Brendan Rodgers has described the mood in the Celtic dressing room as “disappointed” following their 3-0 defeat to Rangers at Ibrox.
Speaking after the match, the Hoops manager admitted that the team fell short of their usual high standards but emphasised the importance of reflection and moving forward.
It’s probably good that there is no winter break this season, something that would fall around now. It means Celtic can get straight back to things against St Mirren at the weekend rather than dwell on the disappointment for ten or more days.
When asked about the atmosphere among the squad post-match, Rodgers said: [Celtic TV]
“Cleary, they are disappointed. I’ve always said, win, lose or draw, it’s a safe space. We can reflect on that really, really disappointing performance. The players will feel we didn’t show the personality of the team, wee didn’t show the mentality of the team in that performance today. But you’ve got to give Rangers credit today. They won the game, and we have to accept that and, as a collective, evaluate and recover and move on to the next game.”
Despite the loss, Celtic remain 11 points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership. Rodgers’ measured response and insistence on collective responsibility will resonate as the Hoops aim to bounce back strongly.
Fans will hope to see a reinvigorated performance at Celtic Park, one that reaffirms their team’s superiority and puts the derby disappointment firmly behind them.
It’s always disappointing to lose a derby, but to lose it in the manner that Celtic did today is embarrassing. Rodgers does need to take some of the blame, but at the end of the day, the players on the pitch should’ve been good enough to get the three points.
