Brendan won’t take chance with Broony
BRENDAN RODGERS is adamant he will not risk Scott Brown’s long-term health by taking a Europa League gamble on his struggling skipper. The Celtic captain is a huge doubt for tonight’s Group B showdown against Red Bull Salzburg. Brown sat out training yesterday morning with a hamstring issue and although he arrived in Austria
last night with the rest of the squad having boarded the team flight, Rodgers says it’s touch-and-go whether he faces the hosts.
Tom Rogic, Kristoffer Ajer and Filip Benkovic are definitely missing but Rodgers said: “We’ll need to have a look at Browny, he could be struggling.
“It’s just weighing up the risk of the longer-term scenario. I would never take a risk on any player if it meant he could be out longer term.
“He’s brilliant for me. You know if he can’t play, then he genuinely can’t play and the risk is too great. If he’s not available then it will be someone else who comes in to do a job.
“It’s a tightness in his hamstring. He has had issues with it before over a number of years. It’s just weighing up the risk and, if it’s too great, then there’s no point in making it any worse.”
Rodgers, however, had better news on striker Odsonne Edouard.
The Frenchman limped out of last weekend’s Premiership win over Aberdeen following a heavy tackle from Dons defender Scott McKenna.
But Rodgers said: “I expect him to be back. It was only a dead leg. He’s moving on it in training, so that has been good.”
Rodgers, meanwhile, refused to condemn the Pittodrie defender, who was a Celtic signing target during the last window, for the tackle.
Referee Bobby Madden took no action at the time but SFA chiefs last night dished out a Notice of Complaint to the Reds centre-back.
Rodgers said: “I just think at the time it looked a reckless challenge. He’s a big honest boy. He plays strong, aggressive and hard.
“But that one looked a reckless challenge. I felt it was a booking at the time. I’ll leave the authorities to deal with it.
“It looked pretty clear to me at the time but maybe ref Bobby (Madden) had a player in front of him and wasn’t able to see it properly. Sometimes it’s just the speed of it also.
“You’ve got to give them the benefit of doubt as well. If you look at the challenge, we’re okay, we can see it.
“But if he doesn’t see it at the time then you have to accept that.
“But the authorities have obviously looked at it and deemed it not to be a good challenge.”