Top Line Summary

  • Callum McGregor injury update
  • The pressure this fixture brings
  • John Beaton's appointment
  • Midfield decisions to make
  • How he deals with this fixture

Everything Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers said to the media, ahead of Sunday's Glasgow Derby with Rangers at Ibrox...

Brendan let’s start with some team news. How is Callum McGregor for this weekend's match?

We’ll do one final run with Callum in our final session. He’s done remarkable to be back and he’s way ahead of schedule from what we thought. It shows his professionalism and how hard he has worked. He’ll be involved in the squad, and if he is it’s great news because we’ve got a clean bill of health for the first time this season. We’ll make a final call on that tomorrow. 

Is he one of those players where if it’s 70-80 per cent fit, do you still start him because of who he is and what he’s done?

Yeah, so certainly he’s the type of player that can get by at 80 per cent, that’s for sure. He has that level and quality. You also have to think of the remaining games of the season. It’s about being logical and finding out where he is at with all of his tests and measurements. He’s been in training so clearly his quality is there. We just have to gauge whether he starts or comes into the game or what involvement he has.

How do you assess the magnitude of the fixture that lies ahead on Sunday?

They’re always big games and that’s what I’ve relished and loved. I’ve always seen this game as a storyline of opportunity. I go back to the first game when we went there. It wasn’t just a good lesson in football but in life, because in that first game individually and collectively we were wrote off as a club arriving into Ibrox. It feels like the narrative is pretty much the same though both teams are four wins and a loss out of the last five games. For me, it’s the opportunity for us to go there like what we did earlier on in the season and show that mentality and mental strength to get though any periods in the game that are difficult moments for us, but to come through at the other end. That will be our focus for the weekend.

Is there more pressure on Rangers for this one?

I don’t see it like that. When you’re the home team, you’re looking to win these games. I can only speak from our own side, and it’s a game we want to win, but we don’t need to win it. We want to win it, of course, but we want to get a positive result, and we know we can do that by playing to the level in the game that we’ll set out to play, which is a fast and dynamic game. I’m sure it’ll be a really good game of football.

If there is a winner on Sunday, how big could that be for either side for momentum?

There’ll still be six games for us, so there’s still a lot of games. It might not seem a lot of games but it’s a lot of games in a footballing context because there’s so much that can change in that period. My focus is purely on getting a positive result and then you assess it afterwards. 

Despite this game, there’s still another one to go this season.

That’s what I’m saying, you can always look for a story around the corner, which might feel like it changes the dynamic, but it’s just logical. It’s just one game at a time, and this is an important game for both teams. Both teams will go into it with that mindset. Our mindset is to go and do the same as we did earlier in the season, which is to win.

About the choice of referee, I know you weren’t happy about the officiating in the Hearts game. You mentioned John Beaton and his part in it. He’s the referee, are you surprised he’s been selected, after what’s happened over the past month or so?

I think for me, for John to be given the game, these games are for the top referees, and John Beaton is one of the top referees in the country. He’s been allocated the game, and I’m comfortable with that. He’s refereed games I’ve been at before. My point was for that one game, I’m not talking about John Beaton’s career as a referee. My gripe was on that day. They will feel that they have to appoint somebody who is experienced, and John Beaton is that.

There’s been a lot of talk surrounding him over the past month. Does that put pressure on him and his performance?

I don’t know. I’m not interested, I’m only interested in Celtic.

Do you think too much is made of referee appointments leading into games like these?

I just think it’s the modern game. I think if you switch on Sky, they’ll have programmes about referees, so I just think naturally there’s a focus on officials. Naturally there will be that because the game is so scrutinised now. If you’re on the field and performing, your performance will always be looked at, like it would be if you sat on VAR as well. It should be, as that’s what they get paid for.!they get a salary in their bank, and it’s not for nothing. They’re accountable for decision making in the game. I think it’s the natural part of the game now, whether it’s players or officials, then there’s a real scrutiny on them. 

You have a very good record in this specific fixture. What’s the secret in going to Ibrox, what’s your message to the players when they go out?

It starts with the whole build-up. I think it’s to not to get entrenched with the whole storyline because at times the storyline can be a disaster. For me, the storyline is always opportunity.  You arrive, you stay up for calm and you just look to focus on your performance. These are always emotion-charged games. One of the greatest iconic games in world football, but you’ve got to perform. You can only do that by staying calm and looking to play your football. That’s always been the approach.

Every derby is big, does this one feel bigger from your perspective, given the two teams are closely matched?

Not really. Doesn’t feel any bigger than any of the other ones. They’re just always big games, and the focus is on performing. 

In terms of team news, anyone else apart from Callum?

No, we’ve got everyone available. Luis Palma is back in training, which is great. Apart from Callum, and hopefully he gets the tick-off tomorrow, we’re in a clean bill of health.

Do you feel like the squad is in the best shape it’s been this season?

100 per cent. Just having the authority back on the pitch at Livingston. When we’re at our best, the strength of us is not giving a lot away whilst creating that great platform, because no matter how good you are attacking-wise, it’s all about consistency in how you defend. We’re at our best when we’re super organised and tight and everything is connected with and without the ball. It will be the same on Sunday if we’re at our best if we’re attack-minded and on the front foot, but attack-minded when we’re defending. When we do that, we can play very well.

You mentioned the September game, you mentioned the narrative is still the same but you are going there in very different conditions. The reality is your squad is much stronger than back then, isn't it?

Yes, we are much stronger. I'm just piecing it all together and what the team might be and what the bench might be. We are going to have a bench that can affect the game if it is needed. That power, pace and quality. We have a lot of tools that maybe weren't available to us earlier in the season. The mindset is always important in these games but we go with a really positive mindset.

Is the impression that your team has been written off again ahead of this game?

I think it has been the narrative most of the season. That's been the storyline really whether it's warranted or not. I think coming into this game. It is the same sort of feeling.

Would you use that as motivation when speaking to the players?

Not really. I think our feeling is that we are very comfortable within ourselves in terms of preparation. We have had a really good week and managed the load and we got players back in. We got to do our tactical work. At this time of the season and especially leading into big games there is always the danger that you overload players and give them too much. The training this week has been perfect in terms of what you would want and with players coming back it's been a really good week for us.  With one more day to go, we have a really good mindset.

This season is potentially boiling down to two or potentially three games in terms of the League and the Scottish Cup. Do you take comfort and confidence given your track record in this derby and the results you have got behind you going into this?

I always feel really comfortable coming into these games but that's only on the back of preparation and the clarity that we want to give to the players and also because of how we play. I've always been confident in that way. We have come into lots of these big games and performed very well. It has not been perfect but we have performed well in a lot of those games. I think I was here one of the times when we played six times in one season - Celtic and Rangers - so this little spell of games should be really exciting but it is a great opportunity for us to finish the season strongly.

From a managerial aspect and the number of derbies you have managed to accrue under your belt, you are going in against a guy who has one experience of it. Is that advantageous from a managerial perspective as this fixture is unique?

I don't think it is. Philippe is an experienced manager. He's been around. He'll have been involved in some big games himself. He has a lot of games under his belt himself. There is only a joy in managing this game. It is amazing to be involved in. He has had his first taste of it. Now he'll get a taste of it at Ibrox. It is definitely a unique game. It boils down to how you perform on the field.

In terms of Callum, I am sure he is itching to play, is there an element of you maybe having to protect him and hold him back if he is not 100 per cent?

I think it is just a logical conversation to have. It is not like it is a cup final and it is the last game of the season. We still have really important games after Sunday. This is a very important game because it is the next game but we will have important games after that. It is just about getting him through. He's a player who has always played and performed in big games. These types of games you always want to play in as a player or a manager. We also have to use common sense with it as well.

If he does make it you will have the spine of the team that you have not had all that often this season with all the guys available. How significant could that be?

It is very important for us. That's been the challenge this season not having that security through the team. It has been great to see Reo coming back and watch his level of training and see what we've missed. You see how he plays and progresses the game so well and how he can shorten the game and how he can open up his range. He has an attacking mindset and we've missed that level for a lot of the season. It is great that he's back. We know what Callum gives the team. Cameron Carter-Vickers the balance that he gives the others. It is great to have that availability and you look to choose the right structure from there.

Does the fact that Reo only has 65 minutes under his belt weigh into your reasoning? If you say can we bring back Callum McGregor and Reo Hatate? These are two players who have been out for a length of time but can you bring both of them into the same midfield, do you factor that in?

Yes. It is one of the things you have to think about. These games are not only technical but they are also physical games. It is not just about one player, it is always about the midfield three. The dynamic of how they all work together and how they function. That is something we have to consider.

Do you take more comfort in that you now have more options than you did previously? Yet guys like Tomoki Iwata and Paulo Bernardo have come in and done well.

I think that has been the upside to having some of the players out. Some of the guys who maybe haven't played so much over their time here have had the opportunity to come in and play. You get a real chance to see them over a period of games. The likes of Tomo has done really well since he's been in. That base is arguably wider and stronger now because of the opportunities for them to play.

Having all of your Japanese players fit, is that a bonus too as the likes of Tomoki and Reo can develop a good understanding?

It doesn't matter what nationality they are. Just having them available is a huge lift. When you are a coach and you are looking to piece together the team and the structure to have those kinds of options is what's important.

You have spoken before about how well Kyogo links up with Daizen and you've paired them together and Kyogo has been tremendous in this fixture, hasn't he?

Yes. Kyogo in the last few weeks has looked more like what I probably expected when I came in. The speed of his movement, the sharpness, he's been very good since he came back into the team. That's what I expect. That brightness, that cleverness, the intensity in the pressing and the movement and when he plays to that level he is very difficult to contain. Having the likes of Reo back and available really helps his game. He makes the runs early and he sees the space so early and if you see the gap you have to play it. What happens sometimes with players like him is if you are not playing the passes or are being safe on the passes they stop making the runs. It's only natural because you have to make five or six runs before you get the ball if it's coming because you don't see it or you are not able to execute it then that's a challenge for a front player. The type of game we play is all about speed, movement from the sides for our central penetration and having someone like Reo back along with the other guys but him in particular, his first look is forward and that benefits us immensely.

How much of choosing the midfield three is about your own game plan or reacting to or combatting what Rangers can do on the day?

It is always about us. It always goes back to what works for us. Of course, you always have to respect the opponent. I do that whether it is Rangers or Livingston whatever team we play. The process will always come back to us and how we play and how we want to work. We also have the changes to make within the game and that is a side that I really enjoy.

There are a couple of schools of thought going into this game in terms of what would be a good result for both sides. There is a school of thought that says it is a must-win for both sides. There is another that says it would not be a disaster for Celtic to just not lose it because you could get yourselves into a strong position going into the final stretch after the split. Do you have a foot in both camps or is it a win or nothing?

I haven't overthought it. Every coach will tell you but I can only tell you how I feel, I always prepare the team to win. I never think of drawing or losing a game. I always prepare the team to go and win the game and that has always served me well especially in these types of games. You can't win them all, of course, but the mindset is to go and impose our way on the game and let's see where we are at come the end of it.