MATT O’RILEY spoke to Celtic TV this week after the players returned to training ahead of the new season.
It was all change for the bhoys were taking their instructions from new boss Brendan Rodgers after the departure of Ange Postecoglou back in June.
The team is only a month removed from their treble victory at Hampden, but they’re back at it after a short break.
Most of the players in the building were signed by Ange, and having Brendan manage them will be a new experience altogether.
If anyone wanted a specific example of this, Matt provided a brilliant bit of insight into how Rodgers operates and how different it can be from Ange Postecogou.
Asked by Celtic TV about the mood in the camp on the first few days back, the midfielder replied:
“Everyone seems quite upbeat. He brings that in terms of how he goes about things. He’s not reluctant to come sit with us at lunch and have a chat, which I think is quite nice.
“It’s a refreshing change in a sense to have a bit more openness about the place.”
Before anyone has a go at Ange about not being personable on the training ground, it was a specific part of the Australian’s management where he kept players at arm’s length. This allowed him to implement his style and sometimes remove a lot of emotion from things. He once recalled how he wouldn’t want to get too close to his players because one day they’ll either break his heart or he will break theirs.
Rodgers is known as a disciplinarian, but he feels quite comfortable in the thick of things with his players. Different players will like different styles, and if you want to moan about the gaffer, it’s hard to do it when he’s right beside you at the lunch table.
However, Brendan is clearly keen to get to know the personalities of the new players he’s inherited and get a feel for the place again.
