Brendan Rodgers earlier today reflected on the 1-0 win for his side against a decent Gamba Osaka side that concluded the double header Japan Tour which has been a huge success on and off the pitch for the Treble winning Scottish Champions.
“It was a good game for us and I thought our levels never stepped up again. In the first half, we had some really, really good passages of play. Some really good moments and could have scored three or four goals at least. But their keeper made some great saves and we didn’t have too many threats.Obviously, they scored, it was offside,” Brendan said, obviously not having seen the replay. It was justice done though because Daizen Maeda already had a goal disallowed that was at least a yard on.
“Overall, really pleased with the second half. It was difficult for the team coming into the game because, they were working their way in. In the second half in the first 15 to 20 minutes, we were a little bit passive but once we got to the first water break we reinforced the purpose of our game which is to really press and not wait for it.
“We were much more aggressive after that and we ended up getting the goal later on. So that was a really good exercise for us with some really good bits of play and even though it is pre-season, it’s always nice to have that mentality, not to concede and each game we are progressing.
“I said at the beginning of the season we’ll play to hopefully a high level both technically and tactically. What you can never underestimate is what the heart gives you.
“As a team and as an individual player, you need to have heart. That’s something that I can’t give them. It’s something that the coaches can’t give them, but it’s something that they have to have within. I think we’ve seen that in the second half at times.
“There were balls coming into the box big (Liam) Scales and Bosun (Lawal) were great, heading it away and making blocks and defending. For some of those boys, that is maybe not their natural game, but you have to do it. So I was really pleased with that aspect of it where you have to defend.
“You’ll go away from home and you’ll be at home sometimes, but mostly away from home when you don’t have it all your own way and you have to deal with it. I think they dealt with it really well,” Brendan said.
On the only goal of the game that was given, Brendan Rodgers could see the funny side of such a bad pass from Alexandro Bernabei that it turned out to be brilliant.
“Well, it’s great that you can make a pass like that and it is so bad that it ended up in a goal. You have to give massive credit to him. He’s played a great ball in one of the games out in Portugal with the outside of his foot and we end up getting a goal from it.
“He tried a similar thing on the other side of the pitch tonight and he kicked the ground. He didn’t over analyse it. You know, I always say you played the last pass and it wasn’t so good, but he kicked on and he kept going and he pressed the keeper and then he got his reward for that. So it was a nice way and great for the supporters to obviously see a goal in the stadium.”
That win concludes the double header in Japan and the Celtic manager looked back on what has been an incredible few days for the club in the homeland of so many of our top players.
“I think 20-odd years ago, you’d never anticipate coming to Japan and seeing so many shirts. It’s an amazing country with a huge population, but to see so many Celtic supporters out here it’s been incredible.
‘I know some have travelled from back home and got themselves here, but I think you also see the locals. Obviously, our Japanese players have created an interest in and in both games in and around Japan where we’ve been there are so many Celtic tops and that’s what you want.
“You want to be able to take your club anywhere in the world as that’s the type of club Celtic is. It’s a wonderful institution and that fan base is only growing. It’s been a great trip.
“We’ve got a couple more days to go. We still got hard work to do out here and then we’ll get back and I think the cooler temperatures will help us as well. That will help speed up our run on intensity, but overall been a great trip,” the Celtic manager said.
Next up is Wolves in Dublin next weekend and that’s a fixture that initially was meant to have been played in South Korea, where Celtic’s signings this summer has taken our total of South Korean’s to three. But there’s always something extra special about Celtic playing in Ireland and while it’s something of an afterthought this year, it really should be looked as an annual opportunity to take the team back to our spiritual home and to make sure that Celtic remains the strongest supporter club in Ireland from across the Irish Sea.
Kyogo's dance after the game🕺 pic.twitter.com/Xd7sUzUWra
— Yatao (@yataoda4) July 22, 2023
🇵🇱 | 𝙈𝙖𝙞𝙠 𝙉𝙖𝙬𝙧𝙤𝙘𝙠𝙞 – 𝘾𝙚𝙡𝙩𝙞𝙘
▪️£4.3M fee agreed ✅
▪️Player in Scotland ✅
▪️Five year deal ✅
▪️Medical completed ✅By all accounts in Polish media Celtic have their man, I'd expect an announcement in the coming week 🍀 pic.twitter.com/3VHlOu96gD
— Everything Celtic (@aboutceltic) July 22, 2023
