‘You can’t’ – Brendan Rodgers’ big message to Adam Idah after Celtic’s win vs Sporting CP

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Adam Idah didn’t have the best of games in Celtic’s win at Sporting CP last night.

The Republic of Ireland international missed three gilt-edged chances as the Celtic striker toiled against the Portuguese champions.

Idah hit back at his Celtic critics earlier this week as he defended his goal return in his first full season at the Scottish champions.

However, in Celtic’s win against Sporting CP, the Parkhead forward struggled as Idah looked a bit off the pace of the game.

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Brendan Rodgers warns Celtic striker Adam Idah to ‘come alive’

Hoops boss Brendan Rodgers was delighted with Celtic’s win as he rounds off his ten-day stay in Portugal victorious.

But summing up Idah’s performance, the Celtic manager sent his striker a little warning about his slackness in front of goal.

Rodgers told The Scottish Sun, “He needs to come alive.

“You can’t be caught thinking at this level. You have to anticipate and move and then have authority in the box.

“I know he can score goals and it’s also the time of pre-season.”

Idah scored 20 goals for Celtic last season and will be hoping to build on that to help the Hoops defend their Scottish Premiership title.

Adam Idah’s three most important Celtic goals in season 2024/25

Every goal that is scored for Celtic is important but for Idah, as a striker with a point to prove, he needs to be scoring in every game he gets an opportunity to.

With a goal scored every 118 minutes last season, here are three Adam Idah Celtic goals that stood out in the title-winning season:

• 18/9/2024: Celtic 5 v 1 Slovan Bratislava. Idah rounds up the Champions League rout with the fifth goal of the game.
• 29/1/2025: Aston Villa 4 v 2 Celtic. A Champions League double proves Idah can do it at the highest level albeit Celtic lost the game.
• 4/5/2025: Rangers 1 v 1 Celtic. Another goal against Rangers earned a point at Ibrox to ensure Celtic didn’t lose three games in a row to the Ibrox club.

Whilst this was just a pre-season friendly, it’s clear that Rodgers has marked Idah’s card this summer and next season will be a big one for the Celtic striker.