Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers previews their crucial UEFA Champions League clash with Young Boys
Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Courtesy of UEFA
Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Courtesy of UEFA
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00:00We'll just kick off if we can, please. David, would you like to go first?
00:18Hi Brendan, good afternoon. What are you feeling about this game tomorrow? Is it a game you really have to win?
00:26Well, we want to win it, that's for sure. It's a game we're really excited about. The Champions League story so far has been, in the main, really good for us and especially at home.
00:40We're excited about the challenge of the game and looking forward to it.
00:45Callum spoke quite a lot about how he expects young boys to approach this game a wee bit differently from other teams you've played so far in the campaign. How do you see that?
00:58Well, I think it's a team that, obviously, you have to respect every team at this level. I know there'll be lots of noise around the record and where they're at, but they're a team that won the Swiss League last season by 12 points and obviously it hasn't gone so well for them this season.
01:19I think they've got the third manager now. The games that we've watched, they are what you expect a team of this level to have, athletic ability and quality, but really the focus has to be very much on ourselves.
01:36So we will respect the opponent, but for us, we want to really press and continually attack the game for 90 plus minutes and if we can do that and get that special feeling that comes with that type of performance in this arena, then it can be a great night for us.
01:55But, as I said, you always have to respect how every team is set up and the qualities that they have and that's why they're in the competition.
02:03Given what's at stake tomorrow night, do you expect maybe a wee bit of nervousness, perhaps not with the players, but with supporters?
02:11No, well, that's up to us. We've played here and had some really good games this season and the supporters have been absolutely fantastic.
02:22I think what is important is that the classic example is the Bruges game. Probably the feeling can be that you're playing Red Bull Leipzig, so you may be feeling the wee bit of the underdog and so there's that push to get you over the line.
02:37We cannot think it's any different just because we're playing young boys or like we played with Bruges, because we've seen Bruges, who are a very, very good side, have more experience in the Champions League than ourselves in recent history and had some very good players.
02:51So, I think it's about creating the environment and the ambience to help really push the players.
02:58But, like I say, it's up to us in the game to really go and play with that speed and quality that we've shown at this level, especially at home.
03:08You mentioned the Leipzig game there, probably one of the high points in recent years for Celtic, but then in the last two European matches you haven't quite managed to create as many chances, would that be fair to say?
03:23Yes, it's the Champions League, it happens.
03:28Bruges was, as I said, a really good reaction in the second half.
03:33We were second best in the first half, but the players dug deep and came back and could have easily won the game in the second half.
03:40It was a great game, it was a game where we didn't quite find our level.
03:48It was a great game, to be honest, but you can't dismiss a point at this level.
03:54So, you're not going to just turn up at this level and steamroller every team that you play.
04:00It's just not possible, but we're really focused and ready to perform in this game.
04:08Brendan, having worked your way through this new Champions League format, how does it feel to now stand knowing what's at stake and what a win can do for you in terms of progression?
04:18It's a great position for us to be in.
04:20I think that when we started this journey, we wanted to show that we can compete at this level and can we go and make the next steps and get into the play-off stage.
04:34We've been able to get ourselves into a really good position with nine points and our home form at the level has been really good.
04:44We have that opportunity now to take a big step to get to the play-off.
04:50How much do you lean into that stuff and use it to inspire the players and how much does that sometimes cloud just focusing on the job in hand?
05:00What stuff is that?
05:01The incentive, the chance to go through everything that goes along, everything that's at stake?
05:04Do you lean into that with the players?
05:06I think the players are aware of it.
05:08I think they're not blind to it.
05:10They understand the magnitude of the game, but they also understand that it's about performing.
05:17I think that's key.
05:19The key in games like this here is that you play the game and not the occasion.
05:25The occasion is absolutely massive for us.
05:29But we can only get to where we want to get to by playing to the levels that we've played at, especially at home.
05:35That's through our focus on the performance and that's what we've talked about over the last few days.
05:42You say there, Brendan, it's about playing the game, not the occasion.
05:45We spoke to Alistair Johnson after the weekend's game and he said it's a bit like a cup final.
05:50You win, you go through and that's what you've been longing to do for so long here in this club.
05:55Is that what you want it to feel like out there in the stands?
05:57Do you want it to feel like a final?
05:59I think it's what makes Celtic Park so special.
06:05Many teams will tell you about the stadiums and that special atmosphere,
06:10but this really is a stadium that is iconic with the atmosphere.
06:17It's hard to analyse that and look at that, but it's just how it feels.
06:23A night game here in the Champions League gives us a real connection with the past
06:30and the great story that this club has with this competition many years ago.
06:36It's what the culture and the history of this club has been set on.
06:40A club that won the European Cup at that time, playing the most amazing football,
06:46through that sequence of games to then end up.
06:49That's what creates your culture and your history
06:52and that's what we live to replicate each and every season we play.
06:59I think our feeling going into this game is to have that synergy,
07:05because it's so important.
07:07It's what the founding values of this club have been about,
07:12connection, people together.
07:14We get that tomorrow night and we've seen that already this season.
07:17It's the most amazing place to be in and that's what we want to have tomorrow.
07:22You talk about the culture and the history of this club in this competition.
07:26What would it mean to you to lead Celtic into the knockout stages?
07:29Clearly very special. It's something that I haven't done.
07:33I mentioned when I came back that we would like to make genuine progress at this level.
07:40I never promised anything, I just promised we would do our very best,
07:43but looked to see if we could progress, because it's been such a long time.
07:48There's been some good performances without the results.
07:52The managers before me have done great jobs here,
07:57but what we wanted to do was to be able to make that next step
08:01and I feel we're in a great position to do that.
08:04Just a quick one on the squad.
08:06Everyone okay for tomorrow? Any changes from the weekend?
08:08No, we're all good, apart from James Forrest.
08:11Everyone else is fit and ready.
08:15Brendan, the word maturity has been used quite a lot.
08:19Callum used it as well.
08:21Even in the last couple of games, you couldn't win them, but you made sure you didn't lose them.
08:24Have you seen a team growing up in front of your very eyes?
08:27Yes. I think, Craig, that they're definitely evolving
08:32and that's what you want to be able to see.
08:36I think we've seen that after the Dortmund game,
08:40because that was a real challenging night for us all,
08:44but how do we respond to that and how can we recover from that?
08:48I think you've seen that, maturity and honesty in the team.
08:51I think that it's something that the players feel
08:58and we've seen that ultimately in the performance level.
09:01We're definitely improving and developing at the very, very highest level of the European game
09:08and if we're going to sustain it over a number of years,
09:11this has been a really good start for us.
09:14Can you talk about the Champions League story so far?
09:17Can you envisage in your mind's eye the perfect final chapter?
09:22We'll win tomorrow night.
09:24If we can win tomorrow night, it puts us in a fantastic position.
09:31I think the perfect story always here is to make the supporters
09:37and the people proud of your performance level.
09:40We know the challenges at this level once you get to a certain point,
09:44but for me it's for the supporters to dream,
09:49but to see the team on the pitch play the football that we like to play,
09:56like we've seen in other games here.
09:58When we're fast and dynamic and attacking and pressing,
10:05and everything about our game is about the press,
10:08to get the ball, to score goals and create goals.
10:12When we do that, that's when we look a really good side
10:16and then let's see where it can take us.
10:19That maturity you talk about, how as a coach do you work on that?
10:22How do you develop that in the team?
10:24I think it's just patience.
10:29I think it's time and it's support.
10:34It's how you react to certain situations as well.
10:38Every situation for you really is a learning.
10:41It's very easy after the Dortmund to go absolutely mad,
10:46but that's not the case, especially when you're working with a group
10:50that are giving you everything every single day.
10:52I just think the maturity comes from the experiences, of course.
10:56It comes from recognising in the game that,
11:00like you mentioned, understanding the game,
11:03where if you cannot win it, then do you ever think you can't not lose it?
11:09That doesn't mean stop attacking.
11:10It just means be cuter in the game.
11:14That's from experience and that's from analysis.
11:17It's from showing, it's from coaching, it's from speaking.
11:21Ultimately, it's finding and feeling the feeling after experience.
11:27For example, you go away to Atalanta.
11:29That proves that you can actually defend at the highest level of this competition
11:34against a team that score goals at the very highest level.
11:40When you produce that maturity and that type of performance,
11:45that makes you feel good.
11:47You know you can do it.
11:49I think it's mostly experience and time and support.
11:52Hopefully, we'll gain that maturity.
11:56If the team can get through and progress to the next stage,
11:59what would that say about them?
12:03It would say that they've matured.
12:05It would say that they show.
12:10Because your actions always will represent your development
12:18and I think this team have.
12:20Certainly, from my own view of seeing them since I've come here,
12:24seeing that development and the consistency that they've showed,
12:27it would be a great sign that you can actually do it.
12:32Once you make those steps, then that will give you confidence going forward.
12:38I'm just looking forward to seeing us perform.
12:42Everyone will look at the expectation that's on us.
12:47We expect ourselves to go and perform.
12:49We've had three games here now at this stadium.
12:54The atmosphere has been incredible.
12:56We want to bring that again and finish off this run of games
13:00in the group stages with a win.
13:10Hi, Brendan.
13:11About a month ago, you said that we were entering
13:13an ultra-marathon period of fixtures.
13:16Young boys' preparation to this is quite night and day by contrast.
13:20If you could have had things your own way and decided,
13:22would you have chosen to lead up to the game we've had
13:24or would you have taken a break with maybe one game in advance beforehand?
13:32I think a recovery would have been nice at some stage.
13:40But, listen, people don't want to hear you're tired.
13:42They don't want to hear it.
13:44So, it's natural.
13:46There's fatigue.
13:47We'll be there for players if you look throughout the British game.
13:52It's there.
13:53You see it in injuries.
13:54You see it in everything.
13:57But we're ready.
13:59We played Saturday here.
14:02We played a really good game.
14:04We should have been more clinical and should have scored more goals.
14:07But we got through and played well.
14:10We've had enough good time to recover now.
14:12Now we're ready and ready to go.
14:15So, there's never an ideal preparation.
14:19But all you can say is that you're ready and we are.
14:24Over this period, we've had to come up to solutions with a lot of problems.
14:27Kiyoko, for the last couple of weeks when he was playing out wide,
14:31has reminded a lot of fans, I think, that he's got a lot more strings to his bow.
14:34Is that a rediscovery of him a little bit?
14:37Is that something that could be a big part in this game?
14:42It may be, if I decide to play him there.
14:44I think what he's shown is he has the flexibility to do that.
14:47But the one thing I would say with Kiyoko,
14:49in terms of how my teams have always played,
14:52he's the absolute ideal prototype of player that plays for me as a striker.
14:57Firstly, his pressing is incredible.
15:01The speed at which he presses,
15:05the constant work rate is there.
15:09And then, clearly, with the ball,
15:11his movement, his touch, his awareness,
15:15all those things that he brings to the game
15:20is absolutely perfect to play on a team of mine.
15:23But, like you say, he showed that off a wider position,
15:27he can do that. I believe he came in here as a wide player,
15:30so he can clearly play in that position.
15:32But I think the flexibility is good.
15:34But we had to do that whenever we had players that were injured.
15:38So, if we need it again, there's a possibility to do it.
15:41But his best position is as a central striker.
15:45You mentioned the club's history in this tournament.
15:48For years, obviously, people speak about the atmosphere when they come here.
15:51How good has it been for you to see the team itself be respected again at this level?
15:57It's very important because I think that's what you value.
16:03You know your resources and finances will be nowhere near
16:08some teams at this level.
16:10However, you still have the ability to compete
16:14and play a level of football that makes your club proud.
16:18I think we've done that.
16:20The Leipzig after that game,
16:24I couldn't have been more happier with the team's performance of that game.
16:29How we started the game, how we responded to go behind,
16:33how we played, how our press and everything on the pressure was there,
16:38the creativity, the chances created, the goals,
16:42everything I'd want in a team we'd seen that night against Leipzig.
16:47That there goes around.
16:50We want this place to be a difficult place to come to.
16:55It was for a number of years.
16:57It's been a challenging decade for this club
17:01because of resources and everything else.
17:04But I think we're starting to see that we really can compete,
17:07and not just compete but play to a level of football that's synonymous with this club.
17:13If we can continue to do that, that would of course make us really proud.