While the Celtic boss is pretty pissed off with the team—and watching that performance today, he has every right to be.
Now, I’ve said that Rodgers himself cannot skate by. He’s got to take some of the blame. Because he refuses to change the system, and as long as he keeps refusing, days like this are going to happen, and we’re going to end up in trouble. But he’s right about certain players.
There are one or two in that team right now who look as if they think they’re on an extended holiday. And one of them is Nicholas Kuhn.
I think it’s worth saying that, and it’s absolutely worth being a little bit angry about his performances of late—because few of them in the past couple of months have been up to par. He has been terrible. He looks like a guy whose head is somewhere else.
Now, I don’t necessarily mean that his head is at another club or that he’s thinking about a transfer—but he is not focused right now. He does not look like the player who started the season in such dazzling form. And you know what? If he and some others think it’s time to move on, then let’s move them on. Let’s get to the summer, let’s get them gone, and let’s bring in players who want to be here—players who want to play for the team, players who can rise to the level Rodgers expects on a day like this. Too many of them are off form right now.
I’m never worried about a rebuild. We’ve watched rebuilds happen. We saw one in the summer. We saw a mini one the summer before that—but that wasn’t done by the manager. Two seasons before that, Postecoglou did a full rebuild of the squad. There’s nothing to fear from another one. Sometimes you need to shake a team up, and there are one or two players in that squad right now who need a good shake.
So I’m not particularly concerned to hear Rodgers talking like that. I’m not bothered to hear him speak about players who aren’t at the races today, who have the wrong mentality at the moment. What does concern me is that Rodgers himself might not be committed to staying at the club beyond next year—and that makes it very hard to convince players to commit either. It also makes the board a little leery about bankrolling any big rebuild in the summer.
There’s something else too—if certain players have had their heads turned they’re going to have to play a hell of a lot better than they are right now if they want to get out of here. Because nobody is going to buy the players who were as lax as they were today.
Rodgers sounds like he’s just about out of patience with certain people.
The fact he’s subbed off Nicholas Kuhn early in a few games lately suggests that he is one of them. And I really don’t know what happened to that guy, because he started the season on fire, and then it all just faded away. It might be fatigue. It might be that he’s never played in a team before that is so far ahead of everyone else in the domestic league and he’s just not motivated. That can happen. But at Celtic, it cannot be allowed to happen.
The demands here are far too great for that. The need for every player to be on it, every game, every week, is absolute. It’s non-negotiable. And Rodgers is right—it’s better to find out who can do it and who can’t. It’s better to know who’s up for it and who isn’t.
At half-time today, he was out on the pitch by himself while the players were in the dressing room. At full-time, he did the same. So he’s got a lot on his mind. He’s thinking things over. And I wouldn’t be surprised to see some big changes in the summer.
Kuhn’s not the only one. Idah isn’t very good and I don’t buy into the hype surrounding Engels. Trusty is far too weak physically and when you’re bringing on Taylor to try and win a game it shows how bad things are. For me more than anything we need a good striker and a beast in midfield who will win and then carry the ball. You suggest Rodgers is going to change things in Summer but that will be down to Pedro and the Invisible Man. Before Rodgers changes players he should find a Plan B. Elite manager’s change things Rodgers can’t. He has known our starts have been awful for months but he is only mentioning it today and he has done nothing about it.
Couldn’t agree more. I want Engels to succeed but I haven’t seen anything from him that suggests he will be a top player for us. If he wasn’t the penalty taker he would’ve scored 1 goal for us so far. It probably is time for a minor rebuild. You’re right about Trusty too, he’s too weak. But him, Idah and Engels cost a combined 26m. So it’s no wonder the board are hesitant to back the manager when this is how our money is spent. 26m for an SPL side is a tremendous amount of money. On 3 players who we couldve easily benched all season and not really noticed as Scales and McCowan/Bernardo are just as effective in my opinion and Idah has barely had a run in the team.
That is absolutely the issue – and it was the same at Liverpool and to some extent Leicester (albeit the ownership issues didn’t help) where the Board looked at the players he’d bought for significant sums and weren’t performing or worse weren’t even starting and so decided they weren’t backing him any more.
Idah is so bad that he can’t get a start even after we’ve sold Kyogo on! Other than Schmeichel our best players are the ones he inherited – CalMac, CCV, Johnston, Daizen etc. and that I think is where Brendan’s real talent lies – taking players already at a club and making them better. IMHO he really struggles to evolve teams as players get sold/wind-down/retire etc etc. I seriously doubt the Board will trust him to spend another £30million in the summer even if its been generated by existing player sales (most likely Hatate and Khun).
There are players that need a kick up the backside but I won’t single out Kuhn, wingers are all about confidence and his has took a hit. At the end of the season his stats will show a good campaign. I have a bigger issue with Trusty, I rate Scales but was confident Trusty could be an improvement, I haven’t seen it because he hasn’t been. Nawrocki has looked the part in every game he’s played and should be given the jersey. Engels and Hatate might be lightweight but I actually thought they covered a lot of ground and weren’t terrible but neither score enough goals. Shooting practice is definitely needed as they do get decent openings. The worst thing is St Johnstone changed their system at halftime and both worked! The first they had our defence under pressure and looking shaky, the 2nd half they sat in and it took us half an hour to get a shot on target. Forrest should’ve scored and looked lively, apart from that it was poor. I hope we see a different 11 next week and I hope those guys take their chance.
Maybe more so than fresh players we need some fresh thinking from Rodgers and the coaching staff. I see little evidence of tactical tweaks in-game when things are not going well and we must be one of the easiest teams to prepare to play against as you know exactly what we will do (Club Bruges even told us in advance that they knew how to play against us).
We weren’t helped by the pitch today which really negated any chance to play a fast, controlled passing game – but all the more reason why we need to be able to change tactics.
Trusty playing today really surprised me as I thought Nawrocki had done enough to stay in the team. The more I see of Trusty, the less convinced I am by his defending and his ability to pass the ball quickly out from the back.
James, you have talked often of BR’s ability to improve players – it’s a mixed bag when I look at who has improved this season (Maeda, Yang) and those who have work still to show (Trusty, Idah, Engels).
It’s beyond frustrating that this league hasn’t been wrapped up and allowed us to give fringe players and academy prospects game time to let them show what they have to offer.
Interestingly, the players being questioned are the three purchased for £26m last summer. that is serious money in Scottish football. The challenge next year may well be stronger and sustained, the manager had better ensure that the right players are bought at the right price.
I also think it’s an attitude problem, we haven’t looked hungry since Bayern, I don’t think winning every game is as important to the players, they might see their job as bringing back trophies. It’s an easy ride this season with no competition but you can’t coast. It’s a bad habit to pick and choose when you’ll give your best.
A bad habit indeed Brattbakk – And very unfair to The Celtic supporters who pay through the turnstiles to see that bad habit !
4-3-3 Brendan can leave if he wishes as far as I’m concerned. At a time when the club is in it’s most robust financial health, it is possibly the most unentertaining Celtic team to watch in my 62 years. Although we are on a treble, I have sat in that stadium and watched some very un-Celtic like games, where reverse is our main gear. Sure there have been great moments mainly from Maeda, the man is a superstar, but there have been some terrible games to watch. If they score a couple by midway through the first half we are then treated to the retain the ball training session shit for the rest of the game. Maybe winning is the only important thing now, but Celtic have a history of entertaining and I dearly wish for it to continue
Could it be that Brendan has lost the dressing room ?
When you constantly hear that you’re part of the future, part of the building blocks of the next generation of success, be part of history, some players might go “hang on, 60 thou a week singing and lauding us, guaranteed trophies every year”
Then you watch them bleed out Idah signing over the summer for £9.5M and they sell Kyogo at a critical time for £10m – you’ve weakened the team, and network profit is £500k.
I wouldn’t work for an employer that expected 100% out of me, yet they failed to deliver on anything.
Penny pinching pensioners are ruining the club.
Where’s the energy and enthusiasm from the board? Well don’t expect it from the pitch or stands if you can’t get your bit right.
No way, not in a million years did BR sanction the sales of Kyogo, not with UCL on the agenda and Barry “Bazzball” challenging for honours(obviously satire).
Tell me, with the exception of DD (and his credit is running low) who’s impressed from within? And Paul Tisdale, I even asked HR if he was a ghoster and Jamesie was snyding another wage. Tisdales troops, where are they?
Our board still find a penny on the street and pick it up, virtue signalling they know what it is worth. Yet I’d point to Idah for £9.5M – how much? Kyogo was £3.5M FFS
The £9.5 mill for Idah was down to the Invisible Man either being remotely operated by Lawwell or sticking strictly to the A,B, C guide to negotiating for Dummies, authored by P T Lawwell.
Brinkmanship with Norwich led to desperation on the last day of the Transfer Window. When Norwich asked for
6 million for a player languishing in the reserves with no interest from any other Club we could have negotiated in good faith down to a reasonable figure of 4.5 million. But no we tried to play hardball,ignoring the fact that Norwich knew of Celtic’s healthy financial position and the urgency of our need. To then dither, with no Plans B,C or D, what else were Norwhich’s negotiators going to do when we turned up on the last day of the window with our begging cup in our hand. Did Celtic expect them to play nice?
That £9.5 Mill price tag will haunt Idah for the rest of his career.
We need some greater strength, height and solidity throughout our spine. I keep the goalies though. C’mon Hoops pick it up again and if you looking to move on show potential suitors what you’ve got
If Brendan loses his third Glasgow derby in a row later this month, it could be the beginning of the end. He shows no sign of changing how we play, so it’s very likely.
As far as I am concerned the jury has been out on Engels and Trusty since the start of the season and neither of them have convinced me that they are worth even half of their price tags. Idah also has to do a lot more than what he has been producing, the odd glimpse of talent isn’t enough, it has to be consistent and continuous. The rest of the side also look lethargic and, as Brendan say too comfortable, there is no fire in their bellies and no fight. Had it not been for the dysfunctional Hun mob we would be fighting for this title instead of cruising towards it at this stage.
Engels, Kuhn and CV were all poor and have been past few weeks. The Perth side played well, CV was bullied. Kuhn’s idea of doing enough is not good enough and Engels sometimes hides imo.
Tough surface and some glaring chances missed. Put it down to a bad day and move on BU I haven’t heard Rodgers make similar suggestions in the past.
Last bunch to move onto bigger, better haven’t fared so well and Rodgers is always looking to help progress in players but knows it takes hard work and the right attitude more than anything else. He has every right to be angry.
I would not start Hatate, far better impact player, always seems to get better nearing the end of games. Sometimes seems to stroll through games early without impact and his shooting is rank.
McGregor could do more further up the park too.
Trusty and CCV not a great partnership for me. Personally I’d be moving CCV on. CH’s should always be a threat at our corners I don’t see that ability in him. Lower EPL team would be his best option.
Only saving grace from the weekend was the dire rangers performance.
Hope we do Dundee and St J’s a favour next week and pump Killie, love to see them and that plastic pitch go down.
‘Rangers’ are no longer alive JimBhoy !
I’m disappointed like everyone else, BR and his backroom staff along with the players have let themselves and the supporters down. It’s either complacency or something going on in the background. The way Celtic have been starting games has been disgraceful, no urgency and no intent in their play. I’m pretty sure it’s complacency, being out of Europe and so far ahead in the League has affected the players in a negative way. It’s no coincidence to me that our best display recently was in the Scottish Cup against a decent Hibs team, the intent and concentration was there in a game we had to win.
BR and his backroom staff have got to take responsibility if they have let complacency take hold, if the attitude had been the same in each half yesterday I’m sure we would have worn that St Johnstone team down over the 90 mins.