Celtic have a long way to go in order to compete consistently in Europe.
Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers has explained how difficult the challenge will be for his club to close the gap on the elite European sides, and highlighted the need for him and his staff to think outside the box as far as player development and recruitment are concerned, as quoted by the Belfast Telegraph.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers
The Hoops have once again been dominant in domestic competition, and currently hold an eight point advantage over second-placed Rangers with three games in hand on their rivals.
Their Champions League campaign was a struggle, however, and Rodgers’ men eventually finished rock bottom of their group after taking just three points form their six games.
And Rodgers discussed how he hopes his side can compete with the European powerhouses in the future, explaining how he and his team need to be cute in the way they approach certain aspects of the game, as quoted by the Belfast Telegraph:
“We are constantly looking at how we can be better on and off the pitch. We also have to be realistic, it’s always going to be a real, real challenge for us. We have to be slightly different, because we don’t have the resources of other teams. We have to find a way of being different, for us that’s going to be our game model, our systematic approach in terms of young players coming through, getting in quality players at the right moment when they are available and looking to develop the club so that collectively we can be a force.”
The Hoops now face an extremely hectic Christmas schedule, with seven games coming over the next 22 days, and Rodgers will have to ensure that he fully utilises his squad throughout that period, in order to keep his players fresh for the second half of the season.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers and Leigh Griffiths
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