I’m no fantasist- Rodgers vows he will make a success of Celtic strategy

Brendan Rodgers has hit back at accusations that he is a fantasist.

The Irishman returned to Celtic in June with progress in Europe clearly a key target when sitting it out would almost certainly have brought him an offer to take charge of an EPL club based on his previous successes at that level.

Unlike his first stint in charge of Celtic there has been no Champions League qualifiers to negotiate with the hoops fairly certain of their place since early April when they moved 12 points clear in the SPFL.

Being a Pot 4 side in the Champions League draw was always going to be difficult but being drawn against Feyenoord from Pot 1 meant that the hoops avoided the real heavyweights.

Tuesday night in Rotterdam was a familiar story of near misses, ‘what if’ moments and self destruction as Celtic finished with nine men and a 2-0 defeat.

Other than Joe Hart and Callum McGregor, Rodgers has to take a youthful squad through five more very testing matches while maintaining Celtic’s grip at the top of the SPLF Premiership.

Making an impact on the Champions League looks as difficult as ever but the Celtic boss told the Daily Mail that it’s a challenge he can face upto:

I’m certainly not a fantasist. I like to dream but I don’t live in fantasy land. I look at the opponents that play at this level and I know the economics of it.

It doesn’t mean we’ll never fight or ever give up hope but I have a common sense side, too, especially given the youthfulness of this squad and where it’s at.

You know the strategy here. All of you guys have seen it. You are bringing in young players, you are developing them and getting them to a level. Part of that learning is domestic and European in which they will make mistakes.

It is what it is. You know when you are bringing in young players that that is a part of the dance really — that they are going to make mistakes. It’s something that hopefully with experience they can get better and improve.

In almost every interview Rodgers is at pains to emphasise that he is working within the club’s strategy, that his job is to deal with the given players rather than to influence arrivals.

By the end of October Lazio and Atletico Madrid will have tested the strategy and Rodgers to the full.