Brendan Rodgers was highly diplomatic after Celtic completed their pre-season build up with a penalty shoot out win over Al Ahli at the Como Cup.
The Saudi side provided a very physical test with the Italian referee reluctant to get involved with James Forrest and Luke McCowan on the end of some nasty attacks completely out of place in a pre-season match.
It was a heartening display from Celtic, there is a good level of fitness and understanding throughout the squad but Rodgers knows more than anyone that there is a lack of quality and depth for the ambitions that he has.
From seven pre-season matches it is clear that Kieran Tierney and Ben Nygren are first team ready, the former Arsenal defender is a nailed on starter while Nygren is a very useful addition in midfield, the area of the park that Celtic are best covered in.
Hayato Inamura and Shin Yamada, with only 45 minutes to his name, look useful additions to the squad, had they been available for the Scottish Cup Final in May the treble may have been secured.
From his comments Rodgers is fighting fires on a couple of fronts. To built a Champions League ready squad, that must first negotiate a Play Off match, to convincing whoever is involved in recruitment of the urgency to bring in quality all against a very clear whispering campaign to undermine the manager and question his big signings.
Auston Trusty has gone a long way to answering that accusation, against Newcastle and Al Ahli he has excelled, showing real strength and leadership on the left-hand side of defence. Now for the different challenges posed by St Mirren and Dundee.
Arne Engels and Adam Idah are the other targets for the critics who overlook how Rodgers transformed a £3.5m winger from the Austrian League into a £17m Serie A signing.
Every passing week of the transfer window creates greater tension across the club but after last night’s match there surely can’t be anyone making a case for Marco Tilio.
Good luck and best wishes to the Australian but it is painfully clear that the most expensive player to come out of the A-League is nowhere near Celtic class fully two years after his ill-logical transfer from Melbourne City.
Rodgers on Yamada
It’s nice for him. He’s come in, and it’s always different, he’s just dropped into a new culture and a new way of working and intensity.
He’s worked very hard in training and obviously sadly didn’t get the run out the other night, but it was planned to give him 45 minutes today and he worked very hard in the game and showed good composure.
He’s very quick, he’s very strong, he wants to get in behind. He just needs to get in, from the wee bits I’ve seen of him, better, more decisive positions to score, because we are a team that creates a lot of opportunities.
Rodgers on Carter-Vickers and Johnston
He’s (Carter-Vickers) a number of weeks behind them. It’s that mixture between giving them game time and looking after them, because you can overdo it.
It’s such a long season, and the boys actually that have played before him have done really well, Dane Murray’s been excellent, and some of the other players.
Alistair Johnston is the same. He won’t be up to speed for a wee bit yet, either, but Tony Ralston’s there and he’s been great also.
Does Rodgers expect new signings coming in?
I don’t know, I haven’t had any sort of update as of yet but I’m very hopeful that’ll be the case, I think we know that we want to improve the squad, so we’re hoping that’ll be the case.
Rodgers on the purpose and effectiveness of Celtic’s pre-season
I certainly always look at young players, to see if they’re game ready for us, so that’s the whole idea of bringing them with you, to let them see and see what level they’re at.
I think the opportunity is always there, for any young player. Of course you need the opportunity, but it’s not rocket science, it’s hard work, and it’s just a case of looking at where your development is at.
Do they need a loan, or do they need to stay and develop and play and train around the first team? Every player is different, but the look will always be there for young players at the club.
Last summer Celtic hadn’t signed any outfield players before the end of July.
Paulo Bernardo returned on a permanent basis on August 1, after Kyogo Furuhashi injured his shoulder against Hibs Adam Idah was signed from Norwich on August 14.
When Brighton completed the signing of Matt O’Riley on August 26 it paved the way for the signings of Arne Engels, Auston Trusty and Luke McCowan.
As well as O’Riley fees were picked up for Mikey Johnston, Bosun Lawal and Oh Hyeon-gyu to ensure another healthy profit from the transfer window.
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