A HEARTS no-mark player hoped that Celtic would get pumped in Leipzig on Thursday night and he got his wish. But Brendan Rodgers doesn’t believe that the Europa League defeat will have any bearing on the Betfred Cup semi-final at Murrayfield.
“If there’s one thing about this group’s mentality which you can never question it’s how they respond to setbacks,” Brendan said at the club’s media conference yesterday.
“If you look at my time here, we lost at home to Borussia Monchengladbach in my first season and didn’t play so well. But then we were outstanding against Rangers in the League Cup semi-final the following weekend and went through.
“Then we lost at home to Barcelona immediately before we played Aberdeen in the final and produced one of the best performances since I came at Hampden.
“Last year we didn’t play well away to Bayern Munich (‘pumped’ 3-0) and had a really tough semi-final against Hibs, which we won 4-2.
“Before last year’s final we lost 7-1 away to Paris St Germain but we bounced back to play well and beat Motherwell on the Sunday so I have no doubts about the mentality of the team.
“We’ll come away and look at it (the Leipzig ‘oumping’) but we’ll always look forward to the next game and that’s always served us well. I would expect us to respond and play well this weekend.
“There were many aspects of our performance in Leipzig I was unhappy with but I never get frustrated with the players.
“There are elements that can disappoint, of course, but I am also of the understanding that we were playing against a really high level of opposition and in parts of the game we showed up very well.
“But it is key moments of the game at that level where you have to be better.
“Of course I was disappointed at times but I have got to where I have through experience.
“I left school with no qualifications and my life is based around experience and moving on and trying to get as many good experiences as I can. I never over-analyse it but look forward.
“That is what I have always tried to do with these guys here. We talk about it briefly after the game, put it to bed today and then look towards Hearts.
“Rather than slaughtering players and making them feel less than what they are.
“The beauty for me is that I know that these boys give me everything and sometimes they come up short. That is ok. We will go again and fight for the next game,” Rodgers continued.
The Celtic manager was also encouraged by the showing of the fringe players who were thrown into the deep end against a top German side on Thursday night and coped well in the circumstances. That experience he believes will stand them in good stead.
“Obviously, we conceded poor goals in Leipzig but I thought Ryan Christie played well and, just six months ago, Lewis Morgan was playing Championship football,” Brendan said.
“Now he’s out playing against a team from one of the best leagues in the world, one which expects to be competing in the Champions League. He did very well.
“Young Eboue Kouassi came in and he’s not had too many opportunities. I hear all this stuff about him being a failure – the kid’s not really had a chance.
“Why? Because Scott Brown’s been in the form of his life for the last couple of years and that’s the only reason he hasn’t played. I don’t need two defensive midfielders in domestic games but when he has come in I’ve felt he has done well.
“The challenges have always been there for us. In the time I have been here there has always been something put up as an obstacle for us. Hearts will be a threat but that is the challenge you accept and the challenges each season become more difficult.”
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