Rodgers can only dial ‘ M’ for Missed opportunity
CELTIC It wasn’t the phone call he thought he would be making but the situation with McGinnis catalyst for fracture
IT wasn’t the phone- call he thought he would be making.
But the situation with John McGinn has been the catalyst for the fracture that has emphatically revealed itself this week at Celtic.
At one stage, Brendan Rodgers would have anticipated getting on the phone to welcome McGinn into the club. Instead, as he chatted to the Scotland midfielder on Wednesday it was to wish him well in the English Championship as the player embarks on a new chapter of his career with Aston Villa.
Who knows if there was a last- minute persuasive tone to the call or not, but certainly McGinn making the move to Villa has been the straw to snap the patience of the Celtic manager.
And he is unperturbed who knows it.
It’s believed that Rodgers had a list of potential targets that he handed to the board before leaving for his holiday at the end of the season. With the except ion of Odsonne Edouard – at a club record fee – so far he has been frustrated at the manner in which they have not been delivered.
It is understood that rightback Cristiano Piccini from Sporting Lisbon was wanted by Rodgers before the Italian joined Valencia in a £ 7m deal. And clearly frustrated at the complacency that surrounded the dealings over McGinn, Rodgers said: “It’s gone, so we move on.
“I spoke to John at length [ on Wednesday]. He was already gone. It was just to wish him all the very best.
“It was a great move for him, but disappointment for us of course, especially when he is a lifelong Cel t ic supporter. But he is joining another illustrious club with a great history and wonderful training facilities and a good manager and an opportunity to go play in England.
“He has developed a lot these last couple of years. He is a good age, a prime age at 23, and I wish him all the very best.
“He is a young man that I would like to see do well. He is very committed to his profession and a very good player. I wish him all the very best. But like I say that’s gone now we have to move on.”
Emilio I zaguir re i s expected to formalise his return to the club today with Australian winger Daniel Arzani also set to join Celtic.
Izaguirre will offer cover for Kieran Tierney while Arzani is regarded as a player for the future. Those arrivals, with every respect, aren’t of the high profile variety that had been anticipated by the support this summer although with the English window now closed, this may well be the time that Celtic are in a position to conclude further dealings.
Rodgers is clear that he wants quality in order to progress but at the minute he was keen to welcome back Izaguirre. It will allow Celtic youngster Calvin Miller to head out on loan to build up some first- team experience.
“We had 61 competitive games last year and Kieran cannot play in every single one, there’s not a player who can play in virtually every one,” said Rodgers.
“We have to be mindful that the level of quality doesn’t drop off too much, and it’s not easy to bring in someone who can sit in as a secondary left- back.
“I always look at the developmental side for Kieran, firstly in the team and then sometimes coming out and
recovering slightly. Not that he would want to, but it’s something that you have to do. The likes of Calvin can’t constantly be an understudy either. We have to see his level consistently and also see that he can get some games in his legs.
“To do that, you have to balance that up by getting someone specifically for the role, and Emilio fits it perfectly.
“He’s fit, and he did a great job in his time here. It’s a year’s deal.
“I wanted to keep him, but naturally as he got towards the last phase of his footballing life, he has seen a financial package there that was attractive.
“He has gone out there and tried it, it hasn’t quite worked out how he would want it.
“He had other options, but once I knew it was a possibility then I felt it was a sensible decision to get someone in like him who is fit and knows what Celtic is all about.”
And Rodgers has also insisted that the third- round Champions League qualifier against AEK Athens is not over yet.
The Greek side hold all the cards with their vital away goal but Rodgers is optimistic that Celtic can roll up their sleeves in Athens.
“My reflections on it are that when you get over the disappointment in relation to the result, we felt we were the better team,” he said.
“They are a good side, that’s why they are entering at this stage of the competition. If we’d gone in 1- 0 at half- time, everyone would have been happy at how we played.
“My only disappointment was the goal we conceded right on half- time and on another day, we take the chances in the second half.
“But we are going out there next week knowing we still have a really good chance.
“No- one gave us a chance when we went to Anderlecht last season and got a good result. Everyone thought the same after the 0- 0 at home to Rosenborg last year and we went out there and got a good result and performance.
“We also played very well out in Moenchengladbach a couple of years ago. So while it will always be a challenge, I’ve every faith in the players to go there and get the result.”