BRENDAN RODGERS has implored the Celtic fans to show trust in the team and get behind the champions in every game.
The manager emphasised his belief in his players following the 3-0 win over St Mirren at Parkhead which propelled the side THIRTEEN points ahead at the Premiership pinnacle.
Rodgers demanded a reaction from his side after the awful performance at Ibrox that saw them lose their unbeaten league record in such mystifying and passive circumstances.
The Hoops rallied against difficult opponents in the Paisley outfit and two goals from Nicolas Kuhn – taking his haul to a praiseworthy 16 this season – and another from Auston Trusty, his first for the club, smoothed the way to a recovery victory and set up Wednesday’s visit from Dundee United.
A BIG HAND…Brendan Rodgers applauds his victorious Celtic players.
Reflecting on a job well done, Rodgers said: “Our idea is to start the game and be fast and aggressive. But it might take you 15-20 minutes, 29 minutes or so, it might take you 85 minutes.
“Trust the team and how they’re playing. You’re not going to be 3-4 or 5-0 up before half-time every single game.
“And that’s not because the players aren’t trying to work. It’s because maybe the other team defend better or just not quite there on the pass. But make no mistake, our mentality is to be offensive and creative in our numbers.
“Just trust the team. Trust the management. Trust how they play. We’ve seen it consistently now. The consistency of the team has been incredible. The level of the team has been such a high level.
“Be supportive. And then you get even more out of the team.”
Rodgers, speaking to the media, continued: “If you look over the last 12 months or so, you can tell by the results and the performances.
THE WRITE STUFF…Brendan Rodgers takes notes.
“It’s not about feeling, it’s about the facts and the fact is that this team has been absolutely superb for a long period of time. That little bump that we had, of course you’re disappointed, but I wasn’t going to dwell on that so much.
“We analysed it, and you see it as a learning opportunity for us. Because of the mentality and the culture that we have, it’s on to the next game. That’s what the players have done.”
On the actual play throughout the contest, the Irishman added: “The performance was very good and it was everything that we would want – big effort, good concentration, very good goals and creative, so I was very pleased.
“Everyone who’s watched us over the past 12 months wouldn’t have recognised us at Ibrox, so it’s then about the response and the response was really good against a team that we’ve seen all season is well-coached, well-managed and make it really difficult for teams.
“It could have been a tricky game today, but the scoreline was excellent and the performance was really good.
“Now it’s the next part of the climb – and we’ve played 20 games, we’re 13 points clear, amidst an incredible run of games where so much is required, we’re in a really good place.
“So the team is doing great, consistently well and so proud how they responded on this occasion.”
