Brendan Rodgers asks hack if Celtic player should start against St Mirren

The Celtic Star

·15 de maio de 2025

Brendan Rodgers asks hack if Celtic player should start against St Mirren

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers spoke to the media after Celtic’s emphatic 5-1 victory over Aberdeen at Pittodrie on Wednesday evening…

Scottish Premiership. Wednesday 14 May 2025. Brendan Rodgers. Aberdeen 1-5 Celtic. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Q: What are your thoughts on the performance?

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Brendan Rodgers: “Yes, it was outstanding. I’m very pleased, actually. I’ve always said whatever changes I do make, for me it doesn’t and it shouldn’t affect the structure of the team, how we want to play. Of course, certain individuals will bring different things to it, but the players have clarity on our structure and how we work, and what we expect within that. We’ve seen that right the way through the evening. A lot of the attacking connections were so good, but it all comes from a basis of real hard work and pressing, and then that allows us to play at the tempo that we want to.”

Johnny Kenny celebrates. Aberdeen 1-5 Celtic. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Q: A very good team performance indeed. You must be delighted for young Johnny Kenny?

Brendan Rodgers: “Yes, absolutely. He’s come in and obviously been limited in his opportunities, but it’s not stopped him. He’s worked so hard every day and it was just about timing, really. It was about giving him the opportunity. He took it with a fantastic goal. His movement was really good, so that gave him huge confidence. I like him as a player. He obviously came into Celtic earlier, went away, got some experience. He’s grown over the few months we’ve had him from January. He’s got stronger. His movement’s really good. He’s a natural goal scorer. From 25 yards in, he can get the goal like he did tonight, left foot, right foot. I’m so pleased for him. A young guy from Ireland, playing for Celtic and then scoring your first goal at Pittodrie. It was amazing for him.”

Johnny Kenny celebrates. Aberdeen 1-5 Celtic. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Q: Does it give you food for thought for the Cup final or do you have to reward the players that have been there for you throughout the whole season?

Brendan Rodgers:“I think I said what the plan was before the Hibs game. The three games that we would play, I said I was going to change the team. We did that tonight and it was to get the guys into the best possible place for the cup final. So many good performances this evening, individually. So the guys got minutes in their legs, some of the guys that haven’t been playing for a little while. But not just minutes, they’ve got a real good performance in their legs as well. It just sets us up really nice for the weekend and then we can prepare for the final.”

Reo Hatate looks angry. Aberdeen 1-5 Celtic. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Q: You looked annoyed on the touch line, that challenge on Hatate. How is he and what did you make of it?

Brendan Rodgers: “Well, it was a needless challenge. I think the free kick was given, the ball’s just run away, Reo’s just relaxed and stopping it, and Gueye loses his head and just kicks through it and block tackles him. So, hopefully it’s not going to be too serious, but it was a needless challenge.”

Reo Hatate is visibly upset Aberdeen 1-5 Celtic. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Q: It’s a real shame, there’s only ten days before the Cup final, it’s a real shame for Reo?

Brendan Rodgers: “I don’t want to speculate until we know over the next couple of days, but it was a sore one and, like I said, there was no need for the challenge.”

Q: You said yesterday that you weren’t really thinking about sending out a message to Aberdeen for the cup final, or you didn’t think this game would have an influence on the cup final, but that’s quite a message sent out today, isn’t it? You make that many changes and still win 5-1. It must have an influence on the cup final?

Brendan Rodgers: “Well, I don’t know, that’s for Aberdeen.”

Adam Idah celebrates. Aberdeen 1-5 Celtic. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Q: Even your side?

Brendan Rodgers: “Yes, well, my side, I’m just really happy with the performance. We were so good in the game, the tempo, the speed in the game, it was where we wanted it to be at. And like I said, this is a game where the titles won, people will look at trophy day and the cup final as games that naturally you can play well in. But for me, this was still a big game for us. We wanted to go and perform well, and we did that. And some of our football was so good. Creative, attacking, mobility, rotation in the team, and all, like I said, from the basis of hard work. So, yes, a really, really good performance. But, as I said before the game, the cup final will be a different game.”

Scottish Premiership. Wednesday 14 May 2025. James Forrest. Aberdeen 1-5 Celtic. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Q: I know it’d be sentimental, but surely James Forrest has to play this weekend and give him that chance to get that goal?

Brendan Rodgers: “Should he play at the weekend, do you think?”

MSM Hack: “I think so.”

Brendan Rodgers: “OK, well, there you go.”

Scottish Premiership. Wednesday 14 May 2025. James Forrest. Aberdeen 1-5 Celtic. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Q: That’s why I’m saying I’m sentimental, give him that chance.

Brendan Rodgers: “Yeah, I’m not! Oh, he was so good. He doesn’t have to score, it would be great if he does. He’s definitely trying, he’s getting into some great areas. He was unfortunate in the first half, he chopped inside with his left foot. But, no, his performance level’s really, really high. And if it comes, great. If it doesn’t, he’s still performing and contributing for the team.”

Q: The fans are having a bit of fun about it as well, aren’t they?

Brendan Rodgers: “I think the Aberdeen fans wanted him to score! He’s got such goodwill from everyone to see if he can do it. But, no, he was outstanding tonight. Yeah, all the players are with him. I think I heard a song for James as well, which is nice. After 26 trophies, he deserves it. But, no, he was really good.”

Q: The mentality that you’ve seen since you won the league, does that answer some questions that maybe you asked of them after that St Johnstone game? You maybe questioned the mentality a wee bit, but they’ve really put the foot down since the league’s been won?

Brendan Rodgers: “I know what the group has, and that’s the job to make sure that you inspire and motivate the players. If you see a dip, that day it was. But the response from that has been so good. But that’s what I expect. It’s the standard of performance that we produce every day, which we take into the game. And when it drops behind that, you have to remind the players. But that hasn’t happened so often. A lot of the time, it’s about guiding them and shaping them to where we want to get to. They then produce the performance level on the pitch. And you see that tonight, away here, 8 o’clock kick-off. And a mention for the supporters, because I thought that was an incredible support. They had a long way to come, evening kick-off, and they were with the team all the way through. So, yes, but the mentality in the team, the culture is strong. And that’s in concrete now, so we just have to keep building.”

Maik Nawrocki in the Celtic celebrations. Scottish Premiership. Wednesday 14 May 2025. Aberdeen 1-5 Celtic. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Q: Were you happy with Maik Nawrocki’s contribution?

Brendan Rodgers: “Yes, yes. I thought he played through the lines really, really well, defended well, and obviously, he was very dangerous in the box. Great header for his first goal. So, yes, I was pleased with the two centre-halves. It was awkward for Auston in the first half, because he was blinded a wee bit with the sun on that side. But I thought those two were strong. Defended well, goalkeeper was assured, two full-backs, excellent. It was very pleasing.”

Sean McArdle. Aberdeen 1-5 Celtic. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Q: Your thoughts on Sean McArdle as well?

Brendan Rodgers: “Yes, I liked him when he came on. I like the young players, and any player that you play for Celtic, you have to have personality. And you could see at 17, he comes into the game, he takes the ball, he passes the ball. He’s got a wee edge to him as well that I like. He plays a lovely little one round the corner, which leads to Adam’s goal. And that’s the personality you need to have.”

Pittodrie after the dust settled on Aberdeen 1-5 Celtic. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Q: Was it pleasing to get your goal tally up tonight as well, I think it is 111 in the league?

Brendan Rodgers: “111, yes. So, one game to go in the league. Let’s be hungry for more at the weekend. A game we’ll have to work very hard against a team that’s very resolute and defends well. But, yes, we’ll be all hands to the pump to attack the game and finish Trophy Day, which will be a real special celebration for both the supporters and the players, and as the sacrifice we’ve all made to become a champion and play as well as we’ve done, then we can hopefully celebrate that with a good win at the weekend.”

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