Chris Sutton: Brendan Rodgers is too loyal to some players

Chris Sutton says Brendan Rodgers is paying the price for staying too loyal to some of his players, believing Celtic need to sign a pair of top quality defenders and a goalkeeper to compete at the elite level.

Writing in his column for the Daily Record, Sutton said it was nonsense to argue a centre-back wouldn’t have helped in the 7-1 mauling by PSG.

He feels the Hoops would have equipped themselves much better against the favourites to lift the Champions League trophy if they had spent a bit more in the summer.

Craig Gordon after PSG netted their seventh goal past the Celtic keeper. Picture: Getty

He wrote: “Brendan Rodgers spoke himself at the recent AGM of the need to sign a centre half and that’s where the club have got it wrong.

“If there’s any criticism of Rodgers it’s that if you don’t recruit then you will just stand still and he’s killing himself by being too loyal to players who have been found out at elite level.

“Of course if you sign better central defenders then you’ll have a better chance of competing against the top sides.

Craig Gordon after PSG netted their seventh goal past the Celtic keeper. Picture: Getty

“You have to bring in better quality and the facts are Jozo Simunovic is promising but heavily injury prone and can’t be relied upon. Dedryck Boyata always seems to have a mistake in him at that level.”

He went on to single out Craig Gordon, saying the Celtic goalkeeper lacks the ‘sweeper-keeper’ skills to play in such a fashion against bigger sides in Europe.

He added: “Craig Gordon can say my criticism of him is personal and I have it in for him. Well, make your own minds up.

“But the truth is with the ball at his feet he doesn’t have the sufficient ability and decision making to ever look comfortable at the top level.

“And if he’s not making save after save in big moments like the first goal where he was too far across then it’s hard to have confidence in him at Champions League level.”