Brendan Rodgers didn’t have his problems to seek when he faced the media after Celtic’s 2-0 defeat from SC Braga in the Europa League.
In four European matches this season Celtic have scored just one goal, their opponents haven’t been top notch but the problems that the hoops are facing are largely self inflicted.
Michael Nicholson’s obsession with the balance sheet has resulted in the sales of Kyogo Furuhashi, Nicolas Kuhn and Adam Idah this year without any serious attempt being made to bring in adequate replacements, improvements are a pipe dream at a club dedicated to making profit.
Rodgers has been dealt a terrible hand but carries some responsibility for a ‘style’ of play that is difficult to define.
Other than feeding Sebastian Tounekti on the left wing there seems to be no purpose or shape to Celtic’s play, the Tunisian internationalist was signed from Hammerby in the final hours of the summer transfer window.
It has now gone beyond the stage of saying that there is a stand off over Rodgers’ Celtic contract, clearly from the actions of Nicholson the club is determined to head off in a different direction to the manager who delivered 12 Champions League points last season with five full houses at Celtic Park.
No one quibbled about ticket prices as they watched RB Leipzig, Club Brugge and Bayern Munich, tonight the stadium was barely more than half full whatever attendance figure is given out.
Everything around Celtic appears to be on a downward spiral with Rodgers sent out twice a week to face the media after matches, the standards from last season have taken a tanking driven by the policy of the CEO.
I don’t know why the goal wasn’t given. It’s a real pivot point in the game, we get the goal, one each, and then it builds the confidence again. So I don’t know why, and I haven’t had an explanation as to why it wasn’t given.
We continued to press and the keeper has made a couple of great saves. We couldn’t quite get the goal. Of course, at 1-0 when you’re chasing, you then concede a disappointing second goal. Yeah, very frustrating.
And I can’t understand why the referee hasn’t asked to go and have a look at it. I think if you’re looking at that, again, if you look at it once, twice, and I’m assuming the guys in the VAR will have watched it more than that, because of the time it took. There’s absolutely no way from every angle you look at that he’s touched it.
So it’s hit his face, he’s gone away and finished it very, very well. And that’s a big moment in the game for us.
Rodgers on Schmeichel for the first Braga goal:
I haven’t spoken to him. I think, from looking at it, it looks like the ball is moving, of course. He probably will be disappointed with it.
But yeah, it looks like it’s a good strike by the player, and it’s obviously moved a little bit but I haven’t spoken to Kasper on it
Rodgers on the lack of Celtic goals:
Whatever it is I need to find the solution to it. There’s been too many games now where we haven’t scored for a team that, last season, scored the most goals in the last 54 years in the clubs’ history.
It’s my responsibility to find the solutions to that. We got into some good areas and the keeper made some good saves but we still need to be more aggressive.
Rodgers on the scoring problems caused by Nicholson selling off three of the top four goalscorers:
It doesn’t really matter what it is because nothing is going to change in that aspect until at least January so I need to find an answer to them.
The next game, we need to win that. It’s a big game for us and if we’re going to push on then we have to win that.
I thought the support we got tonight was great. It’s an early kick off, a real challenge for a lot of supporters to get to the game but they got there and gave us excellent support. We hope they find a solution.
We have to analyse the games and know we can be better, it’s constant work. I think the rhythm in the team isn’t quite there. All players can make a mistake in the game but Kasper has made some great saves for us.
Rodgers has until Sunday to come up with some solutions, unbeaten Motherwell visit Celtic Park with dark clouds gathering from every angle.
The off field issues involving the manager, his contract, recruitment issues and senior figures running to a friend of Roger Hannah haven’t been addressed but when you have a CEO like Michael Nicholson issues are something to be avoided or deflected elsewhere.
On Monday there will be no hiding place for the Celtic CEO and his sidekick Chris McKay as they meet the Celtic Fans Collective face to face.
No amount of patronising, tea or biscuits will work as the group representing over 400 fan organisations look for answers to seven key questions about the mis-management of the club at all levels.
CLICK HERE for Celtic’s September 6 statement.
CLICK HERE for shocking video showing the neglect of Celtic Park.
