There is no doubt that he has been more subdued. Older, wiser, more experienced sure but Brodge 2 didn’t have the same confident strut of the guy that introduced a generation of Celtic fans to winning Trebles.
Among those two trebles was four wins out of four at Ibrox, even Jock Stein struggled for results across the city although he was up against the original club, one that reached two European finals while watching Celtic reach nine in a row.
Winning at Ibrox is a special feeling, being up against the odds every week of the year then going to their home patch and putting one over on them.
Roy Keane achieved it once during his brief stint at Celtic, later in his book he reflected on the joy that result created in others, the reactions of John Clark and Tommy Burns to a win across the city.
First time around Rodgers lorded it. Moussa Dembele and Scott Sinclair made it a dreary New Year’s Eve for the hosts in 2016 before Mikael Lustig and others ran riot later that season, Kenny Miller has still to recover.
Two more wins was too much for the bears, the away support was cut from 7,000 to 700 before a freak effort from Ryan Jack and the performance of a lifetime from John Beaton brought the run to a halt.
Beginning to find his mojo once again.
Brendan Rodgers wins things. https://t.co/zKtNCjlHZs
— Russell Boyce (@RussellBoyce1) September 3, 2023
After a few years away in the artificial world of the EPL Rodgers again answered the call, well aware of the hostility of some Celtic fans but also the pragmatism of the vast majority.
Europe is always the target but the raw joy of winning a Glasgow Derby will never be diminished, whether it is at home in front of 60,000 of our own or across the city to send 50,000 bears into new depths of despair and dejection.
That feeling still burns away inside Rodgers, he knows the joy it causes for his family, Season Ticket holders in Carnlough and elsewhere.
As the team bus returned to Celtic Park he quickly swapped into his car for the drive home after a very satisfying shift at the coalface.
With no match until September 16 he’s be entitled to a quick trip back to Santa Ponsa to reflect on how his first couple of months have gone at Celtic with the win at Ibrox completing changing the mood around the club.
Brendan Rodgers when he realises he’s playing against Todd Cantwell and James Tavernier. https://t.co/ySCO5OuL6q pic.twitter.com/U29ZR9trVd
— Bhoy in Red ?? (@BhoyinRed) September 3, 2023
Aye The men from These Green Glens of Antrim are made of stern stuff for sure…
Although he didn’t do it physically of course –
That yesterday was the equivalent of Brendan smashing a Hurley Caman Stick across the coupon of The Bealin one !
Rodgers definitely needed that result to finally get acceptance within so much of our support.
To gain it without so many player’s, that he would have wanted within a match day squad, for such a fixture, was an added bonus to himself.
It was achieved with turnbull as an empty jersey, which is nothing new within a Glasgow Derby.
Our LB still desperately out of form, and a CB in gustaf where the game was a little bit to big for him to handle, no surprise really with being so young and new to the environment of the derby.
All this in play for three quarters of the match, without to many options available to change thing’s to any great degree either, even if the fresher legs did help.
The club needed a huge boost, especially as we still don’t look ready for a CL campaign yet.
Luckily we now have a 2 week break, for ourselves to work upon the weeknesses that still exist within our team set up, and general play that needs to be improve upon hugely before a CL campaign kicks off for ourselves.
Far more optimistic now about the CL campaign now, with the great confidence boost gained from yesterday, yet plenty of work still required, but finally starting to head in the right direction.
Shouldn’t have to many away on international break hopefully, so the time available can be put to good use as still required as nowhere near the finished article that Rodgers should be looking for still imo
Totally Out of Order on Turnbull johnno! And why Turnbull?
Are you a bully and does it makes you feel better to berate one of your own players?
And you’d savage a Celtic player for being
“Out Of Form”
and belittle another for absolutely no reason?
Celtic Supporter? Come On!
Have you got that?
I went to the bathroom.
I can’t wait until Celtic FC is back playing with all the injured players ,fully fit and determined to shut up more than a few mouths in Scawlin especially playing in Europe . Once everything is greased up and ready to rock and roll ,I have a nice feeling that a mark shall be made on the European front . As was shown yesterday ,Brendan Rodgers is a tremendous tactician on and off the park . As the Great One said in the Honeymooners … Put it on Norton .. let’s go !
sevco are preparing to send a letter to sfa headquarters to ask for an explanation of the var decision for the disallowed roofe non-goal … and if they wouldhappen to have any tactics tips for mickey beale!