Brendan Rodgers was pleased to see his makeshift Celtic attack rise to the occasion in Saturday’s 4-1 victory over Ross County, despite a nervy moment in the second half when the hosts briefly drew level from the penalty spot.
With the score tied at 1-1 heading into the final stages, Celtic shifted gears and stormed to a comfortable win. The result was particularly satisfying for Rodgers, given the absence of two key performers—Daizen Maeda and Nicolas Kühn.
Praising the Response
Speaking post-match, Rodgers commended his squad’s resilience and professionalism. However, his mood visibly shifted when the conversation turned to Celtic’s previous humbling at Ibrox—a sore point for the manager after a bruising defeat to a struggling Rangers side. The Celtic manager even gave his head a shake in a ‘I still can’t believe that happened’ sort of nod.
💬 “That was never a Celtic team that day”
Brendan Rodgers on Johnny Kenny, Arne Engels and bouncing back from Rangers loss pic.twitter.com/Pqent9hcKk
— Scottish Sun Sport (@scotsunsport) January 11, 2025
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Reflecting on the derby loss, Rodgers didn’t mince his words. “It was never a Celtic team, playing that game,” he admitted. When asked if the defeat still stings, he responded candidly: “It always does when you lose any game, especially a Celtic vs Rangers game, in the manner that we did.”
A Manager Determined to Set Things Right
Rodgers’ expression and tone betrayed a manager still grappling with that result—a loss that clearly lingers in his mind. But his comments also hinted at his determination to right those wrongs. He understands that while a win at Ross County is expected, it still demands hard graft. Complacency can quickly lead to dropped points, and Rodgers is intent on avoiding any slip-ups as the season progresses.
There’s every reason to believe that Rodgers already knows exactly what he’ll say to his players when the next Glasgow derby comes around. The Celtic boss will want to ensure that the mistakes of Ibrox are not repeated—and that when it matters most, his side delivers a performance worthy of the badge.
