The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Celtic manager insists keeper Gordon is going nowhere
Rodgers reveals ‘great relationship’ with Chelsea target
Brendan Rodgers insists he has a rock solid relationship with Craig Gordon and stated categorically that the goalkeeper will still be at Parkhead after the transfer window.
The Ladbrokes Premiership leaders last week rejected an offer from Chelsea of around £3 million for the 34-year-old, with the Hoops boss knowing nothing about a reported second bid from the London club.
Rodgers replaced Gordon with Dorus de Vries soon after taking over as boss in the summer as he looked for a keeper more comfortable with the ball at his feet.
However, the former Hearts and Sunderland player won his place back in the side and also gained a recall to the Scotland team.
Rodgers, who insisted Gordon will be in goal for tomorrow’s home game against Aberdeen, said: “It is worth noting, I have seen one or two comments in terms of how he was treated by me earlier in the season. Him and I have a great relationship.
“If treating a player that badly (is) by taking a player out and putting him back, which raises the level of his game, which gives him his first international cap for seven years, if I treated him that badly, I am sure there would be others who would want to be treated like that as well.
“So it is no different to what happened to the likes of Stuart Armstrong and Dedryck Boyata.
“I am always open and honest with players and if they are not playing how I expect them to play, I will tell them.
“In the modern game that can sometimes be difficult for the players to take because they will always find an excuse and look for someone to blame, and it is never normally them.
“But what I have found here is the responsibility the players have taken and how we have developed them, the staff, all of us together, has made many of the players make good performances this season and Craig has been no different.”
Gordon had an easy time of it on Sunday as Celtic’s 4-0 win over Hearts broke a 50-year club record.
The Hoops extended their unbeaten domestic run to 27 games, one more than Jock Stein’s all-conquering side of 1966-67, but one player who missed the game was striker Leigh Griffiths, who was out again with a calf injury.
Griffiths, who scored 40 goals last season, has started only 10 league games for Celtic in this campaign, albeit his return of 13 goals in total is decent.
However, Rodgers made it clear that he is looking for more effort from the Scotland striker. He said: “What I’ve said to him is about making sure the talent is a working talent, because talent’s not good enough on its own. You have to work at it.
“And it’s a cycle. It’s one where when he’s playing and fit, Leigh’s very good but can still work harder in training.
“The problem is if you’re not getting the games and then if you’re not quite on it in training then you’re losing fitness.
“But then the moment you’re asked to come in and get up to speed in a real high-tempo, intense game, the moments that are there for you to risk injury are far greater.
“I think you’ve seen lots of players come into my team and not break down. And that’s an incredible applause to them in terms of how hard they’ve been working.
“Boyata’s hardly featured all season yet he can come in. Why? Because he’s been the ultimate professional, he’s been focused, he’s prepared, he’s looking after his diet, he’s in great shape and he can come in and reel off three games on the spin.
“Callum McGregor – in and out of the team but why can he come into games and last games and do well? It’s because every day he’s consistent, he’s fit, he’s strong and he can come in and play games and that’s been the same for the others.
“So I think it’s the case, if you’re going to play at this level, it’s not just about talent.
“You have to work tirelessly every day or unfortunately you’ll get left behind.”
I am always open and honest with players and if they are not playing how I expect them to play, I will tell them. BRENDAN RODGERS