The really special one
Michael Ballack knew Brendan Rodgers was set for the stars even when he was youth coach at Chelsea, finds Stewart Fisher
BRENDAN Rodgers carved out his reputation for nurturing young players during his days as a youth and reserve coach under Jose Mourinho at Chelsea. But for German legend Michael Ballack, it was the fact he extended the same care and attention to injured veterans like himself which really marked him out as a special one.
“Brendan was the youth coach when I was at Chelsea,” said Ballack at St Andrews, as he participated in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship last week. “I remember, when I was injured, I trained several times with him, and the way he handles experienced players is respectful.
“He’s not the kind of coach who tries to show that as a manager he has all the power. He always looks for a good relationship with players. He handles young players and old players really well. That is something I know from experience that not every manager can do.
“It comes down to personality, how you step up in front of the team – and how you want to handle your team. He showed it at Liverpool as well, where with all the expectations he did a good job in developing the team.”
Ballack knew, back in his Stamford Bridge days, that Rodgers was destined for bigger and better things. The only problem for Celtic fans is that, having taken a surprise detour to the Scottish game after being sacked by Liverpool a year ago this month, he still might be. So impressive has his start at the club been that Ballack reckons the Premier League may come calling again.
“Of course I thought he’d go on to bigger and better things,” said Ballack, now an ESPN pundit. “He started working with youth players, the academy. Now he has adapted very well to professional football with all the circumstances, the media and the pressure you have in big clubs.
“Liverpool and Celtic are big teams. But he is a guy who loves being inside football, the real game. So I am sure he will make his way and he is good enough also, one day, for bigger clubs. Not being disrespectful to Celtic, but there are teams as a player or manager that you always have an eye on. Chelsea? I don’t know yet. He won’t think or talk about that. Other people should do it, but why not?”
Also in that Chelsea youth squad under Rodgers was Scott Sinclair, with the two men reuniting at Celtic this season. While Ballack has watched the young Sinclair struggle to live up to the pressure heaped on him as a teenager, he feels the former Manchester City and Swansea winger can take the next step at Celtic.
“He [Sinclair] is still very talented, he’s quick, he’s skilful, he has made the step into professional football really well,” he said. “It’s now up to him to make another step. Not just being a good player. I don’t want to use the term world-class. International class. That should be the target, because the talent is there.”
While Celtic secured a thrilling 3-3 draw against Manchester City in their last Champions League game, it is their back-to-back meetings with Borussia Moenchengladbach which will define their fate. Ballack is an expert witness on the club from North Rhine-Westphalia, who sit ninth in the Bundesliga table following a defeat to Schalke last week, and rock bottom of their Champions League group without a point.
The good news for Celtic is that Ballack feels the Foals’ inexperience at this level could leave them vulnerable in the cauldron which Celtic Park can become.
“Moenchengladbach have had ups and downs,” said Ballack. “Some really good games, some defeats. They made a very good game against Barcelona but couldn’t get a point out of it. Now it’s an opponent in Celtic, which is quite an even game on paper.
“But Celtic have a great home record. That atmosphere can affect any team. If you are prepared for an atmosphere like that and handle that, you can deliver. Not many Bundesliga arenas can match Celtic Park. I played there with Bayern Munich and it was an incredible atmosphere. You try to enjoy it, but it affects you. Hopefully you take the positive energy.”
It wouldn’t be right to speak to a giant of the German game and not garner some opinion on Oliver Burke, the 19-year-old Scottish wunderkind who is making waves at Red Bull Leipzig. With all the usual qualifications, the former midfielder thinks moving from Nottingham Forest to Leipzig is a shrewd career move.
“As long as you play you will improve,” said Ballack. “So this young Scottish guy needs to play. The Bundesliga is where he can do that and Leipzig is a good choice
“They want to play good football and, with all the facilities they have, the training ground and professional help around players, it’s a really good move for him. In Leipzig the expectations are not too high, too early. They allow young players to make mistakes, so I think he can develop along with the club. Everything is in place to improve a young player like him.”