16 17 = STROLL /23/24=SLOG
But Rodgers says title win this year would be every bit as sweet as Invincible season
THERE was a slight grin and a shrug but lurking behind it there must have been a grimace.
Brendan Rodgers refused to look too glum about the prospect of Alistair Johnston joining his list of casualties, presumably because he’s getting used to bad news this season.
A fractured skull for the Canadian? No wonder there was the wryest of wry smiles.
Nobody said it’d be easy for Rodgers returning to Celtic. But no one said it’d be quite this hard either.
Rodgers admitted the contrast couldn’t be starker to the first season of his first spell in charge. Celtic stormed to an invincible Treble that at times resembled a stroll.
But if his side can go all the way this time – and add the Scottish Cup to the title – then he reckons it’ll be every bit as satisfying as his perfect season.
Perhaps even more so. Serious injuries to key men such as Cameron Carter-Vickers, Reo Hatate, Daizen Maeda, Liel Abada and Johnston.
Star man Jota sold when he’d just walked in the door, big signing targets missed and the ones who did land not convincing.
Unrest in the stands over cash being kept in the bank rather than poured onto the pitch, global politics spilling into his dressing room with Israel ace Abada’s homeland plunged into war.
Punters growing frustrated with performances even when results have been mainly holding up.
In 2016, Rodgers only had to worry about what Leigh Griffiths was up to.
He admitted: “It’s been a lot harder. That first season we were in a rhythm and a flow. We had a real good mentality in the team. This year’s been different.
“We’ve got some outstanding players with real quality but we’ve never been able to piece that altogether.
“In the future we will but in the meantime you have to win. It might not be as cohesive or as fluent for all those reasons but you still have to find a way to win and that’s what this team is doing.
“Would it be as satisfying (as 2017)? In a different way, yes.
“It just feels like there have been so many roadblocks in the way this year.
“But that’s the challenge of being a manager. You can only adapt. It’s been a challenge, which I thought it would be in all fairness.
“I said on the first day I thought the pressure and expectation would be more difficult because of the last time and because of how I left.
“But that’s OK, I can deal with that. It’s about time to turn it around.
“We had lots of issues around fitness of players and key players. You look at the games where we’ve missed people and the level of player that always makes the football look different.
“But it’s still been exciting and I’ve still loved being here and I still want to be here for a period of time in order to ensure we can progress.
“It might not have started as smoothly as you’d like or how it did the last time. It doesn’t mean it never will be, I’m very optimistic for the team and the club and how we can improve. I’ll have that ambition to do that.”
St Mirren could be another one of those roadblocks tomorrow in the Cup – especially up against fellow Northern Irishman Stephen Robinson.
Rodgers said: “He was a better player than me!
“It might have been up here the first time we crossed paths but I was always aware of him because he was a terrific young player who went to Tottenham and played for Luton Town and Bournemouth as well.
“He’s an excellent coach, I like his work. We sent Kwon there because I trust his work, they will develop and improve him. He’s done very well.”