Rumour Mill: Brendan Rodgers '˜passed up chance to sign key player' | Cardoso slams Rangers | Rodgers and Celtic facing '˜huge couple of weeks'

Brendan Rodgers passed on the chance to sign impressive defender, Fabio Cardoso hits out at Rangers after exit and Rodgers and Celtic face a huge couple of weeks, says ex-Hoops ace

Rodgers ignored van Dijk signing

Brendan Rodgers passed up the chance to sign Virgil van Dijk, former Celtic No.2 John Collins has revealed.

Van Dijk was with Celtic between 2013 and 2015, and when Arsenal turned down the chance to sign the Dutchman, the Hoops assistant contacted his Liverpool counterpart, Gary McAllister, to sound him out about the ex-Groningen defender.

Brendan Rodgers - who passed up the chance to sign Virgil van Dijk for Liverpool - is facing a huge couple of weeks. Picture: SNS GroupBrendan Rodgers - who passed up the chance to sign Virgil van Dijk for Liverpool - is facing a huge couple of weeks. Picture: SNS Group
Brendan Rodgers - who passed up the chance to sign Virgil van Dijk for Liverpool - is facing a huge couple of weeks. Picture: SNS Group
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Collins said: “I phoned Gary and said, ’I hope you are going to come and take Virgil’. Gary said he had mentioned him to Brendan [but] Brendan wasn’t sure if he was better than what they already had.” (beINSports)

Cardoso hits out at Rangers and Scottish football

Ex-Rangers defender Fabio Cardoso has slammed the state of Scottish football and took aim at his former club in an interview with a paper in his homeland.

According to A Bola, Cardoso said: “The worst part was breaking my nose, because I took some time to recover and after that I didn’t play much. I was waiting for surgery for a long time, because of the transition of managers. I felt disrespected and it was difficult not playing. Scottish football is very physical; it doesn’t have as much quality as Portuguese football with the exceptions of the greats like Celtic, Rangers and one or two others.” (The Sun)

Rdogers facing ‘huge two weeks’

Chris Sutton reckons former club Celtic are facing a huge two weeks as he questioned Brendan Rodgers’ decision to tell fans they should be alarmed by the Hoops’ form.

Sutton said: “I don’t understand why he made that comment and I don’t think it bodes particularly well. The manager has to take responsibility - bottom line, too many players aren’t playing up to the level, they aren’t scoring enough goals and, for Brendan to come out and say he is alarmed, is alarming in itself. It’s an enormous couple of weeks for him. It can all unravel really quickly.” (BBC Radio)

We’re not title contenders, says Lennon

Neil Lennon doesn’t think his Hibs team is consistent enough to mount a title challenge. Lennon’s side have the best record in the Premiership in the whole of 2018, ahead of Kilmarnock on goal difference, and currently sit on 11 points in the table, five points behind leaders Hearts and level with Rangers, although the Ibrox side have a superior goal difference.

But Lennon dismissed any notion of his side being contenders. “I am not sure we would be consistent enough. We still throw in the odd adverse performance, as shown at Livingston a few weeks ago.” (Evening News)

Godinho boost for Hearts

Marcus Godinho has taken a significant step in his comeback bid as he returned to training with his Hearts team-mates.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Canadian right-back has been sidelined for five months after being plagued by knee trouble towards the end of last season and then undergoing surgery in May.

Following a gruelling period of rehabilitation over the summer, Godinho is now back on the training pitch at Riccarton as he eyes a return to action later in the autumn. (Evening News)

Rodgers’ son on trial at Falkirk

Falkirk are running the rule over the son of Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers.

Anton Rodgers played for the Bairns in a reserve defeat to St Mirren last week and watched Saturday’s defeat to Dundee United from the stands.

He featured in the navy blue midfield again on Monday afternoon against Dundee United. (Falkirk Herald)

News in brief

• St Mirren have signed goalkeeper Dean Lyness from Nuneaton and are running the rule over ex-Norwich striker Simeon Jackson, according to The Sun

• Celtic’s Scott Sinclair can silence the doubters and rediscover his form this season, says ex-Hoop Craig Beattie