'It can be done, and like I say, we want to make sure in the future it is,' Brendan Rodgers

The Celtic boss reflected on Tuesday night’s calamity in Almaty, possible incomings and outgoings and facing Russell Martin in the dugout for the very first time. Here’s everything that was said at Brendan Rodgers’ media conference…

Q: Can we get an update on Adam Idah’s future? I believe he’s away down to have a medical at Swansea. Is that correct?

Brendan Rodgers: “There’s interest in Adam. But, obviously, no one can leave here unless we get players in to replace. It’s as simple as that. There’s been negotiations and chatter around it, but I have to have players in here before I can consider letting anyone go.”

Q: Is that a big concern just given the fact that you’ve been wanting to strengthen your front line for quite a while now and there’s now talk of potentially Adam and I think there was a link to Yang in Birmingham today as well?

Brendan Rodgers: “It’s been ongoing for Yang for a little while. I understand that when you’re a player that’s probably been mostly used as a squad player over a couple of years, there comes a point in time and then you maybe want to move on and play. But I’ve been unable to do that because we’ve needed Yang here. I also know that if he does stay, he has a contribution to make because we need five, six wingers because of the number of games we play, the intensity that we want to play. But there has been interest in him. Yet again, I repeat, I can’t really do anything unless we have players in.”

Q: There’s a lot of uncertainty when it comes to Adam. Obviously a big game on Sunday. Do you know whether you’ll have him available or not definitively either way?

Brendan Rodgers: “Adam had been out for a number of days before the last game and came in. I’m quite relaxed on that. I just need to see what we’re at over the course of next couple of days and then we’ll just we’ll assess it from there.”

Q: In terms of strengthening, getting potential replacements in to maybe allow people to move out, do you feel you’re any closer to that? I know Michel-Ange Balikwisha, obviously, was confirmed last night.

Brendan Rodgers:  “It’s great. We’re getting a player in the building that we’ve seen for a period of time over the last year, and I like his talent and I think he’s got that skill set to play for Celtic, you know, he’s an exciting player who works very, very hard. I’m delighted to get him in. We have Marcelo Saracchi in the building as well, so hopefully that’ll be that’ll be all agreed and signed off within a matter of hours.He gives us that cover that we need for Kieran Tierney in his position. And I’m very hopeful that we can, you know, close the window out over the next few days with getting the signings that’s going to give us that real depth in the squad that we need.”

Q: Do you feel Balikwisha is capable of making an impact on Sunday?

Brendan Rodgers:  “Yeah, he’s been playing. He’s obviously fit and strong and he’s been playing games. So, he’s ready-made to play if needed.”

Continues on the next page…