Brendan Rodgers Media Conference – “Well, it’s on to the next game”

Q: You spoke about young Colby the other night and how well he did. Is he, even at this stage in his career, is he able to cope with that volume of games and playing so quickly?

Brendan Rodgers: “Obviously you have to keep an eye on it because he’s obviously played three back-to-back games for me but not only that, he was away and played two games internationally. So he’s played five games in a really short period of time, and of course, now the intensity of games has gone up. I clearly have to manage that for him. He’s a great boy, he’s a tough kid and I’m so pleased for him because you’re given that opportunity and it would be easy not to have played him but this is where young careers, you can make your career in games like that there. I think he showed what we all know here as staff, that he’s got a big personality and he was just like a duck to water really just straight in and got on with it. Thankfully he doesn’t overthink things, he just plays football, and probably the danger starts when he does think too much!”

Q: Is this where your experience as a manager comes in? Managing young boys, it might be easy to keep playing them but when you talk about the intensity of the games sometimes you do have to give them a break?

Brendan Rodgers: “Yeah, there’s absolutely no doubt it is all a part of the management of the individual player. When you’re robust and play in season after season and you’re used to that, then you have the rhythm of it but when you’re not, and especially for him on the back of the couple of internationals he’s played, it’s a lot of game time. Especially coming into the first team, all the anxieties, all the intensities that come with games like that. He’s coped very, very well but we’ve also got Tony back now as well. I think we’ve gained a player in that period and that was always the thinking of not putting him out on loan. If we could keep him and then find a way to get him playing and he’s came through it with flying colours really. There’s still a lot of work for him to do, but really pleased and we have to try and manage him for sure.”

Q: What role does Kieran Tierney, as someone who walked that walk at a young age as a Celtic player, how does he help Colby with the demands of being a Celtic player?

Brendan Rodgers: “I think all the players here are wonderful role models. I think if you look at every single one of them that have come through the system here at Celtic from Callum McGregor, from James Forrest, from Kieran and Tony Ralston. All those boys that have come through the system, they’ve always been great with those younger guys that step up and come in, because they know the burden you carry being a homegrown player playing for Celtic and how special it is. Of course the eyes are really on you so they help the young guys ensure that the humility is held here, that you never get too carried away with yourself which is always important. But thankfully they have a good education in the academy and if they break through to the first team they know the values that are needed and required to play for Celtic, and thankfully young Colby seems to have those.”

Q: It was another big moment for Kelechi Iheanacho in Belgrade, you must be delighted with the impact he’s made so early into his Celtic career?

Brendan Rodgers: “Yeah, and he’s only going to get better because I know the player and I know how good he can be, and how good he was for me. I’m delighted for him because when he came in I think because of the timing of his arrival and everything that’s around our window it maybe wasn’t so accepting for him to be in.
But there’s absolutely no doubt, of all the players and lists that came to me that actually was available, he was absolutely the standout player. I know his talents and I know how big a player he can be, and now he’s starting to settle into the squad and the group, he’ll show that during his time here.”

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