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5 Brendan Rodgers Celtic presser takeaways as injuries addressed and John McGlynn's 'genius' compliment sidestepped

Brendan Rodgers
-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)


Brendan Rodgers has now had a few days to cool down from Celtic's red-hot 5-1 hammering of Slovan Bratislava in the Champions League.

The manager was beaming at full-time from Wednesday evening when his side put their opponents to the sword but this weekend it's a different challenge altogether with Falkirk coming to town in the Premier Sports Cup. The Bairns have started the season in the Championship unbeaten and will be confident but heading to Celtic Park is as hard as it gets in Scottish football.

The Hoops are flying both in Europe and domestically and Rodgers met the press this afternoon ahead of Sunday's cup tie to discuss the Slovan clash, John McGlynn as a boss as well as numerous other issues. Football Scotland picked out some key topics.

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Reflecting on Wednesday and what it can do for confidence

Firstly, the performance was outstanding. It had everything that I would want - full of desire and energy. Then, the energy from the stadium was absolutely incredible. That combination is a real force and we seen that in the game. It was an outstanding performance, and it had everything that I would want from one of my teams. The only thing missing was a couple more goals!

It can give us another layer of confidence. We’ve started performing really well with the intent in our game. Everything on that front domestically has been good. You take that into the Champions League and being able to do it at that level is also particularly pleasing, because no matter what is said, every team that plays in the Champions League is there believing that they are a big team. Obviously, there are some more prestigious teams than others, because of history, but every club that enters that competition has done well. You know when you’re playing these teams that you’ve got to perform. For us to play at that level with that pressure was something that didn’t surprise me - we coped with pressures last season - so that’s continued as a learning curve going into the other night. It felt like a really special occasion, and I said before the game that I felt ready going into this competition this year - more-so than any other time - and you can see that in the team and how they played.

McGlynn describing Rodgers as a "genius"

The first thing I would say is don’t use that word! When that gets said, that’s when everyone chases you even more! I don’t need that! When I came into here, we brought in a structure and a way of working and a mentality that he was a part of. He seen it first hand and he was in it. He knows how I work and the levels that I go to. John always went the extra mile for me. He knew there was a big demand with the job here and what I wanted. He was a real team player. I’m more comfortable talking about him and his achievements - he’s done fantastic. I’m delighted for him and he’ll have a great season. Hopefully not at the weekend!

Surprising that Prem clubs don't look at McGlynn?

It does surprise me. I think sometimes what can happen is that experience can get overlooked because there is a trend for a younger manager to come in with fresh and new ideas. I still think you can be really experienced and have a young mind. That young mind with the experience can really take clubs forward. I’m not sure if he declared if he had interest or not in him - he may well have done, or he may be happy where he is. There’s no doubt what he’s produced in his two clubs since he left here has been absolutely brilliant. The style of football, the game he looks to play, it’s very impressive. That opportunity will come for him, you look at Gasperini at Atalanta - 66 years of age but he has a young and fresh mind and he really drives on the vision of his club there. As long as you have that young mind but with experience, then that can help any club. John is one of those guys that has a wonderful enthusiasm for the game. He can take any team forward, and without any disrespect to Raith and Falkirk, he can do it at a higher level.

Injuries

Yeah, we've got a few players with niggles so we'll have a wee look at that and assess that by the end of play tomorrow. We won't take any risks on players. This was the second day of recovery as well – we had a group recovering, a group outside training hard, and then another one or two inside just making extra recovering inside rather than out.

Did Arne Engels justify pricetag with Slovan showing?

I don't think I proved a point, I think it was just a case of the board did great, they got the players in, and I said throughout the window that I knew the players I wanted and we all wanted the same thing. By the end of the window, if we'd gotten all the players we wanted to get in, then it'd have been a great achievement by all. And we did that. Now you see when you have that calibre of player in, what it can do. 11 million or 1.5 million – I will always look to develop a player, no matter what that price is.

Or whether it's a young player coming through the academy. But looking at this particular group, coming in last year, working with them and seeing how we want to progress, there were certain characteristics that I felt that we needed. Knowing in the back of my mind that there was a possibility of, say, Matt [O'Riley] going. Not only are you losing goals, you're losing a presence, a set-piece expert because he was very good at those.

Knowing that Arne fit that profile, that's why we were keen to get him in and help us. I think the other night was a vindication for everyone. The board, with the money they've spent, I think they will have enjoyed watching the team. The supporters, watching the game, seeing the verve in the team, the dynamism and playing the attacking football that they want, and the players themselves on the pitch doing a brilliant job, fighting for the team, fighting for the club and producing great football. Which is the demand.