Top Line Summary

  • Dealing with the Jane Lewis fallout
  • Not overthinking things
  • Maik Nawrocki injury update
  • Coping with the negativity of being booed for making positive substitutions
  • Developing a ruthless mentality in the 11 league games that are left

Everything that Brendan Rodgers had to say to the media ahead of Celtic's Scottish Premiership clash against Dundee

Could we start with the fact that there has been a lot said about your post-match comments at the weekend? How do you reflect on the situation and what was said?

I will address it. I’ve obviously been aware of it [recent backlash]. Sadly for me in society now, we are looking for something to offend or something offensive to try and pin onto people. I think you guys since I have been up here, and any other journalist or reporter, know that I have always based my life on relationships. I have always offered warmth, a respect, and tried to be courteous and offer time to people. That will never change. Obviously, when there is that little bit or big bit or whatever it was that was out there. I feel the need to address it. I deal with people in life, whether it’s players, I want to help them become better or people in the media. I’ve spoken to Jane and she wasn’t offended. We have laughed about it and she will continue to ask me awkward questions I’m sure. I see her every week. We have good relations like I have with most people in my life whether that professional or social. The irony of it is that I shared with my players not so long ago the story of Jessica Watson. She was a young woman at 16 years of age who travelled around the world solo on a boat. I watched the documentary 'True Spirit' and it was really inspiring. I shared that with the players in terms of the inspiration they could take from a young woman like that and what she had been through and everything else. I found it saddening as much as anything because I am not that type of person. I could never be that. It is not how I am built. It saddens me for society now as people are just looking to try and find ways to bring you down if they can. It's not nice.

Looking at the reaction to the weekend's game. How have the players been? There seems to have been a reaction. There seems to be that fire and a determination within them to motor and kick on. How have the last couple of days been?

It was a very good win for us in the end. I say that because the game is 90-plus minutes now. We didn't start the game so well in the first half as we got too many balls in behind and down the side and that's not what our team is all about. If we do not counter-press it then we should have the ability to stop those attacks and we didn't do that. It was all about staying calm at half-time and just connecting our game again. I thought in the second half, especially when Cameron (Carter-Vickers) came on there was nothing in behind and the two worked really well together and that allows you to sustain the attacks. We scored some very good goals and you saw the unity in the team and how together they are. It is another victory for us and it is another important win. Now we get ready for our next game.

Alistair Johnston said that half-time was crucial and that people who had to speak had their say. There was a general sense of the players saying they had to go out and play and not over-complicate things. Was that another message that has to get out there that these players are talented and they don't need to overdo things?

Listen, it's what it always has to be. You do overthink it and I think that can be a part of the problem. You can think too much or think too far ahead. It's great that the players are taking that responsibility and that is what you want. You need that awareness and that responsibility and the level hasn't been quite that. What this group have been great at this season has been reacting. We don't like having to come from behind but if you have to do it, then you have to do it as you will never have it all your own way. The reaction of the players was superb. The level and the type of goals we scored were very good. We continue with that mentality.

Every game is a cup final just now isn't it? This is another huge match, isn't it?

They are all big games. There are 11 games to go now. I think you have to focus on one game at a time and it is the old cliche but it really is that. We just have to focus on the performance as much as anything. Everyone wants to win and everyone wants to perform well. Before that, it is all about having that belief. I think you saw that in this team at the weekend. They had the belief that they could go and get the result and thankfully we did do.

How is the squad looking injury-wise? There is a suggestion that Maik Nawrocki is injured. Is that true?

Yes. He [Nawrocki] has picked up a niggle and felt his hamstring in the game so that will set him out, I don't think for too long, but a period of time.

Is Cameron Carter-Vickers ready to come back in from the start or will he need managing?

Carter-Vickers will need managing but he is ready to start if need be. You see the difference when he comes into the game at the weekend. He's a top operator but we just have to be mindful of his minutes and his time.

There have been reports of Liel Abada and MLS sides interested in him. Are there any advances on that?

No. There is no update on that. He is still in the same situation and it is difficult for him. We will see if there is a resolution to that.

There are also suggestions that Abada was willing to rip up his contract and move on. Is that something that the club have talked about or considered at all?

I haven't heard that. No.

How do you assess Dundee ahead of this game and the work Tony Docherty has done at the club?

I think Tony's done great. It's his first time in (as manager). I know we have played well in the two games against them, especially in the second game up there. I think he has done fantastic and got the team organised really well. They've been flexible in the systems in the style they have played. They started with a back five and more recently they have been adapting with a back four or a a back five. He's done very well. He's got some very good players and we again will have to be at the top of our game to get a result.

There's been talk on social media about the work you have done with Adam Idah. Can you elaborate on the work you have been doing with Idah?

Not really. It's our job. It's what we do. We train players. We work with them. The coaches do a fantastic job. He's a very talented player. The job of us as coaches and the manager is to squeeze everything we can out of him. I said before he came in he's got talent. There is no doubt about that. We just try to maximise that talent. You would be here too long if we were to talk about everything we do for the players.

How important is using the squad and bringing on players to make an impact when you are down in games?

It is very important, especially when you get booed for taking off a defender and putting on an attacker. That seemed strange but I think the players realise that you have got 90-plus minutes and you are talking about 95 or 100-minute games now. Your bench is very important. To have that ability and to have the depth to bring players on to make an impact was very important.

How does that make you feel when you get booed for a decision like that at the end of the game? Did you win the game from behind?

It doesn't really matter to me. It's more for the player coming on and for the team. It is a negative reaction which I don't quite understand. We were at 1-1 in the game and you take off a defensive midfield player and put on an attacking player. An attacking player who has scored goals this season and you get booed. It just seems a little strange. Thankfully, the players' mentality on the pitch was superb and they kept going and kept fighting. All the great work that they did, especially in the second half, in terms of tiring the opponent out led to a couple of goals at the end.

Is there a need from the stands to understand that the sense of anxiety can't be allowed to translate to the players on the pitch as it maybe has in the past?

It's not normally for Celtic, I think it's in general at any club. If that feeling rolls down off the stands onto the pitch and it is negative then what do you expect? You will get players that will have nervousness and the game will look different. Whereas if they have that positive reaction and have that support, it's like life, isn't it? If you get that support and you get that feeling that people are behind you and I mean everyone then you will have a greater chance to succeed.

Can I ask you about the last few weeks where you have maybe played well in the first half and it has dropped off and vice-versa? How do you deal with that as a manager? Do you think about your team selections more differently than usual? Do you look at impact players from the bench? How do you cope when it's been like that for the last four or five games?

To be fair, it has been like that for bits of the season. I think it's also recognising that it is not going to be the starting eleven. I see reports about people saying we don't know the best team or we don't know the best structure. We know clearly what the structure is. It is not about the best team - that is the team that finishes the game - you play so many games so you are looking for an energy within the game and you can't possibly keep that for 90 minutes unless you make those changes. For specific games, we have played 4-2-3-1 recently as I felt then we would play with the extra midfield player. We did it at the weekend to play against the line of five to make runs and get in behind. If we needed to change the game then we can do and that's exactly what we did. So, each game tactically is different. It is not about finding your best eleven because the best eleven normally won't finish the game. You have to adapt within the game. There is no doubt that you need to have that ruthless mentality and we would want that for longer periods, of course. We are just continuing to analyse and look at that and see where we can improve and be better. If at the end of the game we have won the game then that's what is most important as long as we are performing well.

Can I ask you about James Forrest? He has not contributed much recently. Is he fit? You have tried a few wingers and is he maybe someone that can contribute and is he close to being available?

James is available. He has been training. He has been an amazing servant to this club. I am sure over the last few games he might well have a part to play in it. For me, looking at the team we need to have intensity and that relentless mentality and there is no doubting James's ability. That is never in question. As a winger in terms of ability, he is the best one we have. There is no question of that. How we ask the game to be played and the intensity of it, the consistent running as you get older becomes a challenge, I am pretty sure there will be a point over these next 11 games where James will be required. He is training so well and keeping himself ready. He is a top professional and looks after himself and his body every day and if he is required to play then he will do.