Peter Schmeichel has responded postively to what he’s heard Brendan Rodgers say about his plans for Celtic in the Champions League.
When Rodgers returned to Celtic, he spoke of his desire to improve the Parkhead club’s fortunes in Europe and the Champions League as the ambitious Irishman looks to make Celtic feared again on the continent.
And whilst Celtic’s domestic dominance will always be the priority, the supporters want to see their team compete amongst Europe’s best like they did in the days under Martin O’Neill, Gordon Strachan and Neil Lennon.
Schmeichel impressed with ‘ambitious’ Rodgers
To make progress Europe takes buckets loads of cash. And whilst Celtic are cash-rich, in comparison to their counterparts abroad, their current fortune is a mere drop in the ocean.
And that’s the reason why Schmeichel is in awe of Rodgers ambition for Celtic in Europe.
Schmeichel told the Daily Express [print edition page 72], “If you read Brendan’s quotes, he’s someone who’s very ambitious.
“He’s a manager who never cuts corners. He’s very, very knowledgeable and knows precisely what it is he wants.
“So obviously, domestically, he wants to win everything.
“He’s been brave enough to come out and say that, and he’s also said we want to do better in the Champions League.
“With this new format, it might just suit a club like Celtic a little bit better than the previous format.
“Celtic, they’re in pot three and they’ve got a better chance of getting into the play-offs of the Champions League, so they can progress from the Champions League in that way.
“Whereas before, if you didn’t finish in the top two, you were out. I’m not saying this is going to be easier.
“I just think in order to get points, this format will suit clubs like Celtic a lot better than the group phases.”
Celtic can compete against Europe’s best
Every Celtic fan knows that the days of winning the Champions League are all but over for any Scottish club.
The competition in its previous format ensure that teams from the top five leagues in Europe were granted more access to the millions of pounds of prize money as UEFA seeked to make their flagship more glamourous with extra automatic places.
And whilst the format has changed, the access to the group stages hasn’t for Scottish clubs. After this season, Celtic (if they win the league) will need to embark on qualifying for the groups again whilst clubs in the top five league are rewarded for being runners-up and worse.
However, that doesn’t take away from the fact that Celtic should be making a better representation of themselves whilst there and that is what has been lacking for a number of years now.
With Rodgers adding more quality to his Celtic first-team this summer, hopes are high amongst the fans that that long awaited progress will be made, especially after the Champions League draw was a favourable one this season.
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