BHOYS DON’T JOHN McGARRY
Fringe men give boss selection dilemma
VEN in defeat, it’s the small things that catch the eye. The intensity of the uniform high-press. A willingness to demand the ball under pressure. The increased tempo of the passing. Players that are demonstrably leaner, fitter and faster.
Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic may be a work in progress. Unlike the past two seasons, however, where talk of Ronny Deila’s incremental development of the side was, well, just talk, without question there are tangible signs of progress in all the key areas.
In taking a shadow squad to Limerick for their closing International Champions Cup engagement with Inter Milan, the Celtic manager eliminated any injury risk to his main operatives ahead of Hapoel Be’er Sheva’s visit to Glasgow on Wednesday.
Yet the prospect of Rodgers’ fringe players suffering a crushing confidence blow must momentarily have crossed his mind an hour before kick-off in Thomond Park.
Clearly keen to hit the ground running after accepting the job last week, Inter manager Frank de Boer chose A-listers including Gary Medel, Ivan Perisic and Mauro Icardi for this opening sortie. His side deservedly took the honours, for what they were worth, but Rodgers was left with the kind of headaches managers welcome.
Leonardo Fasan, the young Italian goalkeeper, amply showcased his credentials with a string of fine stops against his compatriots.
Kristoffer Ajer, the hulking Norwegian teenager, underscored his enormous potential with a performance laced with power and technique. Playing as wing-backs, Emilio Izaguirre and Saidy Janko delivered displays worthy of first-team inclusion, while the vast majority of Celtic’s attacking intent went through the nimble feet of Ryan Christie and Liam Henderson. Inter’s willingness to make an impression on their new boss was all too apparent. Their manmountain midfielders, Felipe Melo and Geoffrey Kondogbia, were not shy about leaving their mark — all too literally — on their opponents. Celtic just didn’t flinch, however. The physical and mental improvements Rodgers and his backroom staff have overseen since June is evident from top to bottom. For the manager, deciding exactly who to cut loose from his bloated squad is becoming the most unenviable task.
‘He said when he came: “I’m going to make you guys a machine”,’ revealed striker Nadir Ciftci, another player who showed up well.
‘What’s it been — two-and-a-half months? We are almost there. I can’t wait to see what we are going to be like at the end of the season.
‘It’s an honour to be here. It’s something special to work with this guy. Everybody can feel the difference — football-wise and atmosphere-wise.
‘The way the manager wants us to play, the way he sets up everything, the atmosphere comes from that. The stadium is getting fuller and fuller because the way we are playing makes people want to come to our stadium.
‘Trust me, this will only get better and better the longer the season goes on.’
Celtic have good reason to walk a little taller than this time last year but nor should they expect the Israeli champions to present anything other than the sternest of tests.
Such ties are invariably tense, tight affairs. The kind of stage where one break of the ball or a solitary refereeing decision can be the difference between a £20million Champions League bounty and a Europa League consolation prize.
Saturday was a timely reminder in how thin the margins can be. Christie and Stuart Armstrong both spurned fine chances to put Celtic ahead before Inter’s Eder converted cheaply with a back-post header from a corner on the stroke of half-time.
Ciftci, too, was dealt a harsh lesson in the need to be utterly ruthless against opponents of this calibre. His inability to make the ball stick in the final third came precisely seven seconds before Antonio Candreva beat Fasan with a sublime chip 19 minutes from time.
Come Wednesday, there can be no place for such profligacy.
‘It’s very, very important that we get through to the Champions League,’ added the Turk. ‘A huge club like this deserves to play on a big stage like that.
‘Hopefully, we will qualify. This team has the quality, the manager and the fans and we deserve to be there.’
Barring unforeseen circumstances, it’s hard to envisage any of the players who made the short trip to the west of Ireland featuring from the start in midweek.
While some, such as Stefan Johansen, appear to be inching towards the exit door, Rodgers will have been pleased to see many others stake their claim for more regular inclusion.
‘I think it shows Celtic have a lot of strength in depth,’ said Ciftci. ‘We have two teams basically and the guys who played did really well against a big club.
‘To have the confidence to play the way we did against a big team like Inter is very encouraging.
‘The result was disappointing but these games are about showing what you can do. I think we did that.’
It remains to be seen whether Ciftci — who was made captain for the day — will be central to Rodgers’ plans going forward.
An indifferent start to his career under Deila saw him shipped out on loan to Eskisehirspor last season.
A similar arrangement hasn’t been floated yet and, until such time that it is, the 24-year-old is resolute in his determination to be a part of what he feels will be a memorable campaign.
‘I think the manager has said the same thing to every player — the ones that are still here are still involved,’ added Ciftci.
‘You can only play 11 men on a Saturday and three subs. Sometimes you will be the one that doesn’t come on.
‘But when you get the chance, you have to show him what you can do. He says this to every single player.
‘Everyone is involved and is important, not just the 11.
‘I have said this before and I will always say it. He is the best manager I have worked under. His quality is so high.
‘I have only been working with him for a few months but I have learned so many things already.
‘I will listen to whatever he says. I just want to do my best for him and for the club. Hopefully, it is going to be here.’