Kelechi Iheanacho – “He’ll show his worth here at Celtic,” Brendan Rodgers

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The Celtic Star

·18 septembre 2025

Kelechi Iheanacho – “He’ll show his worth here at Celtic,” Brendan Rodgers

In his exclusive interview with Celtic TV today Brendan Rodgers looked back with plenty of satisfaction on the three points picked up on the road and noted that Rugby Park was the third tough away fixture that the Hoops have now got out the way…

Brendan Rodgers at Rugby Park, Kilmarnock v Celtic, 14 September 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

“Really pleased for the result, for the players and the supporters,” the Celtic manager said. “It’s always a difficult place to go, to Kilmarnock, especially on the back of an international break with players coming back late and not being together for the time.

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“I thought that we dominated the game but of course in that last ten minutes when it’s still only 1-0 and then they get their goal so of course it can be tighter than what is was throughout the rest of the game. I think that the players got what they deserved and it was a great moment for the likes of Kels (Kelechi Iheanacho), getting his first goal and showing the composure like he did.”

Kelechi Iheanacho scores the winner for Celtic at Rugby Park, Kilmarnock v Celtic, 14 September 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Rodgers accepts that the team is still a work in progress in terms of clicking properly into gear this season. “It’s a process because of the changes and everything else, its rhythm that we’re after and once that rhythm comes the confidence increases and the game-idea will positively get better through the season. But what is important is that you are getting results. We’ve been to three tough away grounds now and we’ve made a decent start.”

Synergy between a striker and the supporters than can create a momentum and give the player extra confidence, and afterwards Kelechi Iheanacho was saying he was surprised to see the Celtic support celebrate the way that they did. So can Iheanacho feed off that energy going forward this season? Brendan Rodgers certainly thinks so.

Kelechi Iheanacho celebrates scoring the winner for Celtic at Rugby Park, Kilmarnock v Celtic, 14 September 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

“Yes, he won’t have played for a club like Celtic with that passion and commitment and knowing Kels really well, having worked with him for over four years, I know what that will bring for him. It’s why I was keen for him to take the penalty, because he’s got really good composure, he can really produce in big moments,” Rodgers said.

Kelechi Iheanacho celebrates scoring the winner for Celtic at Rugby Park, Kilmarnock v Celtic, 14 September 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Did Brendan have a hand in that decision on the penalty-taker while John Beaton was busy consulting the VAR monitor? “Yes, because Benjo was taking it, which I love,” the Celtic manager said. “I love that confidence so he was great, he’d been on and wanted to take the penalty.

“But like I say, I had confidence in Kels taking it, normally we have the prescribed ones to take but obviously if they are not on the pitch then it’s all about feeling and my feeling was that Kels for a number or reasons, would really benefit him. His confidence and also his connection with the supporters. It was a really good finish at that time of the game.

Kelechi Iheanacho celebrates scoring the winner for Celtic at Rugby Park, Kilmarnock v Celtic, 14 September 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

“I thought back to the time we were playing at Wembley against Manchester City in the Charity Shield Final and we got a penalty late on and he stepped up and scored that. So yes, he is a big moment player and the supporters will end up loving him, he is such a humble guy, he is a great person and he’ll show his worth here at Celtic.”

Celtic TV has an exclusive interview with Brendan Rodgers available now to subscribers with a teaser video also available, which you can watch below…

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