RODGERS: WE MUST BELIEVE
BRENDAN RODGERS has learned plenty from a decade of Champions League.
In his eyes, the biggest trait needed to really compete is belief.
Rodgers’ career at the top table began 10 years ago with
Liverpool and a group stage win over Ludogorets. Since then, experiences have been gathered, not all positive.
With just a couple more victories on the record at Celtic since then, it has been difficult at times.
But Rodgers wants Celtic to really show themselves this time.
He said: “For us as a club, we want to make that progress from participating to being competitive. We don’t want just the benchmark to be domestic. We want to improve and do well in Europe.
“I love the challenge, I realise the challenge. The players do, we love playing at it. It’s an amazing level to be involved in. It’s not getting any easier, that’s for sure. Listen, it’s an elite competition. Most of my Champions League history has been with Celtic.
Developed
“From a managing perspective, I’ve clearly developed a lot since that (first time), you know, 39, 40 years of age and 51 now and had a lot more games under my belt, much more experience and played against a lot of the big teams and big competitions around the world.
“You see how top players have that belief. That’s what I’ve always said. Champions League really is belief games. These are the games where, I’ve been fortunate enough in my career to have worked with world-class players and really top-level players in the European game.
“One of the biggest attributes is that belief mechanism they have. They believe they should be there.
“This is what we’re trying to develop here. Players that can consistently believe that not just participation is enough, but to go and compete and you can absolutely do that.
“But in order to want more, you have to give more. That’s what we aim to do.
“For teams like ourselves, we have to be at our absolute maximum to benefit, especially how the game has grown and developed on the financial side over the last number of years.
Special
“But what I always believe in here as a club is that if we can get our squad to a really competitive level, what we can do here at home can make it a really special place to be and still we can be really competitive at this level. And that’s what I’ve always wanted us to be.
“A lot of occasions where, and no fault of the players, because the players here and all my times here, look to the first period, gave me absolutely everything.
But the level, we just went at that level. That’s the reality of it.
“The players were good players, but maybe our depth wasn’t quite there. “But look at us now as a club, progressing, looking to look forward.
“There’s always learning. It doesn’t matter if it’s
Bratislava or Borussia Dortmund or St Johnstone. I will always learn.
“It’s a great opportunity for us to test our qualities against some of the best teams and that’s always the big challenge from a coaching and managing perspective.”