TALKING CELTIC
BRENDAN Rodgers does not wish to speak of a Treble, but it is the word that goes hand-in-hand wherever he goes now.
As the Parkhead side gear up for their William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final tomorrow afternoon, Rodgers is content to look no further than the squad in front of him.
This is a group of players he trusts to deliver the result that would take Celtic within one game of replicating a feat that was last achieved in 2001. “To arrive into the game, and this was a point I said a few weeks back, we wanted to arrive i nto this game at optimum level and that meant availability, confidence and the nature of our game,” said the Celtic manager. “And that’s what we do.
“We can’t be any more prepared, we can’t have any more players available and we’re ready.
“Are we ready? We’ve been ready since the first game, so no change for us. We expect a tough game and we’ve all seen these games over the years.
“Whatever the form has been of the teams doesn’t matter, you still have to perform and my players have shown many times this season, in pressure moments and pressure games that they can deal with that.
“It’ll still be very tough games, an exciting game, I’m sure, but one we want to come through.”
It was another contentious decision that dominated the end of the last game with those of a Celtic hue irked at the decision not to give a penalty from a Clint Hill infringement on Leigh Griffiths inside the box.
Rodgers, though, was reluctant to pinpoint that as a reason for drawing the game. “We always take our own responsibility,” insisted Rodgers. “We didn’t play so well, but should have won.
“We were up in the game and didn’t quite react to the second -phase of a free-kick late on. We had an opportunity to win it, but it’s okay.
“We can’t be perfect. We’ve had a good preparation into it, players are available and all are focused on it.”
Facing up to Rangers has come around as regularly as the rain in Glasgow this season; the team will joust now for a place in the final but it is the fifth time they have squared up to one another this term.
Despite the regularity of the fixture, it is not an occasion that has been diluted in the eyes of the Celtic manager.
And while Rangers will have reaped encouragement from the last league meeting between the teams at Celtic Park which finished in a 1-1 stalemate despite a slaughter being predicted beforehand, Rodgers too has drawn a certain comfort from that.
“We take great strength from the fact that we didn’t play so well, Rangers probably played as well as what they’ll play, and we still drew the game,” he said.
“I said at the time, it was a