Brendan Rodgers addresses 'hard watch' Celtic, Adam Idah absence and Kieran Tierney's fitness
Celtic boss reacts to goalless draw at Ibrox and transfer situation
Brendan Rodgers has acknowledged the confusion surrounding Adam Idah’s transfer to Swansea on the eve of an Old Firm derby was far from ideal.
It’s understood that with Celtic struggling to secure a replacement, the striker was called back to Glasgow. However, it was too late for him to be included in Rodgers’ plans to for the match at Ibrox, which finished 0-0, and the player is now expected to complete his reported £7 million move to Wales.
Meanwhile, Celtic handed a debut to winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha and started with Daizen Maeda playing through the middle. The visitors mustered only two shots on target in the entire match and Rodgers admitted his side were too passive. He stressed they lacked a focal point upfront.
“Sometimes in teams, when you don’t have that feeling going into games that you can score goals, like we were feeling this time last year when it was plentiful, then the team goes in with a different energy,” said Rodgers. “You want something to spark everything off and bring that energy and that real big game attitude. When you’re lacking that this is sometimes what you get…
“Celtic’s DNA is around attacking intent and quality and mentality and that bit of quality and arriving in the final third and creating chances. Not so long ago the dynamism and speed and creativity was there. It’s what we all want to see.”
Celtic have been linked with a move for Danish striker Kasper Dolberg, from Anderlecht. Rodgers would not be drawn on that but conceded the Idah situation had been problematic. “You have to narrow down your focus on what you can control,” he said. “Of course, it’s not been ideal for Adam or the club. But we still have to look beyond that. It’s been very clear what we’ve needed and what we need and hopefully in the next 24 hours we can do that. As I say, that was a... hard watch.
“We’ve had a long time to reinforce the squad and I am hopeful we can do that. We can assess it at the end of the window.”
Rodgers was unable to explain what had gone wrong in the case of Idah. He couldn’t confirm whether he expected the striker to still be at the club by transfer deadline day on Monday. “I haven’t spoken to anyone. We left yesterday to go to the hotel to prepare for the game. I will get an update once we leave here.”
Pressed again about the circumstances surrounding the on-off Idah deal, he said: “I have no explanation for it. It is not Adam’s fault or anything. Hopefully that will be cleared up by today.”
On Balikwisha, who only arrived at the end of the last week, he said: “He’s been thrown in at the deep end. It’s a tough one. In terms of wingers, he comes in and shows some nice touches and balance. Once he gets up to the speed and aggression, we need to think he is going to be a really good player for us. But a tough one to come into away at Ibrox.”
Kieran Tierney, meanwhile, was again substituted midway through the second half as he continues trying to reach peak fitness following his return to the club from Arsenal. After Rodgers was asked if the full-back will soon be able to handle 90 minutes, the manager answered in the affirmative. New Uruguayan signing Marcelo Saracchi replaced Tierney after 72 minutes.
“I think it has to,” said Rodgers, when asked if the player's fitness will improve. “That’s the reality of it. We knew there would be a period of adaptation after the challenges he’s had. But there’s no doubt I believe that will come. In the meantime, he’s there, he’s playing and because of that little bit of history with the injuries, we are just making sure if he feels something. I am pretty sure that will end over a period of time, where it just might be tiredness.”
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