Q: Still a while before the transfer window opens again, you’re linked with Bobby Clark. Is there anything you can tell us about that?
Bobby Clark of Derby County during the Championship match between Derby County and Southampton at Pride Park on October 04, 2025. (Photo by Cameron Smith/Getty Images)
Brendan Rodgers: “It’s one that’s come from a long way out. I wouldn’t normally say anything on anything, but I really don’t know where that has come from at all. Especially in October. I’m really not sure where that’s come from.”
Q: Is it like what happened in the last window, Brendan? Is there a real urgency when you’re doing business, if you’re doing business, it’s early doors come January?
Brendan Rodgers: “Listen, for the overall health of the club, like I say, it’s not just about one window. The club is about progressing each time you go through each window. That’s the whole idea. Obviously, when January comes, the squad, if it needs strengthening, then that’s what hopefully can be done. But we’re quite away from that yet, so if you can just park that for a few more weeks, then we can focus on the football here and now.”
Q: You mentioned there’s seven games in 21 days. Does this feel at the start of a kind of intensive spell for the club?
Brendan Rodgers: “I think it’s a really exciting spell for the club. I think that early part of the season, where sometimes you are playing one game a week, and obviously, we’ve had some of the European games as well. But I think when you come into this period, and especially after the break in November, you’re really starting to get into the thick of it then. But there’s no doubt this period now, between now and the next break, is some big games in there, some really important games. But it’s for us to really embrace and really take on the challenge, and let’s just do it. It’s exciting, seven days as well, we begin next Sunday.”
Q: It’s going to be something like Dens Park on Sunday. Does that put extra pressure on you, somewhere where you haven’t lost for so long? As you mentioned earlier, I think it’s 1988 since Celtic last lost there?
Dens Park Dundee. Dundee v Celtic. 14th January 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou
Brendan Rodgers: “I haven’t really thought of it, I don’t know the date, but I now know. It never comes into the consideration really. I think that we go into the games, I’ve always enjoyed going to there. It’s a nice big open pitch and we always get a great support there. We know it’ll be a difficult game. Steven will ensure that. He’ll have his team really, really well organised. They’ll work very hard, but the onus will be on us to bring our game to hopefully make the result.”
Q: How have you found the international breaks? Obviously, you’ve got these seven games now, you’re trying to get a bit of rhythm up. It’s been quite difficult to do that when you’ve had these stoppages.
Brendan Rodgers: “Yes, I think the preference would have been, ideally, was that you’d lose one of these and put them in, whether you had a break in January would have been the ideal scenario. It is that little bit challenging, of course, to find that rhythm, but there’s still enough games in there. We all know it’s there before the start of the season. We all know. You just want to make sure that you can find your performance level whilst you’re playing and get to the next international break in a good place.”
