Celtic TV Exclusive: Manager gives Kasper Schmeichel update | OneFootball

Brendan Rodgers is hopeful that Kasper Schmeichel could return to action before the end of this season after picking up an injury during the recent international break.

Speaking exclusively to Celtic TV, the Celtic manager said that the Danish goalkeeper could be back in the next five to six weeks.

“This is just something that, day by day, we’ll have a look at,” Brendan Rodgers explained, “but the timeline that was given to us was maybe around about that (5-6 weeks).

“Kasper tends to think it might not be as long as that, but certainly in the immediate future he won’t be available.”

The Celtic squad was boosted at the weekend by the return of James Forrest and Paulo Bernardo following injury lay-offs, while Liam Scales is in line to be available for the home game against Kilmarnock on April 12.

“I think the big strength for us this season has been the squad,” said the manager. “That has really helped us get through a really busy schedule.”

One player who has more than proved his worth this season is Daizen Maeda, whose double in the 3-0 win over Hearts last weekend took his tally to 30.

Not surprisingly, his manager has been delighted with his contribution to this season’s success, which has been so much more than just the goals he has scored, impressive though that tally is.

“He only changed position in February, and up until that point he still scored goals.” Brendan Rodgers said. “If you trace back my comments on Daizen through my time working with him, I always believed he could play as a striker.

“And if you look at his goal return since February when he has moved into there, he’s got 15 goals in 11 games.

“But it’s not just that – it’s what he gives in the pressing. This is what I like to think my teams are built on, that high intensity pressure from the front and he is absolutely perfect for that.

“But the thing that doesn’t get mentioned so much – everyone talks about his pressing and his goals – but his movement is frightening. His movement in the game is as good as you’ll see.

“He’s just an absolutely phenomenal player and he will get some more goals by the end of the season, I’m pretty sure.

“His anticipation and his reading of the game is so good. You see it in his pressing, and you also see it in how he reads the game to get into the positions.

“He’s playing at a really, really high level and it’s just a joy to see him play because he has so much joy.

“And he’s one of the few players in the world that you see running and smiling. There are very few people who smile when they’re running, especially when they’re doing defensive running.

“I think you can see he has a big appreciation of the support he gets from the fans – they absolutely idolise him and love him, and he’s got his new song which is great, so I think he feels that.

“He senses that and he knows he has the support here. This is the environment that we have, it’s a really supportive culture here, and I think he’s in a really good place in his game and in his life, and he’s shown that consistently.”

Next up for Celtic is a trip to McDiarmid Park this Sunday to take on St Johnstone. And while it is a clash between top and bottom of the league, as well as being a rehearsal for the Scottish Cup semi-final later in the month, Brendan Rodgers knows his side will have to be fully focused on the 90 minutes in Perth and the need to take all three points.

“Since the new manager has gone in, he’s tried to work an idea,” he said, “and I can still see moments of that and what he’s trying to do – trying to make them more football-based and looking to compete alongside that, but it has been a challenge, of course.

“The pitch will be a challenge for us – but whatever conditions it is, whatever the team is that we’re playing, we know that we have to play our game and then look to bring home the points.

“But St Johnstone will be a tough team to break down and we really have to be on our game, and that’s what we’re preparing for this week.”

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Fixtures

St. Johnstone Vs. Celtic - Sun, Apr 6th 2025, 12:00