Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers illustrated his tactical nous on Wednesday night as the Bhoys claimed a valuable Champions League point away to Atalanta in Bergamo.
Despite the pressure being on after a heavy defeat for the Bhoys in Dortmund on matchday two, they turned in a superb defensive performance that brought home a welcome result in the context of the league phase.
With four points from their opening three Champions League encounters, Celtic’s valiant display against Atalanta marked a watershed moment of sorts for many supporters.
Years have gone by and results have been hard to claim against elite outfits, but with Brendan Rodgers seemingly finding a formula, there is now genuine belief that the Bhoys can go on to secure progression in Europe’s premier competition this term.
Still feeling the positive mood music after proving a point on Italian shores, Callum McGregor has explained why the Irishman’s elite reputation should never be doubted.
Callum McGregor on ‘top level’ Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers
Speaking to The Daily Mail, Celtic captain McGregor has delved into why Rodgers is a ‘top level’ coach behind the scenes and believes that anyone questioning his leadership isn’t paying full attention.
He stated: “He’s top, top level and I’ve seen that over so many years now. Obviously he’ll feel good about himself after that, as well as all the players. If anyone wants to question the manager, then they just need to look at what he’s done in football and what he’s done to our club.
“He totally transformed the club the first time he was here and he’s come back and took forward a really exciting Ange (Postecoglou) team as well, that did really well.
“For me, there’s no question that he’s a top manager. When you come to this competition, the idea in the Dortmund game was similar, we just got lost as players. So we have to take responsibility for that as well. It got out of hand and we spoke about that. As players, we’ve got to take responsibility because it can’t always be the manager’s fault, it’s sometimes the players’ fault as well.
“But the way that we executed the game plan against Atalanta, especially against that man-to-man system, everyone should take the credit because he (Rodgers) came up with the idea and the players then executed it. It’s a real togetherness, and I’m sure he’ll be the first one to say that as well.”
Celtic showed a different side of their game vs Atalanta
With Rodgers adopting a pragmatic approach against Atalanta, the Irishman fully took on board concerns that arose during the Bhoys’ defeat in Dortmund and sought away to rectify them.
Alongside claiming an excellent result, Celtic also set a blueprint for facing similar calibre sides in the future, with a collective effort to limit opportunities for the opposition the main aim.
However, the Bhoys also carried a threat against Atalanta in spells and went close a couple of times, notably through Alex Valle’s effort from range.
Looking forward, the plan will be to merge this style with carrying a greater threat in attacking areas, which could provide defensive solidity and offensive prowess in Europe.
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