Celtic manager addresses ‘fun’ comment faux outrage

Originally posted on The Celtic Star | Last updated 5/10/24

Brendan Rodgers spoke to the media at Lennoxtown this afternoon and in a rather long conference one of the points of note was his take on the faux outrage down river concerning his comment last weekend after the win over Hearts, about having some fun this weekend in the Glasgow Derby.

The Celtic manger was asked if he was surprised at the outrage that the comment caused among theRangers support and then from their manager Philippe Clement who reckoned it was disrespectful towards his team and pointed out the he’d never show disrespect to an opponent, just a few weeks after he failed to shake his opponent’s hand up in Dingwall after Don Cowie’s side pulled off a 3-2 victory over theRangers.

“Yeah. I think anyone who was at my press conference would have sensed the way in which it was said. The reaction to that is totally without merit. It has no context whatsoever. You mention my past record in these games, I have never referred to these other than being intense and being competitive.

“We never talk about the game as that but we talk about the whole occasion. The occasion is one of the most iconic games in world football. And I love it. It’s one of the reasons I am here, the great pride and privilege I have in managing Celtic in a (the)Rangers game.

“So the whole emotion, the entire feeling around this game is absolutely amazing. I have seen some of the headlines around the disrespect and whatever else but it is totally without merit. It was never in that context being said, and I never would be that person to disrespect another manager or another team. But I suppose it’s part of the build-up for you guys,” the Celtic manager said.

Here’s Brendan’s media conference, and the ‘fun’ answer is four in.