Pundits and ex-Celtic players have had plenty to say over the past few days on why Celtic don’t seem to be at their best under Brendan Rodgers.
From Chris Sutton to Pat Bonner, they have all offered some reasoning as to why the team look like a shadow of the attacking outfit they were under the previous manager.
However, former Celtic defender, Charlie Mulgrew, has hit the nail on the head with his explanation. Celtic were expected to kick on, and hard, under Rodgers. Especially with the squad strength he inherited.
But Mulgrew has said that that strength is only relative to how the manager wants to play and hinted Rodgers must be allowed to bring in his own players to make this team just as successful.
Mulgrew said [Clyde 1 SSB], “When Brendan Rodgers came here the first time his big signing was Scott Sinclair. He came on in his first game and scores the winner away to Hearts.
“When you’re talking about strength you’re talking about within the way Ange [Postecoglou] wants to play. And he was so clear in how he wanted his system to be and the players were so clear.
“And he’d worked with Japanese players before so he knew exactly how he might manage them and treat them and every person is different.
“I think that there’s so much to it. Man management, tactics and your type of player. Rodgers had worked with Scott Sinclair before.
“So he brought him in he goes and scores the winner away to Hearts and everybody’s delighted and it gets everybody going and that gets his career started.”
It’s very sound reasoning by Mulgrew. These players have been primed for two seasons to play an all-out, attacking style of football under Ange Postecoglou.
Under Rodgers, we seem to be more pragmatic and patient in the build-up and that is a massive change for the current Celtic squad.
That, coupled with the new arrivals and the horrendous bad luck with injuries, it’s taking more time to get used to than we would like. But the players will get there.
We faced a similar situation two seasons ago under Ange Postecoglou. Celtic adjusted and with a few smart transfer moves we went on to win the double. It can happen again and with Brendan Rodgers at the helm, it would be hard to bet against that.
In other news, Confirmed: Referee handed Celtic debut as SFA announce officials vs St Johnstone
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