Rodgers keen to add new faces after seeing off Imps
Astana await Scottish champions as Gibraltar misery is vanquished
qualify. That was the objective coming into tonight. I thought the crowd were incredible. To get a full house in a game like tonight was amazing.
“It certainly wasn’t perfect. But we are only four weeks into the season. I wouldn’t expect us to be. The cohesion within the team will get better, as will the fitness. I am delighted with the attitude of the players. We are through and that is the main thing.
“When we played them in the first leg it was very apparent they had five behind the ball, four in midfield and one striker. So we tried to get on as many offensive players as we could.”
After taking charge of his first competitive match at home, Rodgers singled out Kieran Tierney, the teenage left-back who played despite being unwell, for special praise.
“Kieran played as a left-sided centre half in a three,” he said. “That shows his tactical flexibility. He played with tonsillitis tonight. That is why we had to take him off. He is a real warrior for the team.”
Rodgers admitted the long trip to Kazakhstan, where Celtic lost 2-0 to Shakhtar Karagandy in a Champions League play-off game in 2013, would present problems for his side.
Astana are likely to be even more formidable opponents than Karagandy, who were eventually beaten 3-2 on aggregate, as they took points off Galatasary, Benfica and eventual finalists Atletico Madrid in the group stages of the Champions League.
“Apart from the six-hour flight, five hour time difference, the 35 degree heat, the plastic pitch and no water, we should be alright,” he said.
“But, listen, it is just what has been thrown at us. We just need to adjust and we have ways to do that. We will look to fly out on Monday, the game is on the Wednesday and we will look to prepare ourselves as best we possibly can.
“There will be trying conditions, but we have to find a way to get a performance and a result.
“We have got a game on Saturday [against Barclays Premier League champions Leicester City]. We will be back in tomorrow. A lot of players have played their first 90 minutes
“It is another difficult tie for us on a plastic pitch, but we will be ready for it. It is just a case of being prepared. Saturday is a good game for players to come in for.”
Meanwhile, Rodgers admitted he had been impressed with the rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone – the anthem which is also a favourite with Liverpool supporters – which the Celtic fans had belted out before kick-off.
“Tonight was really special,” he said. “I said when I first came here that I wanted to get the stands full and I couldn’t have hoped for any better than I got tonight. I grew up seeing it from the outside looking in. I’m very fortunate that I’m now a supporter stood on the sidelines managing the team. To stand in pole position and witness it was very special. I want to thank the crowd for the support they gave the team. They were a huge help to us in an important game which I was pleased we won comfortably in the end. The scoreline could have been greater.”