CELTIC manager Brendan Rodgers expects one or two new faces to arrive at the club’s Dubai training base over the next few days. Rodgers recognises the value of the week’s rest that his players have had since that match at Ibrox and knows that they will all benefit from their time training and re-charging batteries in the Middle East sunshine ahead of the second half of the season.
“There is absolutely no doubt, if you can get to December and into that break, it just gives you a real focus,” Brendan said yesterday to the media.
“Especially if you are playing Champions or Europa League football. You have been playing virtually every midweek. Internationals too.
“It’s a hard gig. Players aren’t robots. They are human beings and it doesn’t matter how much money the player is paid. For the best quality of the game you want them to be as fresh as they can be.
“We are in a different training camp, which will be great, and we may have the introduction of one or two players to get a feel for it too.
“And all under a bit of sun which is nice. We can come back mid-January feeling re-energised for the second part of the season.
“The boys are back in the middle of June. Some of them don’t get a breather because of the international break.
“It will do us the world of good.”
“It’s a hard gig. Players aren’t robots. They are human beings and it doesn’t matter how much money the player is paid. For the best quality of the game you want them to be as fresh as they can be.
“We are in a different training camp, which will be great, and we may have the introduction of one or two players to get a feel for it too.
“And all under a bit of sun which is nice. We can come back mid-January feeling re-energised for the second part of the season.
“The boys are back in the middle of June. Some of them don’t get a breather because of the international break.
“It will do us the world of good.”
Very early yesterday morning, at 6.17am to be precise, we told you – see HERE – that Brendan had got his man and that Oliver Burke would be arriving on a loan deal from West Brom. That was officially confirmed later in the day.
We also said that deals from Timothy Weah – who has been finalising a contract extension with PSG, thus the delay – and Vakoun Issouf Bayo were ON and that both players would be arriving shortly.
The Celtic Star broke the story of Celtics interest in Weah on Christmas Eve.
Since then Weah has made no secret of his Celtic plans and yesterday evening he even posted an image on Instagram of him clearing his locker at PSG and waving goodbye. He is on his way to Dubai to join up with striker Bayo now that Celtic seem to have reached an agreement on the fee.
All that talk of Rapid Vienna, tactical stuff probably to help secure the best possible price.
Brendan’s record of signing STRIKERS for Celtic is excellent – Moussa Dembele, and Odsonne Edouard. If Vakoun Issouf Bayo is as good as those two – and as good as Lubo Moravcik says – then that will be just grand.
