A DIFFERENT APPROACH

Self-belief is key for Celtic as Rodgers accepts club cannot compete financially

Technically, they’ve shown they’re good enough to do it

THE continuation of Celtic’s Champions League journey has brought back a familiar question. How on earth can they edge a little closer to elite rivals who exist in a different financial stratosphere?

Wednesday’s 3-0 reverse in the Allianz Arena didn’t reach the scale of last month’s 5-0 thumping from Paris Saint-Germain, or last term’s 7-0 obliteration in Barcelona. But you could argue the scoreline didn’t fully reflect the gulf in class, particularly during a torrid first half. Bayern Munich attacked. Celtic gave them the ball back. On it went in a carousel of concern for the Scottish champions.

The two clubs may share space in the one tournament but any further similarities end at the bank. Bayern lavished more this summer — around £9million — on updating their already state-ofthe-art stadium than Celtic spent on transfer fees. Even then, the Germans shake their heads when they look at the extraordinary largesse of Group B leaders PSG. Cash clearly can’t be the answer from a Parkhead perspective.

Brendan Rodgers is also adamant that parking the bus is not the solution. At least not on his watch. Fundamentally opposed to a defend-at-all-cost approach, the Celtic manager had urged his players to ‘play our way’ in Bavaria. Frustration at their subsequent failure to retain possession was all too evident as he paced his technical area.

This, Rodgers insists, is central to the way forward. He called it a question of ‘nerve’. He could have said belief. Or even bravery. What he is driving at is for Celtic to have a greater faith in their own abilities. To take and use the ball in the same positions so regularly exploited in domestic football.

‘Technically, they’ve shown they’re good enough to do it,’ insisted Rodgers. ‘Tactically, they also got in good positions.

‘But then you have to have the nerve. You need the nerve to play. That’s what the top guys have and it’s what we’re trying to impose and force on to the team. Because to play at this level you need that.

‘We didn’t once, from being in position in the first half, play from the goalkeeper to a centre-half. Not once, not once.

‘If you look at Scott Brown, he’s got that personality (to get on the ball). We didn’t help the midfield players and we didn’t help the front players in the first half. They couldn’t get the ball often enough because we didn’t build the play with that nerve.’

The process of instilling an iron mentality brings Rodgers to his other requirement. Patience. If buying genuine Champions League quality is impossible, his job is to create players with the necessary attributes.

‘Absolutely — and that takes time,’ he argued. ‘But you saw in the second half, we did it better. Okay, we made some mistakes but we looked to get it out and come through the pitch.

‘We worked through the midfield and created opportunities. We always feel we can be a threat in attack but that’s the key.

‘It is different. But that’s the pressure at this level. That’s why the top players, as well as having the physical attributes, they have that mental courage to play, too.

‘You can’t click your fingers and get that. But this is an incredibly honest group of players and they gave everything. We have things to look at.

‘We’re doing remarkably well domestically, but I came here to create a level of football which was for this (Champions League) level, not just domestic football.’

The precise personnel involved in Munich raised another old question. The one about Celtic not signing a new centre-back in the summer.

Jozo Simunovic’s continuing hamstring injuries forced a defensive reshuffle. Mikael Lustig moved infield alongside Dedryck Boyata, with Cristian Gamboa taking over at right-back.

The Costa Rican international endured a traumatic opening period as Kingsley Coman surged past him time and again.

Would a direct, experienced replacement for Simunovic — purchased within budget — have made any difference against Robert Lewandowski et al? Rodgers considers it a moot point.

‘It is what it is,’ he said. ‘Since I’ve come in here, we’ve been struggling with the availability of central defenders. Not just one, not just two, it’s been three and sometimes four.

‘It’s something we’ve had to deal with and something we’ll have to look at in terms of getting that consistency.’

It remains to be seen whether Simunovic will be able to return to action when Bayern arrive at Parkhead in 11 days. An improved team performance will be Rodgers’ primary aim for the rematch, with Celtic still well set to claim third place in the section and Europa League football after Christmas.

‘The game now is moving away beyond because of finances,’ said Rodgers. ‘For us, we want to be competitive and to do that we have to find a way, another way.

‘That’s through an ideal of playing as a collective. It’s about breeding that and growing that. But, listen, there is no shame in coming to the Allianz and losing 3-0. We had chances and the goals we conceded were disappointing.

‘Bayern Munich are a world-class outfit. They are a super-power club and at times I thought we played and showed confidence. But it takes more time to have that total faith.

‘I thought Kieran (Tierney) did really well. He was against Arjen (Robben), who is a world-class operator, but Kieran stuck to his task really well, so you are only going to get better for that.

‘We cannot compete at all with Bayern Munich financially, but you have to find a way.

‘It’s incredibly difficult, but we can’t stop trying. You don’t give up hope and in trying to find ways to get results.’

We want to be competitive and we need to find a way of doing that