Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has doubled down on comparing the Celtic squad with a Honda Civic in his comments that came after a surprise 2-0 defeat to Dundee on Sunday.
The Northern Irishman’s comments were in reference to the star-power he has not had adequately replaced in talisman Kyogo Furuhashi, German winger Nicolas Kühn, and Irishman Adam Idah, who left in January and July respectively for a reported combined fee of £36m.
Rodgers said that “there’s no way you’ll go into a race and be given the keys to a Honda Civic and say, ‘I want you to drive it like a Ferrari, it’s not going to happen” following Sunday’s defeat which seen him turn to the likes of Johnny Kenny and James Forrest to save try the game from the bench. But the Celtic gaffer has no regrets and stands by what he said.
“It [Honda Civic comment] was based around the speed in our team. Clearly, it’s not the same as what we had last season.” Rodgers told the media.
“I’m pretty sure both of those cars go at a different speed, so that was the reference to that. It’s something that I said at the time, and I said it because I felt it, so I’ve got no regrets, no.
“I’m not really worried [about offending the players], to be honest. You can’t please everyone and nobody’s trying to do that now. The players know that I’m with them, I’ve always been with them.”
Celtic defender Liam Scales says that he hadn’t even caught wind of the comments, and dismissed the possibility of them upsetting the Hoops dressing room.
“Look, I didn’t even really know about those comments. I don’t look at football outside of the team, and I didn’t know about them until I was told they might be brought up in this press conference.
“So that’s how much it was thought about by me, at least. I don’t know about others in the dressing room, but for me, it’s not going to affect me, and it wasn’t a talking point among the players.
“We know it was a disappointing result, and if that’s a way to motivate people to do better, then that’s the only way I could really look at it.”
Celtic host Austrian side Sturm Graz tomorrow night in Europa League action, who defeated a Russell Martin Rangers side 2-1 on match day two, before travelling to Tynecastle this Sunday to take on high-flying Hearts.
