good place physically and mentally. So yeah, but we’ve got another day to go, so hopefully all being well.”

Q: Some reports that Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty missed training, is that correct? Were there any issues?

Brendan Rodgers: “You’re absolutely right, they weren’t training, but yeah, more sort of precautionary, just giving them that extra little bit. We had obviously two very tough physical days in four games, so we’re just doing some light work inside and we’ll see how they are for tomorrow.”

Nicolas Kuhn of Celtic celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the UEFA Champions League match between Celtic FC and RB Leipzig at Celtic Park on November 05, 2024 (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Q: I can imagine the team is still flying and still on a huge high after Tuesday night.

Brendan Rodgers: “Yeah, I think the four days, from Saturday’s performance and getting to the League Cup final was a real statement win for us domestically. But then to go into a game of that magnitude against that level of opponent, I’ve heard it talked about as a generational game, which I couldn’t argue with. The performance level, it’s something that we’ve been working towards for the last 12 to 16 months. Obviously, going back to last season, our performances against Atletico Madrid and away in Feyenoord when we lost. I know that people purely only look at the score, but for me, it’s about the process and the build-up to that. And even partly, the Borussia Dortmund game plays a part in that. We started off the Champions League really, really well, three really good performances out of the four. But the other night, it made me so proud just watching the team, the level of the team and how aggressive we were with and without the ball against a genuine top side. It was a great night for the players, for everyone in the club, the supporters. They would have had a glow now for a few days and rightly so because their team did them proud. But now we’re back to our bread and butter and get ready for Kilmarnock.”

Q: Does the excitement come, as the manager, from the fact that it’s still quite early on in the season? There could be many more gears to go up, the potential to grow and get even better this season is obviously still there.

Brendan Rodgers: “Yes, and I think that’s always been my mantra with working with teams and, more importantly, working with individuals. I said it here over a number of weeks ago, no matter what the scorelines we’re winning by, we still have a duty to develop players. So I know that the players will continue to develop. But I think you can’t underestimate the confidence that a win like that the other night and the performance in Atalanta in a different way, what that brings to you. And I think for the players, just the level was so high with and without the ball and that gives us great confidence going forward. But there are still lots of improvements that the team can make, and the individuals can make and will make over the coming months.”

Nicolas Kuhn of Celtic celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the UEFA Champions League match between Celtic FC and RB Leipzig at Celtic Park on November 05, 2024. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

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Q: Is that what your message is to the players after a generational performance on Tuesday night? It’s all about kicking on, maintaining that and seeing if you can continue to improve just for the remainder of the campaign.

Brendan Rodgers: “No, my message, I was just saying that was from other people. My message is we analyse the game, we study the game, and we reinforce with the players the process that we are in and how we’re looking to improve. We’ve been waiting probably as a club and a support base for a performance like that for a while. It’s not just to perform, but to win and perform to that level. And we want to sustain that. And I think we’ve shown in three of the four games in the Champions League that we’re actually a good side. But we know we’ve got a lot of work to do. Our first aim is to make the playoffs and that’s still very much the case. But for the players and ourselves, we are very much systematic in our approach. We look at the game, all the areas that we were really good in, reinforcing that. Playing against a team that’s renowned for their energy and their pressing and the counter-pressing and our physicality were ahead of RB Leipzig, which is really, really impressive. So you share that with the players, but you’re also looking at what we can improve and the areas that we can be better in.”

Q: Looking at the weekend, what do you expect from Kilmarnock?

Brendan Rodgers: “Always a tough game against Derek McInnes’ teams. I think when we played them a couple of times in the early part of last season, they were better than us and deserved to win. Once we got to grips with how we were working and our idea and focus in the turn of the year, then when we played, we were obviously in a different place. And obviously, come the end of the season, then we were in a really good place. And I would say now we’re in an even better place. But that doesn’t take away the tariff of the game. It’s still going to be very difficult. Derek’s teams are always well-organised. They’re always super motivated and they will always challenge you. And that’s something that we’ll be ready for.”

Reo Hatate of Celtic scores in a Champions League football match against Leipzig on 5 November, 2024, in Glasgow. Photo IMAGO (The Celtic Star)

Q: Can you talk about the process that you’ve been in? Once you’ve got to that level, you’ve almost aspired to, does it change for you to maintain it, or does it accelerate the confidence they get from seeing how they can perform? Does that help you to introduce more things to the team?

Brendan Rodgers: “As I said, the process is all about looking to sustain it at that level. And you look to try and do that over several years, not just a couple of games. But it was a big step, I felt we made in the last few games. And in particular, the one at home. Because, as I said, the performance, when I felt it in the game, but watching it back and seeing the tactical discipline in the team and the work rate of the team and the ambition in the team, but then the absolute quality of which the players, the technical level that they played and the speed and the pace in the game and how creative we were, it was so, so good. And so we had that combination then. Once you do that on the field, Celtic Park was built for performances and nights like that. You sensed and felt what the crowd thought of it. And that gave a big, big energy to the team. So we reflect on it, we move on. We can’t wait for the next game in that competition at home again. But before that, we’ve got a couple of really important games.

Q: Generally, how many times have you watched back that game? Just the once or do you watch it back a few times?

Brendan Rodgers: “Yes, so obviously it’s always very difficult after a game to rest and to sleep. So by the time you get home, then you watch the game back and take some notes on the game. Because initially, you may think when you’re standing on the touchline watching the game that you haven’t played quite as well. And then you go back, and you watch it back and you actually realise there’s so many really good moments in the game. And sometimes it’s the other way as well. Sometimes you’ve played really well, but you look back and it’s not quite at the level. But yes, I’ve watched it once back. And then obviously then you divide it into certain areas that you’d want to improve. But no, just watching the whole game back, it’s really good to see. Because our job is to build a relationship between the training and the games. That’s why you watch it back. That’s why you analyse it, to see the areas where it was very good and the areas that we can improve and correct.”

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Brendan Rodgers talks with Callum McGregor of Celtic during the UEFA Champions League match between Celtic FC and RB Leipzig at Celtic Park on November 05, 2024. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Q: When you had the injuries last season and when things maybe weren’t quite sticking, was Tuesday night the sort of game you had in your head of where this team could go?

Brendan Rodgers: “Yes, well, I think before that, I think when I sat with Callum in Mallorca, and we were talking about the team and where we could take it and where we want to get to. And that was my vision and a big part of coming back, was to bring a team into Europe that the supporters were craving for, not just to participate, but to compete. But I always knew it was going to be a process of the players gaining confidence in me and me observing them. And of course, when it was a challenge in the first period of last season, then of course it can seem quite distant in terms of what we produced on Tuesday back to them. But that’s the game. I think that what we never lost was our focus on our work, our poise, and our confidence in what we were doing. And then eventually things start to move in the direction that you want. And then you start to produce better performances and more consistent performances.”

Auston Trusty of Celtic heads the ball away from Benjamin Sesko of RB Leipzig. Celtic v RB Leipzig, UEFA Champions League, Group Stage, Football, Celtic Park, 5 November 2024 Phot Stuart Wallace Shutterstock (Imago – The Celtic Star)

Q: Is it difficult to have a performance like that on grass on Tuesday night, and then play on a plastic pitch on Sunday? How difficult is that?

Brendan Rodgers: “Well, that’s always the test of you when you work here at Celtic. You know you’re going to have those highs, or you hope to have those highs like we did in the Champions League. But then you know you’re going into your next game and whether you win, lose or draw, it’s those games that get you there in the first place. So, no, we will respect the game. We can’t have any excuse. We talk about plastic pitches and everything else. But after how we played at the end of last season, to win 5-0 and play at that level, then I can never moan about a plastic pitch again. But our performance was so good. But no, it’s just about focus and concentration. You know when you’re here that you’re going to be in various competitions. We knew we had Hampden on the Saturday. A few days later, we’ve got a Champions League game and then we know we’ve got Kilmarnock. But we’ll be ready and look forward to it.”

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers talks with Callum McGregor of Celtic during the UEFA Champions League match between Celtic FC and RB Leipzig at Celtic Park on November 05, 2024 (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

The Celtic Star: When you’re watching the game back, the press for the second goal, that must have delighted you?

Brendan Rodgers: “Aye, it’s one of my best goals since I’ve been here. Because everyone loves the nice part of the game. But when you can convince players to do the hard pressing and the hard running and make those last steps inside the press against top-quality opposition, who are renowned for that themselves. We’ve already gone through that and showed the players that. We showed it from our analytical angle and we showed it from an angle from the level behind the goal, where you hear the crowd and you hear how much joy that gives supporters, seeing their team press with that hunger and that desire. I always say, if you press well, you pass well. And I think that’s been the best game, a demonstration of that on Tuesday night. So, yes, the second goal was a great goal.”

Nicolas Kuhn of Celtic celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD4 match between Celtic FC and RB Leipzig at Celtic Park on November 05, 2024. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

The Celtic Star: The fans even seemed to be even noisier on Tuesday night. Was that their payback for the support that they gave the team in Dortmund after the match?

Brendan Rodgers: “Yes, I think that it was a big moment in Dortmund, I felt, because we all weren’t in a great mood after the game, of course. And you know why you’re playing. We know, especially here at Celtic, the fan base, it’s people’s breakfast, lunch and dinner. That’s what Celtic is. So we knew it was their life. So to be on the end of that scoreline over there and then to walk to the supporters and still feel that energy and that support they gave the team, that meant a lot. And that gave a lot of confidence to the players. And obviously, we then come back, reflect back on it and look to correct the mistakes that we made. So, but hopefully, and hopefully still they’re in, still feeling that effect of the other night, because that’s why we do it. We do it to entertain the supporters and, as I said, Celtic Park’s built for a night like that. Big game, a big performance and an absolutely fanatical fan base giving you the energy.

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Q: Do you feel that after Dortmund you’ve made people down south eat their words?

Brendan Rodgers: “And up north as well. Don’t worry about that. There was plenty up here too.” (Celtic Star Editor points to the hacks in the room, much to Brendans amusement).

Player of the match Nicolas Kuhn is pushed by team mates to celebrate in front of the Green Brigade at full-time after scoring twice in Celtic s 3-1 victory over RB Leipzig. Celtic v RB Leipzig, UEFA Champions League, Group Stage, Celtic Park, – 05 November 2024. Photo Stuart Wallace Shutterstock

Q: Do you feel like that’s come through in these next two games?

Brendan Rodgers: “Not really, as I said, you’re always going to have critics. Listen, I’ve had that since I started coaching and moved into management. So, it’s not going to change. That won’t change until I retire. Even then, it probably continues. So, it’s mainly about us in here looking to correct and analyse where we can be better. You’re always going to have critics. So, you understand that. And sometimes it will be deserved and sometimes it won’t. But it’s always going to be there. But what’s important is how you deal with that. And I’ve always been one that there’s a way to deal with a setback and try and make sure that didn’t define us. And I think it’s clear to see the spirit in the group, the quality in the group and how they’ve responded to that. Because that takes a lot of courage to do what they’ve done, especially going from Dortmund to Atalanta, who are an absolutely fantastic team, to get that result there. So, I think what we’ve shown is that in this competition this year, that can happen. You can get a doing like that. Sadly, it can happen. It’s happened to them in Madrid. But what we’ve shown is that we can recover and we’re a team that’s always looking to develop and improve. And it’s my job to keep that spirit, to keep that focus to allow us to keep improving.”

Q: You spoke about learning moving into Europe this year, taking what the players have learned in previous competitions and learning from it. In these first four games alone, I know you’re in the here and now and it’s game to game and focused on this competition. But in those four games alone, the learnings must be invaluable for Celtic in the future, in terms of the results, in terms of performances. You’ve had virtually every kind of performance so far in four games alone.

Brendan Rodgers: “Yes, and I think that’s what’s needed at this level. You obviously have a game plan and an idea going into every game and how you want to work, and you want to be true to that. But you know you’re going to have to suffer. Obviously, Bratislava was a great start for us in the competition, really exciting. The second game was obviously a test. I said at the time, all the things that were talked about, what we didn’t do, we never had a chance to. If you look at how we defended against Atalanta and look at how we defended against Leipzig the other night, in terms of real organised pressure on the ball, moments to press it really hard, moments to really rest on your pressure, to go again and then when you had to defend your box, you could do that. I still maintain against Dortmund; we never had the chance to do that. The game very quickly got away from us. We had penalties and worldie goals, so then all of a sudden, naturally, you become a little bit individual. But Tuesday night is also a part of that process, and we came away from that. And again, just reiterated what it is we want to do at that level. At Atalanta, we didn’t quite attack as much as we would have liked, but we showed resilience and bravery and a spirit that was clearly there to keep the clean sheet. So it was then the case of, right, we know we can do it against a top team like Atalanta. We know against Bratislava, we’re at home with our supporters and so we know we have a vibrant, fast, dynamic team. So let’s see, can we pull it together? And Tuesday was the combination of both. So that’s what we want to look to produce on a consistent basis.”

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Q: Now the focus is on Sunday, but then international break, which can sometimes have scope to upset the rhythm. It’s a really busy run. I know it’s always busy this year, but no winter break. Is this international break welcomed?

Brendan Rodgers:“It is, yes. It’ll be, obviously, again, a busy schedule up until this point. Obviously, some of the players will go away and be involved internationally. So big challenges for them, all the travel that they have around the world and bring them back and look to recover them. But yes, certainly this one will come at a good time after the game and then we get back and try and synchronise everything as quickly as we can because we’ve got some big games and so many exciting games ahead and we’re all looking forward to them when they arrive.”

Alastair Johnston of Celtic celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic FC and Dundee FC at Celtic Park on October 30, 2024 (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Q: There’s some talk about Alistair potentially being close to getting a new deal.

Brendan Rodgers:“There’s nothing I can add to that. I’ve seen something on that basis probably four or six weeks ago as well. So nothing to add. He’s clearly a player, of course, we’d want to tie down and he’s absolutely a fantastic guy to work with, both on and off the pitch. So hopefully, in the future, that can be the case.”

Celtic v RB Leipzig, 05 11 2024, Celtic Park, , UEFA Champions League, Matchday 4 , Celtic Glasgow vs RB Leipzig Greg Taylor and Cameron Carter Vickers. Photo Imago (The Celtic Star)

Q: What about Greg Taylor?

Brendan Rodgers: “Nothing as of yet. Again, a similar message. You see his importance to our game the other night. I think the possibility of having two quality players in each position, I think that’s what you see in the game the other night. We play Alex (Valle) in the semi-final and he does fantastically well. Tuesday night was a different game, I felt, and what we wanted from the game. So I can bring then Greg in and you see the level that he played at, how clean he was, how bright he was, how well he defended, how well he attacked. So he’s clearly obviously someone I see as a big part of what we’re looking to continue here and I hope over the coming months that we can do that.”

Q: Is there not fear that, I think, it’ll be a couple of months before he can theoretically start speaking to other clubs? Is there hope that you can get him nailed down?

Brendan Rodgers: “Well, hopefully, yes, because there does come a point where both sides, we have to understand what we’re thinking, because if it’s not going to happen, then OK, we know that. We can then plan and prepare going forward. But I really hope it doesn’t get to that because I love working with Greg Taylor. He’s played, what, about 186 games here. I can’t tell you how influential he is off the pitch and how good he’s been on the pitch for this club, the consistency and also how we play. Both our full-backs are absolutely critical for us and how we operate, and they have two totally different functions and how they work. Greg is a specialist in what he does for us and you see the flow of the team. I watched the game the other night. RB Leipzig pressing us with four players. We’re getting five in our build-up. We’ve got different solutions to get through. He’s a massive part of that. So, I really hope that we can do something. Plus, I really, really like him. He’s such a good guy. He loves being here. He’s a big voice in the changing room. Every single day in training, he’s so good. He’s focused. He’s just married. He’ll be a father later on in the year as well. So, we want him to really settle down and get everything ready for him. I just want to continue working with him for as long as I possibly can.”