RODGERS WON’T BE SILENCED
Rodgers: I’ll speak my mind
BRENDAN RODGERS insists he will not be silenced from speaking his mind on managerial matters after an opening weekend bust-up with Hearts interim head coach Jon Daly. The Celtic boss defended his right to talk about Ian Cathro’s dismissal last week, as he did on Friday by way of a preview to yesterday’s 4-1 Premiership win over the Tynecastle club.
Rodgers stressed he was only showing empathy for Cathro by commenting on the ‘confused’ position he claimed the former head coach found himself in as a result of the structure operating under director of football Craig Levein.
After learning that Daly had described his remarks as ‘disgusting’ and ‘disgraceful’, Rodgers said: ‘I hope Jon gets the job. I said what I had to say yesterday — my feelings on a fellow manager losing his job.
‘But it’s okay, there’s no drama. Like I said when I first came up
here, I will always be open, I will say what I think and then move on. In respect to Jon, I thought he set his team up very well, him and his staff. We had to work to get the result. But however they feel, it’s no drama for me. I haven’t spoken to them.’
When asked if he might have overstepped the mark by commenting on the suitability of Kyle Lafferty and Christophe Berra for playing in Cathro’s style of football, Rodgers said: ‘I don’t think I mentioned any individual players. I was talking about the manager.
‘There’s no issue with it. It’s however they want to take it. My focus was on the game, my empathy was for Cathro. It’s a good club Hearts, I’m sure they’ll get a solution for the new manager and look to push on.’
Before those remarks, Rodgers offered a thornier response in a trackside radio interview to a question about there being any unwritten rule that managers do not discuss other managers or clubs. On Daly, Rodgers said: ‘Yeah, well, he hasn’t become a manager yet, so wait until he becomes a manager and then he’ll know the rules of the game.’
Leigh Griffiths got Celtic’s title defence off to a celebratory start on flag day with a double. Scott Sinclair and Callum McGregor netted in the second half before Isma Goncalves hit a consolation six minutes from time.
‘We wanted to pick up from where we left off,’ said Griffiths. ‘We wanted to set a marker today and we did that.
‘Wednesday was about breaking me back in and this week we’ve got three games. I got 60 minutes under my belt and, hopefully, I can replicate that Tuesday/ Friday. Last season was great for us, but it’s a new season now and we want to set even more records. I’m not far away from 100 goals for Celtic — it’s 87 just now — and that will be a big achievement if I get there.’ Rodgers reported his side were ‘outstanding in all elements’ on the back of a big European result in Norway and advanced Nir Bitton’s claim to be the makeshift centrehalf capable of helping Celtic back into the Champions League. A replacement after 25 minutes against Rosenborg for Erik Sviatchenko, the Israeli (left) filled in alongside Jozo Simunovic and looks to have persuaded Rodgers to bank on him against Astana. ‘I think you can see he’s very comfortable in it,’ said Rodgers. ‘He’s good in the air, got good size, reads the game well. He’s brave and then has the courage to play, he can get on the ball and start attacks. ‘He was outstanding when he came on through the week. I always like to have a midfielder who can play in that central defensive role. He’s perfect for it.’