Relief for Rodgers
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Hails Celtic but admits ‘not perfect’
CELTIC manager Brendan Rodgers said he was delighted with his players after they sealed their place in the Champions League third qualifying round with a 3-0 victory over Gibraltar parttimers Lincoln Red Imps on Wednesday.
Trailing 1-0 from the first leg following arguably their worst ever defeat, the Scottish champions turned the tie around thanks to three goals in six first half minutes from Mikel Lustig, Leigh Griffiths and Patrick Roberts to secure a 3-1 aggregate win.
The result helped make amends for last week’s humiliating defeat in Gibraltar against a side that contained just five full-time professionals alongside a customs officer, fireman, a policeman and taxi driver in what was Rodgers’ first competitive game in charge of the Hoops.
And the former Liverpool boss insists he’s happy with the steady improvement of his players.
“As I said last week — and I know it might have sounded strange after losing the game — I’ve been delighted with the players since I walked in,” the Celtic manager said.
“They’ve had to take in a lot in terms of training and I can see each day they’re getting better in their fitness and technical approach to the game.
“They’ve played a number of different structures already within preseason which tells me they’re coping well with what I’m giving them.
“It certainly wasn’t perfect — there’s a way to go for us in terms of where I want us to be.
“But certainly I think there’s some fluency and structural things within the team that were very pleasing.
“It’s just going to come through time. That cohesion within the team will get better once the fitness comes.
“As I say they’re not perfect but they’re doing everything they can to improve and that’s something that’s really pleasing at this stage.”
Celtic, who are aiming to return to the Champions League group stages for the first time since 2013/14, now face a 9,600km round trip to face Astana in the third round after the Kazakh side needed a late goal for a 2-1 win against Lithuanian side FK Zalgiris.
Astana made the Champions League group stage for the first time last season and were unbeaten at home against Benfica, Galatasaray and eventual runners-up Atletico Madrid.
Rodgers said it was likely he would rest some key players for this weekend’s match against English champions Leicester City in the International Champions Cup with the tricky tie in Kazakhstan in mind.
“We have a game on Saturday and then we’ll look forward to the trip next week which will be another difficult tie for us on a plastic pitch but we’ll be ready for it,” Rodgers said.
“It’s a case of trying to make sure the players recover. We have to be careful as we’re trying to develop and improve the fitness and physical base but also respect we have some really important games.
“We have to keep being relentless in our attempt to get physically strong and fit and that means work.
“Apart from the six-hour flight, the five-hour time difference, the 35 degree heat and the plastic pitch with no water then it should be alright.
“It’s what’s been thrown at us and we just have to adjust.
“It will be trying conditions but we have to find a way to get a performance and a result.” Celtic manager
Rodgers reacts during
Champions League
Reuters pic