Q: It was almost a big player mentality. Is that what he’s going to bring to the club?
Brendan Rodgers: “He’s got big moments in him and once he gets fitter, he’s only going to get better. Obviously our penalty taker had been off the pitch. Benji wanted the penalty and had the confidence, which is great. But my message was for Kelechi. I know what he brings, I know the confidence he brings, and I also know what a goal would do for him. So delighted for him and for the team in particular because it’s been a long couple of weeks, but it’s a big win that for us.
Sebastian Tounekti is booked by John Beaton at Rugby Park, Kilmarnock v Celtic, 14 September 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)
Q: Were you happy with Sebastian Tounekti’s performance today?
Brendan Rodgers: “Yeah, I thought he was, yeah, it was very good.
Q: Do you think more is going to come from him as well?
Brendan Rodgers: “Yes.”
Benjamin Nygren at Rugby Park, Kilmarnock v Celtic, 14 September 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)
Q: In terms of that celebration at the end, did it feel big? You know, the players celebrating with the fans. Did you almost feel the club needed that, just that unity again to bring them back?
Brendan Rodgers: “Yeah, that’s what this club is about and that feeling and that Celtic spirit that keeps you going right to the very end, and obviously it paid off for us. So, I’m delighted for the players first and foremost, like I said, all eyes on them today. Difficult surface, everything we know about Kilmarnock, a difficult team to play against. But to come out and get the win and get that feeling. I’ve been here often enough, like some of the senior players, to know the importance of a win like that. Even early in the season, it’s an important victory that for us and, yeah, there we go. A really good one and sends everyone home on an awful day, really happy.”
Sack The Board banner at Rugby Park, Kilmarnock v Celtic, 14 September 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)
Q: Was it a tricky day to navigate with all the protests and certain chants etc?
Brendan Rodgers: “Yeah, I’d spoken to the players at the hotel beforehand. I mentioned it yesterday, the importance of concentration. But I then talked through in the hotel, I talk a lot about the first five minutes with the team, but today was about the first 12 minutes. And what we needed to do in that 12 minutes and how we have to manage the situation and we had to be really clear on the performance on the pitch, what it is we wanted, the speed and the tempo, and we knew we could control all these things in terms of pressing and all that side of it and then obviously confidence.
The Celtic end at Rugby Park, Kilmarnock v Celtic, 14 September 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)
“You need to go and play with that level of confidence. And, the players, there’s been a lot said and written and talked about but ultimately we get onto the pitch, we can control that. And just so pleased for them that they could get the win to get us going again on this next run of games.”
Sack The Board protest at Rugby Park, Kilmarnock v Celtic, 14 September 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)
Q: Did you feel a difference when the fans came in with the whole tempo?
Brendan Rodgers: “Well, I think we have to control whether there’s no one in the support base. I think what we talked about is that, you know, the supporters will give a new energy when they come in. And when the end’s packed, then you can see that, and you can feel that once the end was packed and everyone’s behind the team, and they can suck the ball towards the goal and especially that second half when everyone’s there.
But we have to as a team, understand that whether there’s no one there or whether it’s packed or whether there’s only half there, we can still control the tempo and the and the organisation and the speed and the intensity of the game. But of course, when you have the backing behind you, that just gives you that extra push and that extra energy and we certainly felt that.”
Q: Today could have gone wrong, given the protests and the last couple of weeks, but you must be really satisfied to put that noise behind you?
Brendan Rodgers: “Yeah, very satisfied. It’s been a challenging couple of weeks and as a manager and a supporter of Celtic, I don’t really like that, to see that. I really don’t. For us we want to be always together and we always want to be the very best that we can be as a football club and the quicker we can find that, then the stronger we will be. Until that moment comes and there’s some differences which, you know, I will respect. I need to make sure that the team is focused and I manage the situation the best I possibly can to make sure we keep getting the results. And yeah, it is a challenge but that’s the job of the manager to deal with it.”
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