Latest news with #BrendanRodgers
Daily Record
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
A pair of Celtic sinners condemned to the one trick pony club as cracks appear on green and white armour
The Aberdeen defeat may have done Brendan Rodgers a favour in the long run as our man Hugh delivers his hard hitting verdict Aberdeen's Scottish Cup win should have had the same effect as smelling salts being waved under Brendan Rodgers' nose to clear his head. The manager's mind must have been scrambled by the lumbering, lackadaisical and lacklustre nature of his team's performance at Hampden. The weight of history was on their shoulders and, to a man, they collapsed under the strain. But Aberdeen may have done Celtic a favour in the long run by exposing their inadequacies. There was more than a party stage dismantled at Celtic Park after the defeat. The illusion of Celtic having adequate strength in depth to begin next season with a Champions League qualifier that will carry a £30m sidestake was also razed to the ground at the same time. I've said Adam Idah was testing the manager's ability to always improve the players he had under his charge. And more fall into that category. Nicolas Kuhn and Paulo Bernardo have to do more to avoid being categorised as a one-trick pony and a player who flatters to deceive. There are players who need to up their game or go to a less pressurised environment. Celtic's trophy haul has been astonishing in recent years, but cracks are appearing. The failure to win what would have been a historic ninth Treble was the source of celebration for the supporters of Celtic's rivals at Ibrox. But celebrating somebody else's failure when you've won nothing for yourself means it's time to up your own game. And that's exactly what Rangers will be doing under their American owners and different management ideas in the Ibrox dressing-room. When Celtic were asked to dig deep at Hampden they only found a gaping hole. Extensive work on filling the void has got to be done by the recruitment department to meet the demands of domestic and European competition. Players like Johnny Kenny and Yang shouldn't have been left to save the day in the extra time period of a cup final. The irony is supporters will now take their anger out on the manager in the time-honoured Brendan-baiting fashion. But it wasn't his tactics, team selection or substitutions that cost Celtic against Aberdeen. It was a failure to show up on the part of several players and the lack of a strong bench. That must be addressed as the team across the road on the other side of the city try to emerge from the shadows.
The National
a day ago
- Sport
- The National
Celtic-linked Youssef El Kachati wants 'fantastic step'
The Telstar forward is reportedly a target for the Hoops but also the likes of Hannover and Schalke in Germany. With 13 goals in 29 appearances in the Dutch second tier, he could yet fire the to the Eredivisie with a play-off second leg to come against Willem II on Sunday. Brendan Rodgers is expected to target a striker this summer and has also been linked with Brondby's Mathias Kvitsgaarden and Slovan Bratislava hotshot David Strelec. Read more: Partick Thistle appoint new boss as search for manager comes to an end 'I'd love to see Greg Taylor stay' - Former Celt makes Hoops claim El Kachati believes he is destined for a big move but is looking to fire his club to promotion first. Speaking after netting in a first leg 2-2 draw with Willem, he said: "I think it is 100 percent certain that I will make a fantastic step this summer. "But first I want to leave something behind at Telstar that will make them never forget me. "I think it is very important that I end my time here well. If I can shoot Telstar to the Eredivisie, then I will do that."
Irish Post
2 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Post
Rodgers says Celtic can have 'no complaints' after surprising loss to Aberdeen in Scottish Cup Final
CELTIC manager Brendan Rodgers said his side can have 'no complaints' after their Scottish Cup Final defeat to Aberdeen saw the Hoops miss out on a domestic treble. Celtic were heavy favourites going into the clash, having scored 19 goals against the Dons and conceding just four in their five previous meetings this season. However, Jimmy Thelin's side tore up the script to deservedly land the Scottish Cup for the first time in 35 years after a penalty shootout victory at Hampden. Despite conceding Celtic didn't do enough to win, Rodgers hailed his side's success in the league and League Cup and said Saturday's loss would motivate the side for next season. "We know how hard you have to work, none of this is given to you, you really have to earn it," he told Celtic TV. 'Today we just didn't do enough to earn that. Brendan Rodgers felt Celtic's offensive play was lacking (Image: Ian MacNicol / Getty Images) "Our other titles — we've won two out of three domestic titles this year — we've definitely earned them, so it's just a reference to how tough it is to win trophies and how good this team and this club have been over a number of years. "Days like today, it's all part of sport and part of football. It's not nice but it'll allow us to renew the motivation again going into the summer." He added: "In terms of the game itself, we can have no complaints really because when you don't create so much and you're safe on it, then that's what can happen. "You put yourself in a position where you can win it or lose it and sadly for us, we lost it. "But the bigger picture is we've won two out of three titles this season — the players have given me everything and they've given the club everything. "Now they need to go away and be with their families because their families need them now, they'll need them, and then we get to the summer and look to regroup and get excited by next season." Resolute Dons Despite Celtic's success against the Dons this season — which includes a 6-0 League Cup semi-final victory and two 5-1 league wins — the Hoops were unable to breach Aberdeen's five-man back line for most of the first half. The Scottish champions had more than 80 per cent possession throughout the game but were unable to muster an effort on target before the breakthrough five minutes before the interval. When it came, it wasn't from a Celtic player but an Alfie Donnington own goal, the on-loan Spurs defender turning Arne Engels' corner into his own net to give Celtic a 1-0 lead. Alfie Dorrington turns the ball into his own net to hand Celtic the lead (Image: Ian MacNicol / Getty Images) The closest Celtic came to doubling the advantage was an Engels effort from the edge of the box that struck the upright midway through the second half. It was to prove a costly miss as seven minutes from time, Celtic keeper Kasper Schmeichel looked like he would collect a low cross from Dons substitute Shayden Morris but instead palmed the ball into his own goal. Daizen Maeda had a chance to seal it late in injury time when he found himself one-on-one with Dimitar Mitov but the Bulgarian keeper superbly denied the PFA Scotland Player of the Year with an outstretched leg. An error from Kasper Schmeichel led to the Dons' equaliser (Image: Ian MacNicol / Getty Images) The Dons had finished the stronger side in normal time and continued to look threatening after the break, Dante Polvara firing just over with a powerful drive from 12 yards. At the other end, Jeffrey Schlupp rattled the bar with a fierce strike from 20 yards but neither side could find a winner before the game went to penalties. Celtic captain Callum McGregor was first up but saw his effort saved by Mitov while the Dons converted their opening four penalties. Mitov then denied Alistair Johnston to send the Aberdeen fans into raptures as the club claimed a first trophy in 11 years after their 2013-14 League Cup success. Celtic fail to match own standards Rodgers admitted his side failed to replicate the performances they've produced against Aberdeen — and many others — throughout the season. "We're very disappointed to lose, I don't think we played well enough to stand here and say we should have won the game," he told Celtic TV. "I don't think our offensive attacking play was anywhere to the standard of what we've been a lot of the season, so when you're like that, you can either win the game or lose the game. "Unfortunately for us we lost it but congratulations to Aberdeen, they pick up the trophy and we're on the wrong side of it, which hasn't happened so often." Dimitar Mitov denies Callum McGregor from the spot (Image: Ian MacNicol / Getty Images) Meanwhile, Aberdeen boss Thelin praised his players for their determination after a torrid second half of the season. The Dons won just five of their last 27 league games, having been top of the table in November after 11 matches. "All this week, we have tried to visualise how to win this game, and create this belief inside the squad," he said, reports the club website. "Celtic is a really good team, Brendan is a really amazing manager, but the way our players compete today out there, how they defend together, they had cramp, they were tired, but they keep believing, and I'm so proud how they also used the energy from our supporters who travel down here today. "When it was so tight, they tried to take the extra step for each other and then they were so strong in the penalties also." Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin celebrates with the Scottish Cup (Image: Ian MacNicol / Getty Images) The result sees the season end on a dour note for Celtic, who were looking to break their own world record by securing a ninth domestic treble. After remaining undefeated domestically until the turn of the year, dropping just four points in the league, Celtic suffered four domestic defeats in 2025. The league was still won at a canter but the disappointment of Saturday's loss and the dip in form in the second half of the season will provide the manager with food for thought this summer. It will arguably strengthen his bargaining position with the board when it comes to bringing in reinforcements, with the club no doubt hoping to go one further in the Champions League next season after running Bayern Munich close in their Champions League playoff tie. After their 57-game campaign, the Hoops have a six-week break before travelling to Ireland for a friendly against Cork City and then host Newcastle United two weeks later.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
CELTIC CONFIDENTIAL: The former Parkhead boss urging Rodgers to fill Kyogo void... and why Croatian title winners have boosted Bhoys
Brendan Rodgers has been open about the fact he is looking to strengthen his side in the wake of the shock Scottish Cup final loss to Aberdeen — with one former Celtic manager convinced he has to address the loss of centre-forward Kyogo Furuhashi back in January and get round to signing a permanent replacement. Rodgers admitted earlier in the season that the emergence of converted wide man Daizen Maeda into a first-choice option through the middle had him thinking that signing a winger in summer might be more of a priority.
The National
3 days ago
- Sport
- The National
Club owner makes claim about future of Celtic-linked striker
It was reported last week that the Parkhead club are tracking the Moroccan frontman, who has scored 19 goals in the Dutch second tier this season. Read more: The 25-year-old is available on a free transfer this summer and can play on either wing. Otte recently opened up on the future of his club's star man: "After such a good season, and you are mega in the picture as Telstar, I think that good performances have not gone unnoticed," he said [NRC via RecordSport]. "As long as we cannot offer the budget of club X, we are just a springboard. We have to embrace that role. "But the players have to want to jump very high. Otherwise, you do not fit in at Telstar." Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers wanted to sign a number nine in the January transfer window after Kyogo Furuhashi swapped Glasgow's east end for Rennes. His wish never came to fruition, though, as the Scottish Premiership champions failed to find a replacement for the Japanese frontman. It remains to be seen where they may look to strengthen this summer. One thing we do know is that Kieran Tierney is returning to the club. His free transfer from Arsenal will officially go through on July 1. Also now available for nothing is Jeffrey Schlupp. His permanent Crystal Palace exit was announced on Wednesday. The Ghanaian spent the second half of the campaign on loan at Celtic.
