Celts boss left fuming over semi schedule
Brendan Rodgers last night voiced his dismay at Celtic having to play their League Cup semi- final just 62 hours after a Champions League clash away to Bayern Munich.
The Scottish champions are in action in Munich’s Allianz Arena on Wednesday night, in a tie that could go a long way to determining their chances of progressing to the competition’s last 16.
Then, at 12.15pm on Saturday they’ll face Neil Lennon’s Hibernian at the national stadium as they defend one of the three domestic trophies they captured last season.
That has left the Celtic manager questioning why his side were not instead scheduled to fill the second slot, at 2.30pm a week today, given to Rangers and Motherwell.
“I was very, very surprised at the scheduling,” said Rodgers.
“I assume it is down to the TV people (BT Sport) and, if so, they could certainly have been kinder to us. We didn’t make any representations on the subject because I assumed, maybe a mistake of mine, that common sense would come into it.
“Common sense would suggest, the team who were playing in a high-level game in Germany on the Wednesday night might play on the Sunday instead of an early kick-off on a Saturday!
“You only need to look at the number of games, the level of games, the travel that the players aremaking.
“We are one of the clubs who has a high percentage of players away on international duty. So certainly we could have been helped. There is no doubt about it.
“As it is, I am sure Neil Lennon will be delighted, because it can make a huge difference.”
Wednesday’s Bayern tie, meanwhile, will provide Rodgers with a reunion with Arjen Robben, a player he had under his charge when coaching at Chelsea.
“Arjen is someone I know very, very well. He is an amazing player and a great man,” said the Celtic boss.
“People won’t know this, but his last game for Chelsea was against Hampton & Richmond, under my charge.
“We needed a game and I couldn’t get a team. I said to Jose Mourinho the only teams I can get in are parttime teams.
“One was Hampton & Richmond and the other was Staines. Hampton, managed by former West ham star Alan Devonshire, got back to me first, so it was them.
“And listen, if Carlsberg did reserve teams, I had the best reserve team in the world there.
“I had Carlo Cudicini in goal, Juliano Belletti, Alex at centre-half, a young boy Nuno Morais beside him. Van Aanholt, John Mikel Obi, Scotty Sinclair on the left, Claudio Pizarro and Arjen on the right.
“We won 7- 0 and he scored. The next day he went to Real Madrid. That tells you all you need to know about his mentality.
“He is an unbelievable player, and a guy who would do anything for you.”