Brendan Rodgers looked a frustrated man at Celtic Park as his team were held to a goalless draw by Kairat Almaty.
Rodgers didn’t hide his feelings. He admitted Celtic’s first half was miles off the standards he sets, and once again pointed out that the squad doesn’t have the quality needed to really compete at this stage. It was an honest verdict from a manager who knows the pressure, and knows the supporters feel the same.
The chants aimed at the board summed up the wider mood. Rodgers said he understood the frustration, but also reminded people that in football it’s usually the manager who carries the blame. It was a sharp message, and one that won’t be ignored.
Put simply, the Celtic boss is asking for more. More drive on the pitch, more strength in the team, and more backing if the club wants to make a mark in Europe. Here are the four standout quotes from Rodgers that tell the story.
He said: (TNT Sports), “In the first half we were very passive and lacked belief and slow. Everything that has been good in our game up until this point wasn’t there.
“No, no. I’ve said it clear. I can’t keep going on about it. Every press conference I have, it’s so, so clear what this team needs. I guess it just highlights it a little bit more tonight.
“Yeah, absolutely. I also understand when it’s ‘sack the board’. I don’t know any board that gets sacked. It’s normally the manager… it’s the manager that gets the sack. It’s not the board.
“In order to progress at this level and into European football, we need to have more. It’s as simple as that.”
Rodgers has kept saying the same thing, but this came across as his clearest yet. That flat first half wasn’t just a bad spell, it was a real warning that Celtic can’t brush aside.
His line that the team “needs more” only backs up what the fans have been shouting for weeks. The window is still open, but time is running out quickly, and the pressure is firmly on the board to deliver.
For the support, the chants spoke volumes. Trust in those running the club is wearing thin, and Rodgers’ words will only bring more heat onto the directors.
Now, with Livingston at home before a long journey to Kazakhstan, Rodgers has to get the best from what he’s got. But if Celtic truly want the group stages and to make an impact beyond them, the call from both boss and fans is clear: spend or risk falling short.
