When the heat was on Ronny wilted but Brendan showed he is a real deep tinker
WHEN Dermot Desmond and Peter Lawwell went on the hunt for Brendan Rodgers they did it for situations like Wednesday night.
Celtic’s hierarchy didn’t really need a new man for winning the Premiership. Ronny Deila could have done that this year.
But the change had to be made for the big occasions where Deila’s record had become increasingly impossible to defend.
It became evident in the final 12 months of the Norwegian’s reign that his ability to see things unfolding in front of him in the heat of the battle was an issue.
Clarity of thinking in pressurepot situations separates the best managers from the rest. Which is why Rodgers was sought out and wage records broken to get him.
It’s not just that of course. He is flexible with formations, able to modify the squad defending on opposition and situation. While Deila was rigid with a 4-2-3-1 no matter what, Rodgers has already played with differing set-ups and that will continue.
The pre-match attention to detail is also flawless. It seems there is nothing his players don’t know about the opposition when they step on to the field.
Rumour has it the squad each had individual dossier booklets on Astana at their disposal two days before the contest.
However, you can do as much preparation as you want. If you are not able to spot details of what is going on through the middle of a football game most of the prep can go to waste.
Compare and contrast Celtic’s Champions League qualifiers over the past 12 months and you’ll see a key difference.
Almost a year ago the Scottish champions had taken Malmo apart in the first leg of the playoff. They should have been 4-0 up at Celtic Park yet ended up being hauled back to 2-1 at the start of the second half. Deila wanted the two-goal advantage his team deserved