Celtic address transfer state of play and complacency claim as Brendan Rodgers states bold ambitions
Champions expect to add players before window closes and timing will not panic manager
Brendan Rodgers has been in the game long enough to know that August is a month dominated by the T word. By the time May comes, he wants a treble to be on people's lips, but for now it's all about transfers.
Getting to the former is dependent on the latter. Celtic have already brought in two new players in experienced goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel and midfielder Paulo Bernardo, who was on loan last season and impressed sufficiently to earn a five-year deal after Celtic and Benfica thrashed out a transfer. More will follow. Another of last term's borrowed players in Norwich striker Adam Idah is a clear transfer target. His goals were crucial to getting the team over the line in the Premiership and Scottish Cup.
While supporters panic about the lack of new recruits, Rodgers is far more chilled about the situation. "I'm quite relaxed," he said. "I've known what I've always wanted, knowing how we can improve the team, but there's so many moving parts in transfers. It's not just that player we need and we pick him, it's not as simple as that. It's very complex. If it was only one way, then I would wanted to have had them in for now.
"Clearly every coach and manager would love to have the players where they could work all pre season and bed them in and get them stable and then start the new season. But it doesn't always work like that. But whilst the work is going on to improve the squad and give us those sort of guys that can make the difference for us, we'll work with the players that we have."
Privately, Rodgers has a wishlist - but he won't publicly state how many players he wants before the transfer window slams shut on August 30. He is too savvy for that. "You guys know the score," he smiled. "If I give you a number then we get held against that. So I know internally what I want in my own mind to help us but we can only really assess the window once it's done.
"Our duty is for the supporters, to give them the best team that we possibly can because they deserve that for the support they give the club, the money they spend at this club. So we as a football club have to give them the best team that we possibly can, but sometimes that isn't always straight away.
"Sometimes you have to wait that little bit and, as frustrating as that can be for supporters, for managers, for coaches, and also for the players, because the players want the competition, they want the fresh faces in order to improve. But as long as by the 31st of August we have improved our team and our squad, then we'll all be really happy and we can move on.”
The Euros have slowed down the transfer market for a number of clubs, but Rodgers says inactivity should not be mistaken for resting on their laurels. Celtic are ahead of the rest - including Rangers - with their current squad, but the Northern Irishman knows that for Celtic to reach the next level, spending is required.
When asked about complacency, Rodgers was bullish. "No, not within our psyche, certainly not within a manager’s psyche and a player's psyche," he replied. "It’s natural that others can think that and that you could just win, but absolutely no chance. Absolute no chances.
"We're measured on our own standard and our standards are domestically really strong. And that's the bread and butter. So you have to continue with that and you can't not just think that it won't change. I think we've seen that a few years ago.
"You know, Rangers actually won the league, Celtic maybe not in the best position. So people might have thought Rangers would have moved away and that was them, they'd won the league. Then quickly it changed again. Certainly complacency doesn't ever enter my mind because we didn't win three trophies last year, we won two, we we lost out on one.
"So domestically, we've got to make up on that and then we have to be better in Europe. As simple as that. We can't beat about the bush. We have to be better. But in order to be better, you need quality. And if you're going to improve on that, then we need to find that. It's as absolutely simple as that. So that's our drive, that's our motivation and that's something that the ambition is absolutely burning for us to be the best that we can be."
One of Rodgers' major goals this season is for Celtic to progress in the newly-expanded Champions League this season. "I want us to be able to get into a play-off position," he stated. "It’s a balance because you're playing teams that are really high level, but obviously we now get eight games. We also are being realistic as well, the club has won one game in so many years at home. But that shouldn't stop us pushing. And I think with the right quality of player at that level that can help us then I believe that we can do that. Absolutely.
"I've got every confidence that we can do that. We were very, very close last year. Some will run down because they look purely that we didn't qualify. But if you actually magnify in on the games, the three home games, we won one and we could have very easily won the other two. Maybe, maybe with a bit of luck we could have done.
"So for me success will always be to try and come out of the group stages, but I know what we need for that. Otherwise it can be a real, real challenge. We want to be aggressive and hopefully in the Champions League stay that with that same mentality."
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.