Sunday Round-Up: Rodgers Praises Fringe Players

THE BIG NEWS: The main takeaway from yesterday’s 1-0 win over Dundee - read our match report here - was the good performances from some of Celtic’s squad players, Dorus de Vries and Cristian Gamboa in particular, and Brendan Rodgers was full of praise for those two, describing Gamboa as ‘excellent’ and he used similar epithets to eulogise de Vries’ saves in the second-half. With Celtic’s extremely busy schedule in the next few week both players may well get more game time, particularly as Mikael Lustig is carrying an injury and Gamboa is a natural replacement.

OTHER NEWS: Attention now turns to Wednesday’s Champions League trip to Munich, and Bayern warmed up for the game with a 5-0 win over Freiburg, but the win was marred by the news that Javi Hernandez suffered a shoulder injury and is likely to miss Wednesday’s game. Meanwhile Brendan Rodgers has been talking about when he first encountered Munich’s Arjen Robben.

The Celtic also expressed his fears that Hibs may gain an advantage in next Saturday’s Betfred Cup semi-final due to the the game being scheduled only three days after our game against Bayern Munich. Legitimate grievances from the boss, in my opinion.

ON THIS DAY: In 2011, Celtic and Kilmarnock played out an epic 3-3 draw at Rugby Park, in a game which was a turning point in Neil Lennon’s time as Celtic manager. Already 10 points behind Rangers before kick-off, Lennon’s days as Celtic boss looked numbered as Killie stormed into a 3-0 lead before half-time. But a brace from Anthony Stokes and a Charlie Mulgrew header gained an unlikely point and Celtic went on a 20 match unbeaten run in the league and in April we were Champions, ironically clinching the title at Rugby Park. Funny old game, fitba’.