HAMPDEN MADE ME GO BERSERK
Schoolboy Rodgers in ecstasy as Celtic won Cup in ’85
WHEN Brendan Rodgers leads Celtic out against Rangers in tomorrow’s Betfred Cup semi-final, it will be his first visit to Hampden Park in any capacity.
Although the Celtic manager has never physically set foot in the national stadium before, it doesn’t mean he is without his own unique and special memories of the Old Lady of Mount Florida.
Mention Hampden to Rodgers and it primarily conjures up images of his childhood days in the Northern Irish harbour village of Carnlough.
As a 12-year-old schoolboy, he was allowed into a local pub to watch the 1985 Scottish Cup Final between Dundee United and his beloved Celtic.
Trailing to Stuart Beedie’s low shot, David Hay’s team looked down and out until Davie Provan’s delicious free-kick curled past United keeper Hamish McAlpine with just 13 minutes remaining.
Frank McGarvey’s winning goal seven minutes later ensured the 100th Scottish Cup Final was won by Celtic.
Fast forward 31 years and Rodgers is aiming to steer his side past Rangers and into the Betfred League Cup Final as Celtic aim to capture the 100th trophy in their illustrious history — and the first of the Rodgers era.
For the 43-year-old manager, tomorrow’s Old Firm semi-final promises to be a special occasion as he finally visits the home of Scottish football.
‘I’ve never been to Hampden Park before,’ admitted Rodgers. ‘What do I think of when you say the name? 1985 and the Scottish Cup Final.
‘Celtic 1-0 down and thinking it was all over and then Davie Provan equalising — and going absolutely berserk afterwards. Then Frank McGarvey scoring the winner.
‘I watched it as a 12-year-old kid in the pub, having a lemonade and running in and out to watch. I’m not telling you the pub’s name. But I was allowed in!
‘Will visiting Hampden tick a box? I am not up here to tick a box and then go again. I am just looking forward to visiting an arena I grew up hearing all about. It will be a passionate day, I’m sure.’
In 1985, that late double for Celtic ensured the legendary Dundee United manager Jim McLean’s infamous Hampden hoodoo continued. But the national stadium has been a source of regular pain for Celtic in recent years. The Scottish champions have lost three of their last four major semi-finals there, knocked out by Rangers, Ross County and Inverness Caley.
St Mirren also beat the Parkhead club in the 2013 League Cup semi, a year after Neil Lennon’s men lost the Final to Kilmarnock.
But Rodgers has heard talk of such jinxes before and intends to crush any curse, just as he did with Liverpool’s supposed bogey ground.
‘They said the same thing about White Hart Lane, that Liverpool had never done really well at Spurs,’ he said.
‘The first game I was there (as Liverpool manager), we lost 2-0 but played really well. Then the next year we won 5-0, and the year after that we won 3-0. So it (Celtic’s record at Hampden) is what it is.
‘Would getting through and reaching the Final represent a yardstick of how far my team have come? Not necessarily. I think the team has made progress. In semi-finals, you can play well and still lose, if luck goes against you.
‘But there’s no doubt winning the trophy is one of our principle goals this season. What makes it great is that the Final is in November. I think that’s a really good idea.
‘There is a trophy there that you know can be a great springboard for you for the rest of the season.
‘If we can get to the Final, we’d have a great chance of winning it. In the main, we have played very well this season. So we will go into the game with confidence but also knowing we have a tough game.’
Earlier this week, Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths sent a heartfelt plea to his manager to unleash him and Moussa Dembele up front against Rangers tomorrow to ‘run riot’.
The Scotland star scored eight goals in eight games before injury handed Dembele a chance in the team last month.
The Frenchman duly scored the first Old Firm league hat-trick since Stevie Chalmers in 1966 and is currently on a scoring run of nine in nine.
While empathising with the fitagain Griffiths, Rodgers did not appear to offer the 26-year-old much encouragement that he will alter the formation that saw his side thump Rangers 5-1 in the league at Celtic Park last month.
‘It’s not as easy as just putting in the players,’ he said. ‘They would have to play in a certain system in order for it to function.
‘The issue with that is we don’t have certain physical qualities in order for that function to work as I would want it to work.
‘If you play a diamond in midfield, then you need mobility and power in the middle of the field.
‘At times, one can play through the middle and one can play off the side but it doesn’t really work well for us because they are both natural strikers.
‘They are both talented players and I will sit down with the coaching staff and see what the game needs.
‘But I do have empathy for Leigh. I like the kid a lot, as a player and as a guy. Goalscorers want to play and his contribution last season — and at the start of this season — was very good.
‘But it just so happens one of Europe’s top young strikers has come into the team and has done very well.
‘I know if I need to start Leigh up there with Moussa, or off Moussa, or if I need to bring him on in the game, he’ll do a very good job for us.’
“I was only 12 but I watched final in a pub”