Larne defender lifts lid on why Invermen are relishing chance to test mettle against Portuguese big guns
The 25-year-old's positive outlook is understandable given the Invermen's recent heroics on their travels.
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Scotsman
an hour ago
- Scotsman
Brendan Rodgers hits back at Celtic critics, has say on strikers and reveals player who was sick at half time
Manager feels shot-shy Idah needs help despite big win at Pittodrie Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers reiterated his desire to strengthen his forward line after watching his strikers toil once more despite winning 2-0 against Aberdeen. The league champions were reliant on goals from midfielders Benjamin Nygren - his first for the club - and Reo Hatate to down the Dons, with last season's goalscorers Daizen Maeda and Adam Idah once again firing a blank in the north-east. Rodgers believes that Idah would benefit from more competition, with the focus on the Irishman as he tries to fill the shoes vacated by Kyogo Furuhashi in January in January. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Asked if he has sympathy for Idah, whose last Celtic goal was on May 14 at Pittodrie, Rodgers said on the 24-year-old: "Listen, there's no doubt that we need to reinforce the top line. There's no doubt, I'm really pleased with where we are structurally in defensive numbers. You know, we've got a squad from our back line to midfield that can cope domestically and cope in the European competition. So, I'm really pleased with that aspect. Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers applauds the fans after the win over Aberdeen. | SNS Group 'But I think we need competition at the top end of the field. So, yes, for Adam, he's a big, honest boy. He was at his best here when was really challenging with Kyogo for the position. And that is something that is important, I think, for us to get. But in the meantime, we work hard and he'll always be that reference for us.' Pressed if Idah just needs a goal to spark him back into form, Rodgers continued: "Yes, listen, you're a striker at Celtic. You have to be strong mentally. You've got to score goals, of course. But I've a lot of faith in him. He really needs that real competition beside him. And I think that's what you then get the most out of him. So, yes, he didn't quite score today, but he worked very hard. And he's given his all and it'll get better as the season goes on.' Celtic will have a Champions League play-off tie later this month against either Kairat Almaty and Slovan Bratislava to negotiate and if they want a new striker for that match, he must be registered by Thursday. "I really don't know at this point,' was the manager's response if an addition will be made by that deadline. 'I think for us, it's something that we know we need to do. But in the meantime, we'll work with the players that are here until our reinforcements arrive.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Midfield duo excel for Celtic Rodgers labelled his team's performance as 'excellent' at Pittodrie and was delighted with the contributions of Nygren and Hatate. 'I thought we had real good control and domination of the game,' the manager said. 'Scored two outstanding goals, could have had more. And then in the moments we had to be strong, we showed strength and power and kept any efforts on goal to a minimum. So, yes, really pleased for the players.' Celtic sit top of the league on maximum points, already four points ahead of Old Firm rivals Rangers. Despite rumblings over transfer activity and style of play, they remain in a good place and Rodgers had some words for critics. 'Listen, there'll always be a narrative around,' he said. 'You know, I'd heard something the other day about 'you don't play good football and don't play that, we've never played that in the last two years'. So, I think there's a number of people that really don't like me here at Celtic! 'But with me and looking at the team, I'm really happy to see how the players are, the current players that we have. Two clean sheets, control, a difficult game, showed a resilience last week to break through. And we're tickling along nicely. And, as we know, what will make the football always smile that wee bit more and a bit more creative is the level of player. So, we hope we can do that and then we'll be, hopefully by the end of the month, in a really good place.' Rodgers also praised Tierney for battling on despite being sick at half time and his cross for the opening goal. 'That's what his super strength is,' Rodgers added. 'He's really good in that moment where one v one, he's got really explosive speed. And his crossing ability is really good. We've seen it last week at St Mirren, putting some great balls into the box. We didn't quite get the goal, but yes, he'd done well to come out for the second half. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
Daily Record
an hour ago
- Daily Record
Brendan Rodgers gives up on Celtic transfer gripe as Kris Boyd fires back Rangers truth bomb
The Hoops moved to the top of the Premiership after seeing off Aberdeen 2-0 Boss Brendan Rodgers insists he won't continue to raise his concerns over Celtic's lack of attacking recruits this summer. And former Rangers hero Kris Boyd reckons the Hoops are showing they are happy to remain ahead of their city rivals domestically – rather than push on in the Champions League – amid a quiet summer. The Premiership champions made it consecutive wins after goals from Benjamin Nygren and Reo Hatate proved enough to take three points at Pittodrie. It moves Celtic to the summit of the table with attention quickly turning to European matters as the Hoops must submit their full squad for the Champions League play-off r ound by midnight on Thursday, August 14 ahead of the clash with either Slovan Bratislava or Kairat. Following the win over the Dons, Rodgers was quizzed by Sky Sports over any incoming deals: "I've got no news now at this very moment on where we are at. "But like I say, our job between now and then (the deadline) and now and the end of the window is to make Celtic the best we can. In the meantime, we will continue to develop the players that are here. "We have had two tough games to start, St Mirren at home and Aberdeen away, in the context of last year. "We have played well, come out of it with two clean sheets, and I know we will get better as the season as we go on." Pressed on if he was happy to go with this squad before the Champions League showdown, he said: "Well, it doesn't really matter. It's what is in the building. "Of course, I want Celtic to live in the very best possible place it can be. For me, that will be us bringing in more players at the top end of the pitch. "And if they are not there, we will work with the players that are there and make them the very best they can be. "I'm not going to keep going on about it. We know where we need to strengthen, we know if we want to be the best we can be we have to - but the players that are here are working very well and we have had two very good performances." Former Parkhead midfielder Stiliyan Petrov was then put on the spot about if the current squad was good enough to rub shoulders with Europe's elite. He responded: "I'll say no. I think Brendan Rodgers deserves to ask for players - I think that is what strong managers do. I think managers not only improve the team but improve the board and push for better. I do think he needs help." Former Rangers' striker Kris Boyd interjected- pointing out the spend on Arne Engels, Auston Trusty and Adam Idah last summer which wracked up at around £26million. He added: "He spent money last year, though. Trusty can't get a game, Engels can't get a game - Idah wouldn't be in the team if he didn't have to be." Boyd would then go on to declare that Celtic are happy to keep their noses ahead of their city rivals and secure domestic dominance. He added: "I kind of get the feeling as a club they are quite happy winning domestically. "Where else are they going to go in Europe? Do you drop into the Europa League and maybe get a run in that? Then you don't have the finances of the Champions League. Celtic are running the football club as a business and they do it really well - does that mean you need to go and sell two or three players to compensate? "You can't have it all. I think Celtic are quite content going into the Champions League - if they get to the knockout stages, well done. But apart from that they are quite happy winning comfortably domestically, and don't get me wrong - they will."
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
Aberdeen 0 Celtic 2 – Nygren & Hatate strike as Hoops exact cup final revenge to pile more misery on struggling Dons
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) CELTIC cruised to Cup Final revenge with an effortless victory at Pittodrie. Goals from Benjamin Nygren and Reo Hatate saw them comfortably home 78 days after the heartbreak of the Hampden Cup Final. Sign up for the Celtic newsletter Sign up 4 Benjamin Nygren scored his first Celtic goal Credit: PA 4 Reo Hatate crashed in a brilliant second for the Hoops Credit: Kenny Ramsay 4 Brendan Rodgers' men are top of the table Credit: PA 4 It's testing times for Jimmy Thelin and Aberdeen Credit: PA They have also opened up a four-point lead over Rangers - which could extend to seven if they beat Livingston on August 23 and Rangers' scheduled game against St Mirren the following day is postponed to boost their European prospects. That would mean the Ibrox Old Firm meeting on August 31 would see Celtic firmly in control of their own destiny. It's early days to discuss title prospects, of course. But the manner in which Celtic made it two Premiership wins out of two and chalked up a second successive clean sheet indicates they're in their groove early. You could quibble that they started shakily as Aberdeen tried to rouse their support, or that Adam Idah continues to look a long way from the answer up front. But once Nygren had put them ahead and they got a grip of midfield, it was one-way traffic against a very limited Aberdeen side. Nygren scored 15 goals from midfield for Danes Nordsjaelland last season - as well as two for Sweden's national team - and there looks as though there could be more to come for him this season. A visit to Pittodrie is theoretically a difficult fixture for Celtic, but it isn't, really. The Dons' day of Cup Final glory already seems a distant memory. Aberdeen now haven't won any of the last 28 league meetings of the sides, a pitiful run that goes all the way back to Andy Considine's Celtic Park winner on the last day of the season in May 2018. I'm a Celtic-daft bride – I called off the big day but I still celebrated in my wedding dress at Parkhead This, unfortunately for their boisterous support, was more of the same. After a decent start, there was no zip or initiative about Aberdeen and they succumbed to the inevitable with little fuss or fight. A save from Adil Aouchiche first-half and a scrambled stop from Dante Polvara late on were the only times Kasper Schmeichel was called into serious action. Aberdeen now face a tricky Premier Sports Cup visit to Morton next weekend followed by a Europa League play-off first leg against either Romanian champions FCSB or Drita of Kosovo on August 21. Again, it's too early to seriously scrutinise their start to the season. But two games, two defeats and no goals scored are unlikely to be statistics to give the home fans any warm fuzzy feelings as they survey the months to come. Their boss Jimmy Thelin made two changes from the side beaten by Hearts on Monday, Nicky Devlin and Alfie Dorrington in for Leighton Clarkson and groin injury victim Mats Knoester. 34-year-old James Forrest for Yang Hyun-jun was Celtic's only change from the opening-day win over St Mirren. The home side started brightly. Alexander Jensen's fizzing cross was kneed out for a throw then Sunderland loanee Aouchiche's long-range drive was saved by Schemichel as the decibel level rose around Pittodrie. But Aberdeen failed to build on their lively and robust opening. Gradually Celtic began to dominate possession and there was a sense of inevitability about the opening goal after 26 minutes. And how Thelin would have been cursing the weaknesses that his side showed in both build-up and finish to it. First Kieran Tierney went past Nicolas Milanovic far too easily on the left, then when his cross came in, Nygren got in front of fellow Scandinavian Sivert Heltne Nilsen to turn the ball past the exposed Dimitar Mitov. The goal ruptured Aberdeen's confidence. Celtic were allowed to take a stranglehold on proceedings and did pretty much as they pleased for the remainder of a one-sided first-half. Aberdeen's cause wasn't helped when Devlin required a lengthy period of treatment just before the break after going down in the box, though he was eventually able to continue. The manner in which Aberdeen had drifted out of the game was encapsulated in the final minute of the first-half when Topi Keskinen nut-megged Nygren in midfield and sent the ball through for Kusini Yengi to pursue. However the Aussie frontman carelessly allowed the ball to slip under his foot and out for a goal-kick, to the frustration of the home support. Celtic, however, started the second-half exactly as they'd indeed the first - in control. Nygren and Forrest combined well in midfield and the winger's cross was met by Daizen Maeda, who forced Mitov into a smart save. However it was little surprise when Celtic extended their lead after 64 minutes. Callum McGregor and Forrest combined on the right and again the home defending was sluggish as the ball came in to Hatete, who curled an accurate right-footer high into Mitov's net from the edge of the box. That was the game pretty much over and a series of substitutions and bookings disrupted what little flow there had been to the game. However it did nothing to alter the fact that Celtic were in total control and showing no signs of relinquishing it. One of the replacements, Shin Yamada, had the chance to make Celtic's win more emphatic with a driving run down the left but his cross was weak and dealt with by the Dons back line. Celtic saw it out very straightforwardly against an Aberdeen side lacking in both inspiration and cutting-edge. Aberdeen XI: Mitov; Jensen, Milne, Dorrington, Devlin; Shinnie (c), Aouchiche, Heltne Nilsen; Milanovic, Yengi, Keskinen. Mitov; Jensen, Milne, Dorrington, Devlin; Shinnie (c), Aouchiche, Heltne Nilsen; Milanovic, Yengi, Keskinen. Aberdeen subs: Suman (GK), Polvara, Clarkson, Boyd, Palaversa, Sokler, Morris, Molloy, Kjartansson. Suman (GK), Polvara, Clarkson, Boyd, Palaversa, Sokler, Morris, Molloy, Kjartansson. Celtic XI: Schmeichel; Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Scales, Tierney; Nygren, McGregor (c), Hatate; Forrest, Idah, Maeda. Schmeichel; Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Scales, Tierney; Nygren, McGregor (c), Hatate; Forrest, Idah, Maeda. Celtic subs: Sinisalo (GK), Trusty, Yang, McCowan, Yamada, Kenny, Engels, Bernardo, Ralston. Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
