RODGERS: WE ARE NOT THE FINISHED ARTICLE YET
BRENDAN RODGERS insists Celtic are still some distance away from being the Champions League team he wants them to be. The Parkhead club finished their first group campaign in three years with credible away draws against Borussia Monchengladbach and Manchester City, following an earlier pulsating 3-3 draw with Pep Guardiola’s side at Parkhead in September. Praising the progress his team made following a horrendous 7-0 opening defeat in Barcelona, Rodgers believes Group C could have delivered a bigger harvest than three points. However, hinting at more signings in his quest to push Celtic towards the promised land of the last 16
From Back Page next season, he admitted: ‘We’re still a long way off where I want to be. ‘But what I am seeing is that it’s starting to flow better. We build and consolidate the game. We’re incisive with our movement and passing in the game and finishing. It’s building well but that’s all it is. It’s still a way to go from where I want us to be.’ Targeting an energetic midfielder and a central defender in the January window, the Celtic boss declined to say how many players he might need. ‘I don’t know,’ he insisted. ‘You always look to improve. There is no number, I just want to improve. ‘I am absolutely loving walking into the club, working with the players and there is no better feeling when you are a manager seeing the relationship between training and the game.’ Rodgers is keen to maintain a hungry squad of around 20 outfield players — and Gary Mackay-Steven staked a claim for a reprieve with his substitute appearance in Tuesday’s 1-1 draw in Manchester. Efe Ambrose, Kris Commons and Nadir Ciftci are among those who could leave in the New Year to make space for reinforcements. Rodgers will also look to blood some youngsters after watching Celtic’s development team lose 3-2 to City in the UEFA youth league. ‘If you are talking actual professionals, the squad would be too big,’ he said. ‘But if you are playing 50 or 60 games a season you have to carry a reasonable-sized squad. ‘I’ve always looked to carry a group of 20, with your goalkeepers. Within your 20 then you are having possibilities for young players, because they need to have hope.’ Winger Scott Sinclair, meanwhile, could be fit for next weekend’s SPFL clash with Dundee after a threeweek lay-off. Rodgers also hopes to have left-back Kieran Tierney back by the end of January after ankle and shoulder surgery. ‘Scotty, we’re hopeful should be ready for Dundee,’ said Rodgers, whose side take on Partick Thistle tomorrow night. ‘We play Partick then Hamilton and then Dundee the following Saturday. ‘KT (Tierney) is coming along really well and will be training with us in January, so he shouldn’t be too far away after the break. ‘We took the opportunity to give him an MOT as he’s had a shoulder issue. ‘While he was recovering from his ankle operation, we thought let’s get that done, too.’ Meanwhile, UEFA have started disciplinary proceedings against Celtic for the behaviour of their fans during the City game. The Scottish champions face charges from European football’s governing body for setting off fireworks and ‘crowd disturbances’ at the Etihad Stadium.