Top Line Summary

  • ​Good result on a poor pitch
  • Cameron Carter-Vickers' stage-managed return
  • Callum McGregor's English Premier League quality
  • Addressing penalty woes
  • No transfer window news...yet

Everything that Brendan Rodgers said to BBC Radio Scotland after Celtic's 1-0 Scottish Premiership win over Ross County...

A 1-0 win over Ross County. Can you talk us through that?

It was a good result. We made a great start in the game to go 1-0 up so early and that was good. We then force errors from them and get the penalties. The penalty misses took a little bit out of the crowd and maybe the team. It made the first half more frustrating as we didn't quite play with the tempo and structure that we wanted to. The second had was much better as we didn't give too much away and we created opportunities but didn't quite take them. In any game, if you are at 1-0 and going into those last moments there can be that little bit of anxiety but the players managed it well. Joe (Hart) had only one save to make late on and then we closed the game out.

You talk about the frustration of not being able to add to the scoreline when you create chances and have all that possession. Is it just frustration and not concern?

No. You want to do better with the ball and the opportunities that you have but it is also a game to win. The pitch is difficult as that will take the speed out of it. You could see some of the passes that the players played today where the ball popped up and got away from them and that is not normal. Overall you are never going to be perfect in every game. The players gave everything in the game and some guys were playing their first games and everyone has come through it hopefully.

Cameron Carter-Vickers came off. Was that just a precaution and were you managing his return?

Maik (Nawrocki) has played a few games and he is up to speed. It was important to get Cam in again as he is a very important player for us and getting him through 60 minutes was always the plan.

READ MORE: Celtic Instant Analysis: Johnston goal masks poor showing

A word about your captain Callum McGregor that's 450 appearances for Celtic. That is something else, isn't it?

It's incredible. At a club like this here with the expectation and pressure it is remarkable really. He deserves all the applause and plaudits that comes with that. Having been here the first time and seeing what he did for me then to now see how he has developed and grown. To come back and see him as the leader of the club and the real catalyst for this group. I am very lucky to have him here and he is an absolutely brilliant player. He could have graced any top team in any league and I genuinely believe that. The teams I managed in the English Premier League which is deemed to be the best league in the world he could have played in any of those teams. He has wanted to be here at Celtic. To play 450 games as a young guy through the academy is remarkable.

You spoke about Joe Hart as well. He didn't have that much to do but he saved that chance near the end. When you don't have a lot to do is it easy to switch off? However, you have a goalkeeper who keeps concentrated for the whole game, doesn't he?

People say that. You saw it last week as he did not have a great deal to do but the one thing he did have to do was to save well when the guy from Buckie Thistle was clean through. Likewise, he didn't have a great deal to do today but late on he gets down well to save and then gets up for the second ball. He is a top professional and everything about his game is first-class. It was nice for the team to keep a clean sheet.

Where are you with players missing penalties? As Palma missed and then took it again. Is that how it works?

I think he has missed a few now and we will have to look at that. I am all for giving players opportunities and confidence especially if you make mistakes but there is no doubt we will have to look at that side of things.

A final one there is still a few days left in the January transfer window. Any movement in or out?

Not unless you can tell me something that has happened. Unless I'm a mind reader and can tell what people are thinking or doing while I am concentrating on a game I've got no answers for you.