Brendan Rodgers spoke to the media at Celtic Park this afternoon ahead of tomorrow evening’s Champions League play-off first leg tie against Bayern Munich at Paradise…
Conor Spence was there representing The Celtic Star and he certainly tried his best to get tomorrow’s team sheet off the Celtic manager! Here’s everything that was said…
Q: It’s Celtic’s first knockout match in the Champions League in 12 years, just how much are you looking forward to the occasion?
Brendan Rodgers: “Yeah, we’re very excited by it. It’s a great challenge and a great test for us against a top side, so we’re looking forward to it.”
Q: There was some big news last night that you’re going to have Daizen Maeda back for this one as well, what’s your reaction to that?
Brendan Rodgers: “It’s such a great bit of news that we got last night. He’s an extraordinary player. I think how he’s been this year for us in, not just his goals, but what his value gives to the team in terms of his pressing and his honesty to the game. So to have that mentality and that ability available was, yeah, it was a big surprise for us, but a nice surprise.”
Q: Brendan, on him, we see what he does on the pitch, what’s he like as a guy? What’s he like around the training pitch?
Brendan Rodgers: “He’s like most footballers, they’re good people, and as a guy he’s super professional, he’s in every day, does his work, does all the right things to prepare himself to be a top professional. He trains as he plays, so he’s very intense and gives everything in his training, and obviously he then takes that personality onto the field. He’s been an absolute joy to work with and just seeing him develop and grow over the course of the season. I think his ability, his finishing, but add to that, like I say, the work rate and intensity, he’s a really, really pivotal player for us.”
Q: On that point about development, you’re a development coach, you like to bring players on, what is it in particular that’s pleased you about him and what have you been saying to him to raise his game, because it looks like he’s playing his best football?
Brendan Rodgers: “I think it’s just maturity. He’s obviously improving as a player with experiences and obviously comfort in how we work and how we play. If I go back, I think he scored goals before he came into Celtic. Obviously, Ange brings him in, having worked with him in Japan, so he knows his qualities, he knows everything in his game. He was a goal scorer over there, he’s come to here, it may have taken a little bit of time to get used to the Scottish game and the British game, but you see now he’s right in flow, he understands the physicality of the game in these parts of the world. And the physicality at the highest level in European football, so he’s well suited to that and now he’s really getting in consistently into positions.
“I think what you have with him, I think his conversion rate now is something that’s improved. I think he’s probably always had chances and always been there. Now he arrives with confidence to score and now his technique and his finishing are at the top level. The coaches do a brilliant job with him in terms of the work and I try to inspire him and manage him and point out little things within his game. He himself is a learner and he’s doing very well.”
