Brendan Rodgers addresses Celtic culture change challenge, 77y/o fan and model club

Unfortunately for the Celtic manager, he becoming a dab hand at dealing with such conversations. The landscape was all too similar a year ago, when the Scottish champions left it late to splurge more than £20 million the likes of Arne Engels and Auston Trusty, while in January, they didn’t even open the wallet to replace Kyogo Furuhashi.

Celtic got away with it on those occasions despite Rodgers’ grumblings but it’s a case of three strikes and you’re out - especially when it comes to Champions League qualification. The Northern Irishman’s thin squad could not get the better of Kairat Almaty in Kazakhstan on Tuesday and instead are playing Europa League football for the rest of the season.

Rodgers would have had every right to be short in his latest press briefing, especially with a huge match against Rangers on Sunday to prepare for. But as he strolled into the media room at the club’s training base, it was “a very good afternoon” that greeted the assembled media.

Did he have another signing to announce? Not quite, although full-back Marcelo Saracchi is all but done from Boca Juniors. Belgian winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha was signed for nearly £5 million on Thursday. Anderlecht hitman Kasper Dolberg could follow.

Rodgers said he and the players have drawn a line under their trip to Kazakhstan and the bitter disappointment that came with it. But my goodness, how he must wish he could have called upon Balikwisha in Almaty, given that two years ago the forward netted the goal that sent Antwerp into the Champions League.

The Celtic cycle Rodgers wants to snap

“We need to find the solutions as to why we weren’t able to strengthen before the games, when clearly we wanted to,” Rodgers said, as he was once again invited to pore over Celtic’s sluggish signing policy. “We need that in-depth look at that because we can’t be in this cycle where we’re growing for a couple of years, we get to Bayern Munich, we show great signs and then we stand still. We can’t do that.”

He pointed to a club Celtic should model themselves on - and not just because they trounced Rangers 6-0 during the week. “I said last year I wanted to try and make this club sustainable at the level,” continued Rodgers. “Club Brugge, it’s seven out of eight times qualifying and the operation continues. They lose players, bring players in. So, we have to get to that level because clearly we’re not at that level – and we have to be honest with that.”

When reminded of similar comments he made 12 months ago, Rodgers added: “Listen, probably if you looked at what (former bosses) Ange (Postecoglou) said or what Neil Lennon said, it would be around about the same. It’s a trend, we need to understand that. We certainly need to understand that from a football context, because you want to be as well equipped as you possibly can. It’s not about investment, the club will invest. It’s all about timely investment.”

When asked why the culture was so hard to change, Rodgers said: “I don’t know. Listen, there’s so many reasons as to why transfers don’t get done and don’t get done in time. The club’s super well run, the investment is there. But we need to look at the timing of the investment. Does that go back to recruitment? Does it go back to identification? All these different facets. But what I do know is, we have to be better at it.

“I’d be very hopeful. We’ve got a major owner in Dermot (Desmond) who’s a super intelligent guy. We’ve got a board of directors who bleed for the club. So everyone here is connected. All this talk about total disconnection? It’s not what I see and I hear, it couldn’t be further from the truth. Every single guy here – me, the board, Dermot – we love Celtic and want Celtic to be the very, very best.

“There’s a business model that you see works so well. I want to try and ensure the football model works equally as well. So it’s fluent and agile and we keep ahead of the game. So when we lose players we’re not in this cycle of waiting, waiting, waiting, standing still and then missing out on the competitions that we want to be in.”

The Celtic fan who caught Rodgers’ eye

Rodgers admitted to some excitement about the Europa League, with the visit of Roma the most glamorous tie, but he has to focus on Rangers first. He told an anecdote on why he only wants success at Celtic.

“The other night, I walked round to see the supporters before the game,” added Rodgers. “I don't normally do that because I'm normally inside. But I've seen a 77-year-old guy stood on the side of the stands the other day, looking in, ready to watch the game.

“I'm looking at him and thinking, ‘Christ, this poor guy has travelled a long way, he's probably had loads of connections to get to the game’. It's our duty to make sure that he and all our supporters are seeing the best possible team. I know that better than anyone.”

The agony of Almaty might take some time to heal, but beating Rangers at Ibrox on Sunday would be a pretty good painkiller to start with.