Brendan Rodgers hits back at Dortmund criticism as Celtic boss doubles down on Champions League tactics.
Celtic manager insists he will not adjust his tactics in Europe.
Despite criticism for his tactics in Celtic’s 7-1 defeat to Borussia Dortmund, manager Brendan Rodgers has stated that he would not modify his approach to Champions League games.
Rodgers is no stranger to European defeats at Celtic, having presided over a 7-0 setback at Barcelona during his first term in command, as well as a 7-1 loss to Paris Saint-Germain and a 6-0 loss to Atletico Madrid.
While Celtic have dominated domestically this season and begun their Champions League campaign with a 5-1 victory against Slovan Bratislava, they were severely tested by last season’s defeated finalists in Germany.
Some supporters and analysts have questioned if the Northern Irishman should adopt a more pragmatic approach to harder European assignments in order to make Celtic more competitive and less susceptible to huge defeats.
However, with a difficult journey to Italy to face Europa League champions Atalanta on October 23, Rodgers claims he has no intention of changing the way his team plays and shuts down his detractors.
“I’m not really bothered,” he remarked in his pre-match news conference ahead of Saturday’s William Hill Premiership clash with Ross County. “That’s my honest response. You cannot turn a tap on and off. If you analyze the game, you’ll notice that we were attempting to press the game in a static position and then fall back into a shape, but this wasn’t at the level we desired on the evening.
“But we play as we want. It’s the same praise that’s been heaped on our performances over the previous several months that allows us to enter this game with such confidence that we’ll win. We don’t play by just turning off the tap and being very defensive.
“So, what should we do? Sit back, have 15% of the ball, and probably lose 3-0 or 4-0? Over the last six months, we’ve seen teams come to us and sit back, playing five at the back, 5-4-1 with no attacking options. Or do you play like you always do, but you know you need to sharpen your teeth, be brighter, and move faster to close space? All of these things are a learning process.
“I’d rather do that and go down with my own vision than be told by someone who has never taught, played, or done anything related to the game. I appreciate the opinion, but I have never listened to it.
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