Why Brendan Rodgers needs to get Celtic's mojo back ahead of the European games that will define his season, writes GARY KEOWN
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No one grudges Brendan Rodgers his wee wind-ups, his wee goes at batting the ball back over the net. He took a lot of stick last season. There were those of us who felt, until Rangers and Philippe Clement came down with an attack of the heebie-jeebies measuring 9.5 on the Richter Scale, that his grand return to Paradise just wasn’t going to work out.
![[Captain Callum McGregor grimaces as Celtic suffer during their 3-0 defeat at Ibrox]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/04/18/93741021-0-image-a-47_1736016747204.jpg)
Plenty came from within the Celtic support, who were so brassed-off by the standard of performance at certain stages that even Santa Claus got caught in the crossfire. Now that pretty much each and every one of them has bought into a most impressive collective commitment to selective amnesia, returning to the view that the Brodge is one of the greatest coaches in Christendom rather than ‘a Judas’ or ‘a snake’ or ‘a fraud’, the Northern Irishman has enjoyed his own little shot at ruffling feathers against such a calm and tranquil backdrop at Parkhead.
![[A home victory over Leipzig has left Celtic well placed to qualify from the Champions League League Phase]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/04/18/93741059-0-image-a-48_1736016986842.jpg)
Take the build-up to the Old Firm game last week. Presented, during a TV interview, with the statistic that his team had scored 52 goals and was 14 points clear in the league, Rodgers, timing a mischievous smile for maximum comedic effect, said: ‘Not bad for a team that doesn’t play attacking football. It plays very slow and the tempo isn’t there, so we are doing OK.’.
![[When Rodgers returned to Celtic the intention was always to make them more competitive in Europe]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/05/00/93746247-14250337-image-a-51_1736036753961.jpg)
It took the mind back to an evening at McDiarmid Park in September when Celtic had just trounced St Johnstone 6-0 and Rodgers commented on the number of goals his side were rattling in. Celtic's performance in their 3-0 Old Firm defeat at Ibrox has given Rodgers food for thought.
![[The real target for the Scottish champions has got to be reaching the Champions League last 16]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/05/00/93746249-14250337-image-a-52_1736036899947.jpg)
