Plastic was drastic in Russia but John couldn’t snub Euro chance

John Kennedy only got the chance to play in one crucial Champions League qualifier for Celtic.

And even on a plastic pitch in Russia he wasn’t about to pass up the opportunity.

The Parkhead coach had temporarily recovered from the knee injury which would eventually end his career when the Hoops faced Spartak Moscow in 2007.

On astroturf, he probably shouldn’t have risked it. But gaffer Gordon Strachan needed him and because of what was at stake, Kennedy (right) was never going to say no.

Now he feels the tension of these critical games from the dugout as one of Brendan Rodgers’ trusted lieutenants.

But having sampled that tie against the Russians – Celtic went through after a dramatic second-leg penalty shootout in Glasgow – he’s well aware of their importance. As he prepared for Wednesday’s play-off first leg against Astana, Kennedy said: “The Champions League qualifier against Spartak Moscow away was the only one I played in.

“There was a question mark over whether I was going to play or not because I’d had my knee injury and it was on astroturf.

“I remember Gordon asked me and I told him that of course I’d play. I couldn’t turn a chance like that down.

“I didn’t want to miss out on a game like that and in the end it was the right decision because we qualified.

“The players here now know what the Champions League means to the club and to the fans.

“The pressure never goes away but you have to control that as much as you can.” Kennedy, along with Rodgers and assistant Chris Davies, will go through all sorts of emotions on the touchline against Astana with a £25million Euro jackpot up for grabs. The former Hoops defender added: “Obviously it’s tense, it always is in these games. But what relaxes you is knowing you have done all the preparation, the players know their jobs and they are ready. “That preparation is something the boss does very well. I want to be a manager myself one day. But I’m in no rush. “I’m in a good place and I enjoy what I do here. But further down the line, it’s something I’d like to look at.”