“What I did”: Jose Mourinho has revealed the true nature of his friendship with Brendan Rodgers

When the Celtic followers hear the identify of Jose Mourinho they right away balk at the feelings they had after the 2003 UEFA Cup Final in Seville.

Mourinho’s Porto received the cup in doubtful trend as the Portuguese supervisor was once truely starting to make his name in world football. The following 12 months he took the equal crew forward to win the Champions League.

The Roma supervisor used to be employed by Chelsea off of the returned of his European success and during his time there he went head to head with Rodgers for the English Premier League title.

A Steven Gerrard slip was once sufficient to hand Mourinho the championship. The 60-year-old was once asked about that in shape and why he wanted to beat Rodgers’ Liverpool so a great deal at the time.

Mourinho stated [The Obi One podcast], “Nothing to do with Brendan. Brendan used to be a younger guy that the shape bought him to work in adolescence football and like I constantly do nevertheless today, I tried to help these guys and convey them to sessions with me.

“When it is a country wide crew period, the place the majority of the gamers go away, I let him work with me on the pitch. So what I did with Brendan I did with plenty of other guys.

“We usually have a exquisite relationship, we played in opposition to each different even final season, and we love each different – in many enjoyable moments we used to name Brendan ‘The Special Two’.

“We have a very true relationship.”

The Celtic fans will be hoping that some of the magic the self-proclaimed ‘Special One’ has will have rubbed off on Rodgers as they look to their manager to get them out of this hunch in form.

Celtic have allowed an eight-point lead at the pinnacle of the Scottish Premiership to flip into a possible one-point deficit.

Losses to Kilmarnock and Hearts coupled with attracts with St Johnstone, Hibs and Motherwell have allowed Rangers to perhaps overtake them at the pinnacle of the desk should they win their two video games in hand.

Next up for Celtic is an away outing to Livingston the place the Hoops historically conflict to get a result. The fans, and Rodgers, will be hoping that’s now not the case this week.

‘Toothless’: Pundit suggests £37k per week man, he was the only Celtic player to try against Hearts yesterday

Celtic’s defeat at the hands of Hearts, if truth be told, was once one that used to be likely coming. The fans have viewed their team conflict against lesser opposition in current weeks and the end result towards the Edinburgh club was once no longer totally unexpected.

That doesn’t supposed that the fans don’t have the proper to be fuming because they do. Celtic fans don’t thinking their crew losing, it was once the manner of the defeat that angered many as the followers witnessed Brendan Rodgers’ group meekly surrender three points at home.

Former Celtic defender, Mark Wilson, believes that he witnessed just one participant making an attempt to dig the Hoops out of the gap they had dug themselves.

The former fullback also stated that the rest of the Celtic group had been hiding as none of them had the courage to clutch the recreation by using the scruff of the neck.

Wilson said [Clyde SSB], “When you seem at recent performances they have been an tremendously poor standard. Of the 45 minutes at McDiarmid Park, that was horrendous, however at least Brendan Rodgers acquired a reaction.

“It was the contrary at Rugby Park and then arguably even worse today. A bit toothless, it simply appears like a group of players searching for any person else to come up with the goods.

“Callum McGregor gave it a shot at the start of the 2nd half, but aside from that, each person shifted duty onto any one else.

“And that’s now not a Celtic team that’s going to be successful at the give up of the season.”

Callum McGregor was the man who dragged Celtic to a win towards St Johnstone two weeks ago. The £37k per week man confirmed some leadership that day but the previous day he just couldn’t discover it in him once more to be in a position to repeat it against Hearts.

Brendan Rodgers said his captain was extraordinary yesterday, a declare that I refuted this morning, but it is honest to say that along with the relaxation of the team, McGregor has seen a dip in form.

That will alarm the Hoops guide as their captain is normally the one they can rely on to deliver a strong overall performance week in, week out.

Let’s hope McGregor starts offevolved to turn around the fortunes of the crew soon as Rangers come calling in less than two weeks time.

Pundits laugh at the ‘comical’ joke about the brutality of the Celtics as teammates mark each other in a violent Hearts video

One flashpoint from Hearts opening purpose had pundits branding Celtic’s defending ‘comical’

‘Comical’ defending from Celtic has end up the butt of the Sportscene jokes after Liam Scales and Alistair Johnston did a super job marking EACH OTHER.

Brendan Rodgers’ guys fell to an emphatic 2-0 defeat at the palms of Hearts when Lawrence Shankland made it lucky variety thirteen for the season with a free header at the lower back submit that took the Parkhead grumbles from a stupid roar to a loud chastising. That was once earlier than every other set piece from Stephen Kingsley piled on the discomfort with Steven Naismith’s guys ending a 16-year hoodoo in the Scottish Premiership at Celtic Park to sting the champions. And to add greater pain to proceedings, pundits James McFadden and Neil McCann located the humorous facet of some hard-to-watch Hoops defending for the opener.

The footage appears to show defenders Scales and Johnston surely marking every other from the nook earlier than freeing up the Jambos talisman to score. That was once ample for the former Scotland internationals to have a chuckle at the defending, with Shankland hailed for his end at the equal time.

He told BBC Sportscene: “Lawrence Shankland peels away at the back, they strive to trend a block if you like however Scales and Johnston give up up blockading each other. Having stated that, it is an outstanding end however you see right here Johnston is attempting to get round to get to Shankland but he’s truly fighting against Scales.

“When it comes to Shankland he sees the ball the total way, he has a lot of time to think about it and with the power and direction he generates, it is an incredible header.”

McCann added: “It’s no surprise. He scored a cracking header in opposition to Rangers at Ibrox but that used to be more difficult because Joe Hart’s on that side of the goal. He has to generate all the power from it however comical defending from Celtic. Scales does a awesome job on Johnston.”

Celtic’s transfer strategy if ‘big fish’ approach Matt O’Riley is made known as a champion is already after the next Dane

O’Riley has been tipped as the subsequent participant to financial institution Celtic mega-bucks and realistic John Kennedy is aware of they can’t hold him forever.

John Kennedy admits big fishes may want to quickly be swimming after big name man Matt O’Riley. But the Celtic coach is adamant the club will have a succession sketch equipped if the day comes for the Danish star to go to the massive leagues.

O’Riley’s tremendous shape in the Champions League and Premiership have attracted pastime in his offerings with the January transfer window looming. Asked if it used to be necessary to keep pinnacle stars such as O’Riley, Kennedy said: “Yeah, it is. The model, we know, ultimately, when the large fish come, they come up with the money, then the players might have ambitions to go on and play in bigger leagues. We receive that.

“But it’s just having a regular flow. So Matty’s come in the past couple of years, he’s stepped forward surely nicely and, when they are attracting attention, it’s due to the fact matters are going in the proper direction. That’s the nature of it. Again, we just have to make certain that, at the back of that, we have the subsequent one in line.

“We maintain bringing them through and absolutely everyone appears to a Matt, or players in the past. Jota last year, Kieran Tierney, Kris Ajer, Odsonne Edouard. All of these guys who have gone onto some of the greater leagues. But it’s a true inspiration.

“Not everyone’s ambition is to do that. You get any one like Callum McGregor who will have had plenty of possibilities in his career to do so, but enjoys being here and now captains the club.

“You also have to accept some people’s ambitions and we do that. But, whilst they are here, we provide our all to them in phrases of what we can do for them and we count on the identical on the other side that they put their work in each and every day to be the exceptional versions of themselves.”

Kennedy, meanwhile, insists it’s a big increase to have quiet inspirations Daizen Maeda and Cameron Carter-Vickers back. The key Parkhead pair are set to return in today’s crunch Premiership conflict with Hearts after damage absences. Maeda has been out for nearly six weeks having sustained a knee harm in the course of the Champions League conflict with Atletico in Madrid.

Carter-Vickers has additionally been absent for the past two matches in opposition to Kilmarnock and Feyenoord due to a hamstring issue. The assistant manager said: “People often associate leading with being the vocal one. But that’s not the case.

“Leadership is essentially round behaviour which can come in many shapes or forms. It can be vocal, it can be what you do in training, how you live your life. Everyone has a exceptional way of doing it and the component is to be natural with that. Daizen’s natural thing is to run and work absolutely hard.

“If you watch him on the coaching pitch, we see it each day. You guys see it on matchdays, but when he does on a matchday, absolutely everyone talks about his workrate and going for walks and everything else, but it’s because of what he places in each day.

“He’s an inspiration to all the gamers due to the fact they respect what he brings and what he does. If we get any younger players that come up, we use him as an example. He’s an necessary participant for us and, in the time he’s been out, we’ve neglected him. It’s good to have him back.”

Carter-Vickers additionally leads by way of example as Kennedy continued: “In phrases of stature, he’s a large figure. Again, he’s not a shouter, he’s now not one in the dressing room you’ll hear a lot from. But, if we have small team meetings and stuff like that, he’s greater than blissful to front up, speak, provide his opinion and information the younger players. Again, how he trains and what he does on a matchday, that’s his model of leadership. He is a certainly essential discern for us.”

Celtic can re-establish an eight-point lead in the title race with a victory over the Tynecastle outfit and Kennedy insists the team have to stick to their principles. Kennedy said: “Second half final week (against Kilmarnock), we have addressed that. We lost manage of the game due to the fact we came away from the way we play.

“We showed them examples of Atletico Madrid urgent us Celtic Park and taking part in thru it no problem. It’s all in the idea in that admire and the players have been superb on that, embody it and take it on board.”

“You don’t see this on telly.” Celtic star, according to James McFadden, is “frightening” to witness live

Celtic fans have had the privilege of gazing two years of Kyogo Furuhashi’s magic.

That unknown discern who thrived at the club under Celtic’s Treble-winning instruct Ange Postecoglou is a man for huge and memorable moments.

Blink and you will leave out him. A flash of mild in the penalty vicinity and a workaholic like no other, the performances of Kyogo Furuhashi have been so top that some have even said that he is the high-quality given that the King of Kings.

James McFadden is an admirer of the 28-year-old and he explained the difference between staring at him live and by means of the telly from your sofa, as he told BBC Radio Scotland (13/12/23 at 8:20 pm).

The former Scotland midfielder couldn’t accept as true with the quantity of off-the-ball movements Kyogo Furuhashi makes because he thinks it’s a lot extra when you watch him up shut and personal.

Added to that, the Japan superstar has nonetheless been there in the big moments for Celtic this season, inclusive of the winner at Ibrox.

Some are questioning if he is nevertheless at the same degree he was beneath Ange Postecoglou in contrast to Brendan Rodgers, with James McFadden sharing his thoughts.

Watching Kyogo Furuhashi play stay for Celtic

“On Kyogo, when you honestly see him live,” stated McFadden. “The amount of times he makes the movement we all understand that he has.

“The pace in which he has it. The amount of times he does the double movement, takes the defender quick and the ball doesn’t come to him.

“It’s frightening. You don’t see as a great deal when you are gazing the telly. When you are at the recreation live, he is non-stop. Always making these movements. The ball simply isn’t coming to him.

“Overall, I don’t think he is enjoying too differently to remaining season, it was just that he was getting probabilities in and around the penalty field that he isn’t getting this season.”

Kyogo Furuhashi will be back to his best

In current Scottish Premiership matches, Kyogo has been dropped to the bench with the aid of Rodgers for Hyeongyu Oh.

That tactic labored against Hibs, however not for the defeat to Kilmarnock on Sunday.

That’s why, after starting and assisting beat Feyenoord in the Champions League on Wednesday, you anticipate Kyogo to be lower back in the starting XI for the go to of Hearts.

It won’t be too long earlier than Kyogo is scoring many times again, or he will just make positive to score the winner against Rangers on December 30, as per.

The annoying Celtic Park pattern needs to end

During Wednesday night’s clash between Celtic and Feyenoord, a tremendous problem reared its unsightly head once again: pitch invasions.

At the stop of the match, when emotions were at their peak following Lagerbielke’s header marking a ancient Champions League domestic victory – the first in a decade – the pitch used to be invaded not simply by the overwhelming joy of fans, however quite literally by using the followers themselves.

Numerous spectators vaulted the limitations to be a part of the fray. This wasn’t just a one-off incident; it’s turn out to be a ordinary theme at Celtic Park.

Let’s call this what it is: attention-seeking behaviour that is both dangerous and disrespectful.

Each invader, focused on shooting their second of fame, appears to neglect the broader implications of their actions. These invasions disrupt the game, prolong the play, and more critically, pose a protection threat to gamers and team of workers from each teams. It’s a selfish act that indicates a blatant brush aside for the game’s sanctity and the security of those on the field.

Beyond the instantaneous risks, this style has wider repercussions. Celtic, as a club, faces the brunt of these moves via inevitable UEFA fines.

Brendan Rodgers has spoken towards pitch invasion now not so lengthy ago, saying, “Stay off the pitch, watch the recreation and exhibit some respect.” [SunSport]

The essence of soccer lies in its capability to unite followers in a shared passion, but that solidarity should never cross the line into chaos. Celebrating a goal, specially one as momentous as Lagerbielke’s, is phase of the game’s joy. However, there’s a line that need to not be crossed. Invading the pitch is not a shape of celebration; it’s a breach of recognize for the sport.

Brendan Rodgers’s Celtic future is closely scrutinised on TV, but his unwavering queries are met with clear replies

Reshmin Chowdhury has already caught the ire of the Parkhead fans this term after a brutal stats bomb was dropped.

TNT Sports presenter Reshmin Chowdhury went two-footed in on Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers before the Champions League clash with Feyenoord – earlier than a late winner saw her flip the script.

Chowdhury left the Parkhead fans in disbelief on matchday 5 following late heartbreak at the arms of Lazio when she slaughtered Rodgers – and also started up Neil Lennon. The Irishman used to be on punditry duty as the miserable winless run in European competitions stretched to 15 games as they bowed out of the Champions League.

And earlier than the healthy she stuck the boot in on the Parkhead boss once once more as she clashed with Lennon over the future of Rodgers following the give up of the Hoops’ European campaign. After rhyming off the painful states from the Group E campaign, she asked Lennon: “How a lot strain is Brendan Rodgers beneath then?”

Lennon tried to snigger off the question, as he said: “At Celtic you are always two defeats away from a crisis, but I don’t suppose any huge quantity of pressure – in particular from the board…” However, the host cut in.

She threw again to the criticism of Rodgers after he left for Leicester City – and how his return cut up the Parkhead fan base. She quizzed: “What about the fans? Because of the way he left and got here back, now not everybody universally loved the notion of having him lower back at Celtic.”

Lennon replied: “That is authentic however Brendan is an elite supervisor and he has verified that. There is a rebuilding manner and he will be disappointed with the Champions League campaign, there is no question of that, however to say he is under pressure – below scrutiny extra than anything.

“We are out of Europe now, it would be fantastic to win this recreation and it would be important – however the whole focal point on that will be on attempting to hold the championship again and the strain will begin to build for the give up of the month with Rangers in town.”

However, following the full-time whistle and Gustaf Lagerbielke’s late winner she flipped the script stating: “Only his second win in the Champions League for Celtic – I suggest that is large for him in phrases of relieving a little bit of strain on him.”

Lennon responded: “No question. Brendan wishes to be at the best level and be profitable at the perfect level. He will see this as a constructing block.”

Chris Sutton responds to Celtic’s Champions League victory, saying, “The rot has stopped.”

Chris Sutton stored tabs on Celtic’s Champions League conflict against Feyenoord from the London International Horse Show tonight.

The former striker has watched his old membership suffer a decade of distress in UEFA’s elite competition as they took some heavy beatings while coming close to breaking the long going for walks mission for their first home win considering the fact that October 2013 towards Feyenoord.

There used to be nothing at stake tonight besides for a 2-8m euro payout with Celtic anchored in backside spot with Feyenoord looking ahead to Europa League football in the new year.

Well at least the home record rot has stopped even if it was a dead rubber. Worst ever as a player going into a game with just pride to play for and to the player’s credit they did that🍀

— Chris Sutton (@chris_sutton73) December 13, 2023

Luis Palma opened the scoring with a 33rd minute penalty however the Dutch champions regarded to have secured a factor in the 82nd minute when Yankuba Minteh shot home unmarked from 12 yards out.

That looked like any other difficult success story for the hoops however right on the 90th minute Gus Lagerbielke headed home from shut range after being picked out through a extraordinary go from Matt O’Riley.

After eight minutes of stoppage time Celtic, and Sutton with the horses, had been able to celebrate.

Kyogo’s goal drought is not his fault, Brendan Rodgers tells Celtics critics, explaining in detail why the star isn’t scoring

Kyogo hasn’t hit the goal for the Hoops considering the fact that a 6-0 win over Aberdeen in November.

Brendan Rodgers has revealed Kyogo Furuhashi will lead Celtic’s assault towards Feyenoord – and insisted he’s not to blame for the striker’s current intention drought.

Rodgers left the Japanese talisman on the bench for Sunday’s shock defeat at Kilmarnock after losing him out of the group for remaining week’s home win over Hibs. But the Parkhead boss tested on Tuesday night Kyogo will be pitched again in from the begin for his side’s final Champions League game of a catastrophic marketing campaign against the Dutch large guns in Glasgow’s east end.

And he rubbished any suggestion that his own tactical approach has been immediately to blame for a miserable run which has considered Kyogo net only as soon as in Celtic’s last 10 games. Asked if Kyogo will change Oh Hyeon-gyu in his assault Rodgers replied: “He will play. We have to be truthful to Kyogo and some of the other boys as well. They can’t play in every single game. You lose that speed and intensity.

“Oh’s executed well when he’s come into the game. A bit like Mikey, he gets his start and then obviously the team performs nicely in opposition to Hibs so you let that beginning crew begin apart from Cameron Carter-Vickers with a view to making changes.

‘But you need a properly squad and you need to give some relief to players, mainly with him and the quantity of work he receives through.”

Rodgers has been blamed for this drop off for deploying Kyogo in a deeper function than the one which was once earmarked for him through former boss Ange Postecoglou. But the supervisor hit lower back by insisting Kyogo has gone against his personal instructions.

He said: “We went via his video stuff the other week. We appeared chiefly at the fact I don’t need him shedding in so much. When you’re playing in a lot of video games where groups are sat deep, you don’t get a kick of the ball actually until it comes into the box.

“So what do you do? You begin wandering. His energy is his penetration. That’s his strength, running in in the back of and timing his runs. You have to make 10 runs maybe to solely get in once however that’s your job as a striker.

“So there’s been nothing changed in that. There’s been without a doubt nothing different asked of him due to the fact his power is enjoying off the ultimate line, timing his actions and being instinctive in the box.

“He’s now not a dribbler, he’s now not any one who does drop in. He can do it however it’s not his strength. And that’s continually the assignment for a striker who wants to affect games. But he’s very receptive. He’s not a baby, remember, he’s 28 years of age.”

Rodgers additionally printed that neither Cameron Carter-Vickers nor Daizen Maeda will make the squad for tonight’s tie, notwithstanding rejoining the squad in training the previous day after harm layoffs. He said: “They won’t be concerned tomorrow. Cameron trained this morning, however it is probable too an awful lot of a risk. He will be reachable for the weekend.”

That capacity Nat Phillips is likely to begin towards the Eredivisie champs regardless of a shaky performance capped off by an personal purpose in the Rugby Park defeat. But Rodgers insist the blame for that loss stops at the manager’s door.

He said: “Listen, I think it is a collective. It can by no means be pointed at one player. I thought in the first half we performed very well. We played with exact velocity and should have scored extra than one goal.

“But from the very outset of the 2d half of we didn’t play. If there is all of us to blame for the result, blame me. It is down to the manager to pick out the team. No, it was a disappointing result.”

Another team has now formally offered to sign a “outstanding” Celtic player in the bidding battle – report

One Celtic player is starting to come to be a target remote places beforehand of the New Year, with any other club making an offer for his services.

Celtic switch update

The Hoops have been busy over the summer following Brendan Rodgers’ return to Parkhead, with a range of additions being made in multiple areas of the pitch.

Alongside all the arrivals, there were also some departees, and the club without a doubt made a profit in the summer, mainly due to Jota’s big-money exit to Saudi Pro League side Al Ittihad. As nicely as Jota, Celtic additionally obtained prices for Carl Starfelt, Albian Ajeti and Conor Hazard, and via the looks of things, the club ought to soon convey in cash for another player in 2024.

Celtic outcast Yosuke Ideguchi made the cross again to Japan until now this year, joining Avispa Fukuoka back in February. Since then, reports have claimed that the J1 League prefer to secure his services on a permanent deal.

However, in a new Celtic switch update from Japan, relayed via The Glasgow Times, the Hoops have already obtained an provide from Avispa Fukuoka and now fellow Japanese aspect Vissel Kobe are also stated to have made a “formal offer” for the midfielder.

Yosuke Ideguchi’s profession at Celtic

Ideguchi arrived in Glasgow returned in January 2022 and is under contract until 2026, however, things haven’t worked out for the Japan international. He has ignored a variety of video games via damage due to the fact placing pen to paper in Scotland and has made just six senior appearances in inexperienced and white. His injury problems have endured while on mortgage at Avispa Fukuoka.

Former Greuther Furth boss Damir Buric previously heaped reward on the player, though, saying:

“In regards to Yosuke, I can only speak the best. He is an exquisite individual with top notch character. First of all I was very impressed with the way he got here returned from that serious injury. What impressed me most was once the way he was working for the duration of his time out with the injury.

“It was simply unbelievable, nearly like soldier. He confirmed such a remarkable attitude and high-quality approach. He was extraordinarily disciplined, took in each and every additional coaching session of bodily rehabilitation and invested all of his time in getting returned as quickly as he perchance could.”

He appears to be a player with quality when fully fit, however, unfortunately, Celtic haven’t viewed that model of the participant enough, so a everlasting exit ought to make sense for all involved in 2024, whether that be with Avispa Fukuoka or Vissel Kobe, making this one to watch.