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Something has been bothering Brendan Rodgers since he returned to Celtic this summer to begin his second spell in charge.
It may have even taken a while for the coach to point it out. Or find out why things didn’t go as smoothly as the first time. Performance levels fluctuated wildly between fairly decent and unconvincing. The players didn’t react to his presence as he probably thought. In addition, a significant component of the club was not becoming increasingly fragmented.
And it all culminated in a calamitous few days in December in which back-to-back defeats were inflicted on him through Kilmarnock and Hearts. At a time when Celtic Park’s noisy north bend was idle and their rivals, the Rangers, were lifting the first trophy of the season. It was around this crisis point that Rodgers began to ask questions about the famine and preference in his own locker room, as well as the lack of unity and unity at the core.
Four consecutive league victories later, adding a celebratory slap to the neighbours, the Celtic boss proves to have guided his team beyond the moment of maximum danger. “I think the needs here are very transparent,” Rodgers said when he asked how he managed to rekindle a fireplace that was going out.
“The team was on another level when I first arrived – and naturally there can be a bit of a drop with the players – but I think a big component for us because of the injuries to a lot of players, the dynamic players who make the difference. Football is another.
“But anyway, we had to be better. It’s just a matter of being patient, and I think that’s where joy comes in. I love racing with this organization because it’s a very fair player organization. There is not a fool among them.
“They know they weren’t up to the task, especially against Hearts, but I thought about going back to that game and it was more because of the tiredness at the end of the Champions League game and because a lot of players had to play continuously.
“But you have to perform, and that’s what it takes to be a Celtic player. You want that mindset to win, and win in a way that makes enthusiasts happy.
“So they did. Against Livingston I stifled the attack well. Dundee, our most productive feature against the five defenders. Rangers, big game hunting, and big game mentality.
“Then on Tuesday night, everyone would probably have looked at St Mirren as a tricky game but, actually, the quality of our football and the hunger in the team was there. So, it’s heading more towards where I want it to be.”
Rodgers revels in knowing that protecting securities can be an old and complicated task if that famine has subsided. He nodded, “Yes, it is. I think in any league, in any team, you have to have that. Because if you lose something, there is an obvious willingness to overlook it.
“But I think the players are understanding that now. The longer we work together, the longer they’re adjusting and adapting and feeling comfort in how we want them to work. So, yeah, the St Mirren game was another example of that.”
Especially, as is the case, just days after a potentially season-defining win in Old Firm’s second derby of the season. Rodgers is well aware of the importance of not giving the impression that he is taking a step back towards Paisley.
He continued: “There’s a facet where we have to go home, because it wouldn’t have counted for anything if they hadn’t given us the functionality and the result against St Mirren.
“You’ve then got to do it. I said to the players that they beat Livingston then three days later had a great performance against Dundee, you’ve now beaten Rangers and three days later we need the same mentality – the same hunger – and we did.
“When you have young players learning and growing, get there. From what I see in the team and what I need to bring to the table, there’s still a long way to go, but it’s starting to look more like what I need. look like.
And that’s why tough tasks are about to begin for Rodgers, as he uses the move window to remodel and refine his team for the demanding situations that lie ahead. He said: “The club will surely do everything it can to achieve what we want. “and what the team wants.
“There are a lot of background paintings, and already at the beginning of this month we can have a little bit of joy and get one or two. “
It will also involve awkward conversations with some players that may no longer be needed, but Rodgers arguably wouldn’t avoid them either. He said no. That’s the tricky part of the task, it’s one of the difficult moments you go through, but I think it’s better to be transparent with the player and his position.
“It’s a challenge because we know that a player will leave here and possibly not have similar situations at his next club. But you have to do it for the good of the team, the club and the player himself. It’s a challenging facet of the job, especially when the players are so fair and on the rise.
“But the reality is, as a manager, that’s what you get paid to do. I have regular dialogue with players but still we obviously have to wait and see as well because some players may want to go out but, if we don’t get the players in that we need, then I have to ensure the squad is as strong as it possibly can be for the second part of the season.”