BRENDAN RODGERS has responded positively to outside noise as he prepares Celtic for the Premier Sports League Cup Final against Rangers at Hampden on Sunday.
The Ibrox club’s manager Philippe Clement has made a reference to the champions and their Europa League opponents Spurs as being “financially out of our league.”
To many observers, it looked as though the Belgian was attempting to turn the contests into a David v Goliath situation with his club cast as the minnow.
It didn’t prevent them from earning a point in a 1-1 draw with Ange Postecoglou’s side in Govan last night, but Rodgers had no interest in the words of his opposite number before the showpiece silverware challenge at the national stadium.
The Hoops gaffer said: “Listen, Philippe will have whatever he feels he needs to look at within themselves. I’m only interested in Celtic. Where Celtic has come to over a number of years, this is a club that’s been organically grown. We haven’t been handed money.
“This isn’t something where we have had someone coming in from the Middle East and giving us a load of money. This is something that’s been grown.
“The leadership from the very top of this club to the bottom is why we have had the successes that we’ve had. We’ve grown that, developed that, and that has allowed us then to win. When you win, that brings more success.
“For us, that is all I’m interested in – the greater good of this team and the club. The club’s in a brilliant position, but it’s all been earned. It’s not been handed to us.
“Everyone has the possibility, certainly teams up towards the top, will have the possibility to earn the finances. And if they don’t, then okay. We have to worry about ourselves and that’s my only interest.”
Rodgers also dismissed talk of the Hoops overcoming their rivals’ trophy haul of 118 when they lock horns on this occasion.
Celtic can leapfrog the Govan club by lifting the trophy on Sunday which will see them going ahead in silverware count for the first time since 1938.
Asked if these statistics are of any interest, Rodgers, speaking to the media conference, answered: “Not really. Not for me. For me, it’s about the game. It’s about winning the trophy.
“We want to win as many trophies as we can. We don’t necessarily have to tell everyone. But we just want to win and win well, and then hopefully get into our next game and look to the next trophy.”
Rodgers also knocked back fears that Alistair Johnston had already been ruled out after sustaining a nasty hip injury in the goalless Champions League draw against Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia on Tuesday.
The Canadian right-back was kept back at the interval with Anthony Ralston taking over the No.2 slot.
Johnston missed training at Lennoxtown early today, but Rodgers insisted: “The squad is healthy. We expect Ali to be healthy and he will be out on the pitches this afternoon.
“Hopefully, we have everyone fit and available. We just gave him an extra bit of recovery this morning. He has been an outstanding player for us and has been instrumental in our work.
“Speaking to him today, he was fine. So, we expect him to be okay.”
