Q: I guess it gives you that competition at the back. I know Cameron’s coming back in the future, but you’ve always talked about having competition in all places, and you’ve got a guy playing on that stage.
Brendan Rodgers: “Yeah, I think every player has shown that they can play at a really high level, and that’s what you want. You’re not going to go through the whole season just with 11 players. I think the role players are very, very important and we’ve seen that the other night, players coming off the bench. I think the centre-half position is a position where I always say it’s about the two rather than just one. It’s always about the balance of the two centre-halves. But both those guys, Scalesy and Auston, have been great, and none more so than the other night. But it’s good to have good players back available.”
Q: It does give you that ability to perhaps not rush Cameron back quite so quickly?
Brendan Rodgers: “Yeah, and also we’ve got players, like Scalesy, playing a lot of games internationally as well. He’s been so robust. He’s been absolutely fantastic. And since he’s got into the team, his availability has been not quite 100 per cent, but he’s been virtually up there. And you think he’s travelling away playing international games, having played two 90 minutes, coming back and then playing. So, from time to time, some players just need to come out, have a breather, and then have a good level to come in and take his place. That’s nice to have that option.”
Q: You don’t need to be reminded of the standards in the Champions League, but Dortmund lost five goals in one half as well. In terms of perspective, was there any comfort or at least context to be taken from that, given what happened?
Brendan Rodgers: “No, I think I was watching the game, and I know it’s possible. Obviously, when I come in here after we lose to Dortmund and people talk about learning and perspective and everything else, then they think you’re talking rubbish because you’ve lost 7-1. And it’s not nice, of course. But I understand the level. I understand the quality.
“And, like you say, Dortmund, who we’ve seen and played against us really, really well, everything they hit went in. But it’s also a level where they lost five goals in a half as well. So, thankfully, here on this side, we have perspective. I see the players every day. I see the learning. And yes, there was a big learning from that. And hopefully, we take that through the rest of the competition.”
Q: You were backs against the wall for long periods against Atalanta, but especially in the last 10 minutes, a few chances came for Celtic. Is the next stage of learning perhaps taken now and snatching a goal near the end?
Brendan Rodgers: “Yes, it’s just, I think it’s having that wee bit of composure at the level as well. These are games where you have to have that belief to play as well. We had a couple of wee moments, didn’t we, going into that last period, where it looked like it could be the absolute perfect performance. We defended well and then on the counter-attack, you get your goals. It didn’t quite just drop for us, but that is the next stage.
“But also, a game against Atalanta looks totally different to some other games. If you look at the number of times in the first half, you make a knock-back and a through pass and sequence, then all of a sudden, you’re through on their goal. That doesn’t happen a lot in football. Normally, you’ve got to go through various zones and lots of bodies behind the ball. But against their man-to-man, once you broke through it two or three times, you were in. So, it’s just having that, making maybe some more of the right decisions in those moments, can definitely help us, for sure. But I was really pleased with what I’ve seen in the game, in terms of the concentration mentality. And I know that confidence will always grow with the ball the more opportunities you’re in that tournament, and you get the experience of it.”
Q: Can I just ask what the situation is with Cameron? Is he still assessing his reaction to training?
Brendan Rodgers: “Yes, certainly whilst we were away, it was the best he’d felt. So, he’s obviously done some training back here. We’re just being careful and listening to him, really, to not want to force it, really, if it’s not right. But he looked very good today, and he’s been that throughout this week. So, fingers crossed, he comes through tomorrow okay, and then he can be involved in the squad.”
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