RODGERS CALLS FOR MORE PROTECTION

BRENDAN Rodgers pointed to the fate of former Celtic defender John Kennedy as he called for referees to protect his players.

Kennedy, who is now part of Rodgers’ backroom staff, was never the same after sustaining a serious knee injury in a challenge by Romania’s Ionel Ganea on his Scotland debut at Hampden Park in 2004.

The Northern Irishman was reminded of his early retirement at 26 when he watched a re-run of a tackle by Ryan Bowman on leftback Kieran Tierney in last w e e k ’s 2 - 0 w i n o v e r Motherwell at Parkhead.

In Rodgers’ view, teenage Hoops defender Tierney was on the end of a “horrendous” challenge.

Ahead of the home game against Hamilton tomorrow, Rodgers said: “My only worry at this moment in time is protection for my players.

“I have seen two tackles in the last two games that weren’t good tackles at all.

“We respect referees but I would like them to have a wee bit of protection for players.

“I’ve seen a tackle on Kieran Tierney which I didn’t see right after the game but I watched a replay afterwards and it was horrendous.

“This is a kid who is 19, one of the great prospects of Scottish football.

“I have a boy who is a brilliant coach on my staff, John Kennedy, who was also a brilliant prospect who in one challenge lost his career.

“I don’t really want that to happen to any of my players or any player for that matter.”