Back-pass moans and KT chant: “I don’t need the cheers when it’s 3-0,” Brendan Rodgers

The Celtic Star

·6 de enero de 2025

Back-pass moans and KT chant: “I don’t need the cheers when it’s 3-0,” Brendan Rodgers

Brendan Rodgers did not mince his words post-match regarding the Celtic support, taking aim at chants about Kieran Tierney and impatience in the first 20 minutes…

Saturday’s Scottish Daily Mail back page with Kieran Tierney update.

Kieran Tierney is on the brink of returning to the club as the Hoops close in on a stunning deal which will see the 27 year-old Arsenal left-back sign for his boyhood club, five years after departing Celtic for North London.

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However, after the game, Rodgers insisted he wouldn’t be drawn into speculation around Tierney’s return whilst taking a swipe at Celtic supporters who chanted his name towards the end of their routine 3-0 Scottish Premiership victory over St Mirren.

Celtic extended lead to 13 points

Auston Trusty scores the second goal during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and St. Mirren at Celtic Park on January 05, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

The three points extended Celtic’s lead at the top of the table to 13 points after theRangers dropped yet more points away from home following their 3-3 draw with Hibs at Easter Road in the lunchtime kick off.

Despite Celtic’s much-needed response three days on from a dismal showing at Ibrox, Rodgers didn’t back down in his thoughts of the Celtic support in yesterday’s game.

“A total lack of respect”

“There was a few things that I may have overheard at the end there [Tierney’s song],” Rodgers said. “That’s a total lack of respect. Of course it is. Greg Taylor, he’s been absolutely amazing at this club. How does he feel?

Greg Taylor. Hearts v Celtic, Scottish Premiership, Tynecastle. 23 November 2024. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

“He nearly breaks his nose [today], bleeding for the club, for a cause. It’s not very respectful. You sing for another player, no matter what Kieran’s history is. I don’t like that. There’s lots of speculation, lots of names, but I wouldn’t add anything to it.”

Greg Taylor’s future at the club remains uncertain

The Celtic manager was also asked about Greg Taylor’s future at the club with speculation surrounding a possible exit growing due to the 27 year-old’s contract expiring at the end of the season.

“Hopefully. It’s been an ongoing issue, so I’m not exactly sure where it’s at the moment. But what I know is that a young player who’s given so much to this club over a number of years, consistently. His ability, what he’s done for the club. So, that needs to be explored,” Rodgers explained.

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Greg Taylor. Hearts v Celtic, 23 November 2024. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

“He might decide to go elsewhere. But at this moment in time, he’s here, he’s very much a Celtic player, and we want to support that. Hopefully we can get to some agreement to let him stay.”

“I can only vouch for where I’ve come in here. I’ve had a look at his numbers before, and then his performance level, consistency, availability. And then from my time here, he’s been absolutely great.”

‘Hundreds of Celtic players that haven’t been good enough’

“I hear the stuff around, oh, maybe [he’s not cut out for the] Champions League. But I’ve had hundreds of Celtic players that haven’t been good enough in Champions League.”

“What I know is this is a man who gives everything for this club. Hopefully we can keep him here because we’re trying to build a strong squad.”

“I put myself in his shoes when he’s playing left-back in the game. Especially when you’re doing so much for the club and have given so much for the club.”

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Kieran Tierney during the Carabao Cup Quarter Final match between Arsenal and Crystal Palace at Emirates Stadium on December 18, 2024. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

“I’m not sure [if Greg Taylor heard the chants of Tierney], I haven’t spoken to him, but I don’t think he can miss it. I don’t think he can miss it being on the pitch. But what I know is every single day of his life it’s up to him. He’s there for the team, he stands up and be counted. The next mistake, he goes again.”

“Like I said, his availability, his consistency over a long period of time has been absolutely brilliant. I’ve said it before, I commend him. I get a greater appreciation even now, walking with him, closely. I’m really hopeful that we’ll keep him.”

Back.-pass moans and groans

Rodgers also voiced his displeasure at sections of the Celtic support bemoaning the players and becoming extremely impatient during the opening period of the game. The Hoops boss urged supporters to get behind the team when there are difficult moments.

“The challenge here itself is that I have a big respect for this group of players,” Rodgers outlined. “Especially on a day like today, because when it was 0-0 for the first 20 minutes, and when we’d make a backward pass the crowd would be onto the team.”

Brendan Rodgers looks on prior to the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and St. Mirren at Celtic Park on January 05, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

“That cannot happen. One, if you know about football, and two, if you can understand it when teams come here, they’re going to make it really difficult. You can’t turn up every single week and be three, four up in 20 minutes. Teams are well organised, teams are well set up, you have to work the game

“I don’t need the cheers when it’s 3-0”

“So sometimes you have to play a backward pass to change the point of attack. We make a backward pass, and then we go to the players, and that’s why I was proud of the players. I don’t need the cheers when it’s 3-0, and the support when it’s 3 or 4-0, or 5-0. This team needs it.”

“It’s just the amount of games that they’re playing, and how we play. You only need to look at the facts and how this team plays to know they’re an attacking team, a creative team that creates goals and scores goals.”

Rodgers added: “When we decide to go back to change the point of attack, clap the players, don’t panic. Don’t start getting on to them. Because we’re trying to get to another level. And the best example we have of that this season was against Brugge.

Daizen Maeda celebrates after scoring during the UEFA Champions League match between Celtic FC and Club Brugge KV at Celtic Park on November 27, 2024 (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

“We’re in the Champions League. Daizen [Maeda] is going forward, he turns, he plays a backward pass to change the point of attack. The pressure on that guy when he did that, thankfully he coped with it. But the noise, the negativity around that.”

“The players deserve more. The players deserve the trust”

“We then change the picture, he then gets a back again, and now he’s free. He cuts inside, he gets a shot. But that’s not what football is. So, for us, we play a backward pass, a sideways pass to change the point of attack. And the players deserve more. The players deserve the trust.”

“And that was my feeling today. We need the support when it’s 0-0. Especially amidst a run of games where there are so many games where you might be a fraction just fatigued. But we don’t mention that.”

“We want to attack. Look at our numbers, look at our stats. Just trust the team. Trust the management.”

Cameron Carter-Vickers appears dejected after scoring Club Brugge KV’s goal with an own goal during the UEFA Champions League match between Celtic and Club Brugge at Celtic Park on November 27, 2024. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

None of the hacks at the post-match media conference yesterday bothered to point out that in that Brugge game Celtic actually back-passed the ball right into our own net!

Conor Spence

Celtic in the Thirties by Celtic Historian Matt Corr is published in two volumes by Celtic Star Books. ORDER NOW WHILE STOCKS LAST!