Why Celtic hooked Daizen Maeda at half-time as Brendan Rodgers has message for Europa League boycotters
Celtic happy to leave Serbia with a point as substitute makes mark
Brendan Rodgers hailed the impact of half-time replacement Kelechi Iheanacho after the striker scored a crucial goal to earn Celtic a point in their Europa League opener away to Red Star Belgrade.
Iheanacho struck a brilliant opener 10 minutes after replacing Daizen Maeda at the interval after the Japan international had struggled in the centre-forward role in Serbia.
Marko Arnautović levelled for the hosts to ensure the spoils were shared but Celtic manager Rodgers was pleased to start the campaign with a point from a difficult away venue.
"We've come away to a difficult venue and the players really stood up to that," Rodgers said, as broadcast by BBC Sportsound. "They had a real positive attitude in the game, especially second half.
"First half we weren't aggressive enough in our play and when we arrived in the final third I didn't think we spent enough time in there. We were giving the ball away with loose passing and didn't quite connect the game, but second half we were much better.
"We brough Kels into the game and he provided us with a great platform to come through the pitch. We created some really good opportunities, and he scores a very good goal."
Iheanacho was signed as a free agent from Seville by Celtic after the club failed to recruit a striker before the transfer deadline but Rodgers believes the Nigerian showed he can be a major asset.
"There's absolutely no doubt," he stated. "It's why, when we were after someone and he became available, he was the one I wanted in. I spent over four years with him and I know his quality at the very highest level. Once he gets his match fitness he will be even more prominent for us.
"Wonderful touch, great finish, calm but also brought other players into the game and was a real reference for us in the second half. He had a couple of other moments where he nearly gets in and the 'keeper makes a good save, but he was a real threat for us in the second half."
Addressing why Maeda was the one to be taken off after a drab first-half performance, Rodgers insisted the decision was made to provide Celtic with more of a focal point in attack.
"Listen, Daizen played for us a lot up front last year, scored goals and made great runs but he just wasn't quite on it tonight and we didn't quite feed the ball through to him. I also think primarily he's a player who can run in behind or a box player when the crosses come in, but I felt we needed someone to hold the ball up and be that reference for us to allow the other players to come into the game. Kels I know inside out so I know he can bring that for us and he showed that in the second half."
Message for boycotters
Celtic's next two fixtures in the Europa League are both at home - against Braga on October 2 and Sturm Graz on October 23 - and Rodgers hopes his team will be backed by a full Celtic Park amid talk of possible fan boycotts amid an ongoing campaign of protests against the board over the club’s recent transfer activity.
"I really hope so," Rodgers replied when asked if he hoped fans would attend in numbers. "I think the lift the supporters will give the team in these European games is absolutely critical. We sensed it here tonight and our fan base and how fanatical they are can really push us in this competition. I can't tell supporters what to do and how to feel, but if they can really help us as a team that will be amazing, because we will really feel the benefit of that. A packed out Celtic Park can really help us over the coming games."
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