IN FOR PADDY
these qualifiers can be 12 months ago and despite thinking all of his pieces were in place just a fortnight ago he is now back in the qualification blender and hoping everything turns out smooth.
He said: “It’s about finding a way. That’s the exciting part, the challenge. It’s not all plain sailing.
“My only disappointment is we sat here at the start of the season and said with this squad and one or two more we were really healthy.
“Then all of a sudden, before you know it, you have lost your best centre-half in Boyata and then another in Erik. Okay, you try to cope with that but then the goals are taken out of your team.
“Everyone clearly sees we are a very attacking team. I can coach a centre-half, I can coach a right-back and coach midfield players. But goalscorers are natural. That’s why you pay big money for strikers.
“They have an in-built brain for the goal and the game. I had Daniel Sturridge. He never practised finishing. Never.
“As soon as the session was finished in he would go. He was just born a goalscorer and had every finish in the book.
“Some other strikers would work on finishing for half an hour every day. Daniel, not once. Not because he was lazy.
“It was because he knew when he stepped on to the pitch that was it. He knew where the goal was. He could smell it.”
It’s an aroma of apprehension that’s wafting past the nostrils of the Hoops punters going in to the second leg in BRENDAN RODGERS Norway. Rodgers reckons the tension is par for the course in these do-or-die clashes but he’s about as relaxed as he can be and he’s convinced his side – makeshift or not – won’t be under the weather in Trondheim.
He said: “I think this whole phase of the competition breeds that. Even more so because of last season when we got back into the Champions League group stage.
“What’s vitally important, if you look at the results around Europe, is that we didn’t concede. That’s absolutely vital.
“There is a whole different pressure on Rosenborg now for their home game. We are fine. We know we can score away from home. The game will open up. We have the expectancy to qualify and we’re happy to live with that. This tie is like Astana last year.
“The games are tight. There is no chance you are going to walk all over teams in this round, especially when you are still fighting for your fitness.
“But like last year, can we find a way? That will be the case.”
There will be no need for a runny nose if the only smell is success. From Back Page September – but an out-and-out frontman is not on his radar as he would rather bank on Leigh Griffiths being fit and have another winger who can slot in up front in an emergency.
Roberts fits the bill. The 20-year-old travelled to America to try to win over Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola but his Etihad future remains uncertain.
Celtic are waiting in the wings and Rodgers said: “It’s something we would look at. Pat would be amazing for here. I think everyone could see that.
“But it all goes down to, one, Manchester City and how they see his future there. He has gone away on tour with them and got some game time. They will make a decision after that.
“Two, the boy might not want to come back. He might want to play in the Premier League if he has somewhere to do that. He might fancy a spell in Europe. But what he knows is he has a great place here if it comes to that.
“The club can bring him here. It’s more going to be whether the player sees this as the next step for him.
“We’ll know even clearer after Wednesday. We’ll have a slight break before what would be the final qualification phase. We know what we need. It’s just unfortunate with the timing really.”
Griffiths trained yesterday and is winning his fight to be fit for Rosenborg on Wedneday.
But Dembele’s absence is a long-term blow. Rodgers insists the Frenchman’s hamstring injury will not affect his future at the club. He has several top sides on his trail including Marseille, Chelsea and Manchester United.
But Rodgers said: “As far as we are concerned he’s here for this period. It’s us getting through this next qualification phase.
“It’s clear Moussa is going to be out until September so then we would probably need to bring another one in of a certain type because you can’t have three top strikers here.
“That is the reality. In Scotland you can’t accommodate that.
“We maybe look at a winger who can also play as a striker.
“Certainly, getting through we wouldn’t want to be in this position if we can help it.”
Rodgers has taken a strong squad south to face Sunderland today. Griffiths and Erik Sviatchenko both remained in Glasgow but could make Norway while Scott Brown and Mikael Lustig will be rested.
Rodgers said: “We’ll get a better gauge over the course of the next couple of days on Leigh. It’s still touch and go.
“He won’t play at Sundeland but it’s all about getting him on the flight next week. It’ll be down to how he feels. Leigh will want to play if he is somewhere near.”
There is a whole different pressure on Rosenborg now. We are fine CAPTAIN MARVEL