BRENDAN RODGERS took time off guiding Celtic to a 3-0 win over St Mirren in rainswept Paisley today to discuss the countdown to Friday’s 11pm signing deadline.
Goals from Callum McGregor, Reo Hatate and Alistair Johnston took care of business as the champions racked up their third Premiership triumph of the season with all eyes now on the visit of Philippe Clement’s Ibrox outfit for the derby at Parkhead a week today.
In between, though, Rodgers will have to manoeuvre his way through the minefield of the transfer market – not to mention preparing for Thursday’s Champions League group stage draw.
A BIG HAND…Brendan Rodgers applauds the Celtic fans in rainlashed Paisley.
Matt O’Riley’s £30million move to Brighton has been confirmed and a BBC reporter asked the Hoops boss if the proceeds from the record sale would fully go towards one new recruit.
Rodgers grinned and replied: “You’ve covered Celtic for a long time, eh? You should know that is a question that you don’t even need to waste your breath on.”
Quizzed if a huge percentage of cash would be reinvested in two of three new faces, the Hoops gaffer replied: “I don’t know and we will have to see what we can do in the market.
“But what I do know is that come next Friday we WILL have improved the squad.
“To cover all the competitions we are in we want to have the strongest squad possible.”
Rodgers, speaking to the Daily Record, continued: “The squad has worked very well over pre-season and we have lost some players, but our job is to continue putting the best team on the pitch and that is our work over the course of the next week.
“We will try to get that this week and we have options that are hopefully close that we can get into the field. But as long as we can get them into the club by next Friday I will be really, really pleased.
“We know what we want and we have to improve as a club.”
THAT’S MY BHOY…Brendan Rodgers has a word for 18-year-old debutant Francis Turley as Kasper Schmeichel, 37, looks on after the 3-0 win over St Mirren in Paisley.
Rodgers handed a first-team debut to teenager Francis Turley who replaced Hatate in the 88th minute and the boss told Celtic TV: “It’s fantastic to say that you’ve played for Celtic and he understands the work that he needs to do.
“He was very, very good over the course of pre-season, he’s got a lot of work to do physically in his development, but, at 18, he’s got a great football brain.
“Now he can keep pushing to get more appearances.”
Rodgers added: “A shout-out to the supporters.
“To come here today and travel in that weather, and for them to be active and loud for the whole game really pushed the team, so a big thank you to them for turning up.”
ST MIRREN 0 CELTIC 3: CHAMPS RELENTLESS IN THE RAIN
