Brendan Rodgers dismissed any suggestion that the league title is already decided after Celtic’s 1-0 victory over Aberdeen at Pittodrie sent them seven points clear at the top of the SPFL table.
The Celtic manager was asked in his post-match interview if the gap at the summit meant the league was already won, but Rodgers refused to take the bait. Instead, he reinforced his focus on maintaining standards and navigating the challenges ahead in what he described as a long campaign.
“There are 38 games, so it’s nowhere near done,” Rodgers told the BBC. “I understand people will look at it that way, but for us, there’s such a long way to go.”
The Hoops boss made it clear that complacency is not a factor within the squad. “We’re trying to get through the games, play well, but there’s no thought of that [title] in the players’ minds. Our culture is very much based around winning, and we know we have to work very hard in our training and on the pitch to do that.”
Rodgers’ composed response highlighted his experience in managing pressure and expectation. While Celtic have built an impressive lead, especially with rivals dropping points in recent weeks, Rodgers was keen to emphasise that the title race is far from over.
The victory at Pittodrie, sealed by Reo Hatate’s goal and Cameron Carter-Vickers’ crucial block, showcased Celtic’s ability to grind out results in difficult circumstances. However, Rodgers is acutely aware that there are still months of football to play.
The manager’s grounded perspective will be applauded by the supporters who know that nothing is guaranteed in December. With plenty of games still to come, Rodgers and his team are firmly focused on maintaining their consistency and extending their unbeaten run.
Celtic are in a good position at present still 25 games to go so anything can happen we take one game at a time and hope to win most games the chasing pack can’t afford to drop anymore points so pressure is on them .