Brendan Rodgers is not surprised Borussia Dortmund rival Nuri Sahin has changed his tune.
Sitting in the hot seat will change a man’s view of the game after all. Rodgers had the hint of a grin when asked about the Dortmund gaffer throwing the toys out of the pram over his lack of game time when they were at Liverpool – and his about turn ahead of Tuesday’s clash.
Former midfielder Sahin made the move into management in the summer and can now see Rodgers was right all along back then and the Celtic boss is hoping he can teach his old charge another lesson in the Signal Iduna Park. The Hoops boss smiled: “It’s only sometimes later in life when you have the information and you have the knowledge that sometimes it can change…
“I never get too emotional with words. I think that players and young players, they all want to play. I think at that time when Nuri was at Liverpool, he had other players that were just ahead of him. But he will have enjoyed the experience even though he didn’t maybe play as much.
“Now certainly moving into a management perspective, you know the challenges and he’ll start to understand that. You get Marcel Sabitzer at the moment who wants to play central and he’s playing wide.
“So all these little things come to you as a coach and a manager. I remember Nuri as being a good guy, trained well, beautiful left foot, real technician and as I said in the games he played, he contributed.
“But we had other players ahead of him at that time. I’d moved Steven Gerrard from a number 10 position into a deeper role.
“I’d also had Jordan Henderson who became, those two guys, some of the greatest captains in the history of Liverpool and that’s who he was competing against. But I really hope he goes on and he’ll have a really good career.
“He’s passionate about the game and he’s making these early steps at a big club. I hope he does exceptionally well – apart from tomorrow.”
Rodgers is not too concerned with the feelings of Sahin. All he is thinking about is making a night to remember for the 3,500 Celtic fans in the famous old ground and the many more tuning in from around the world. This is the stage the Irishman came back to the club for – and he knows it’s where dreams are made.
Rodgers said: “I think it’s something that you have to cherish that and live that. Sometimes that’s difficult when you’re playing because you’re so focused on the game. But for us, tomorrow we play for the dreams of the supporters.
“The supporters are travelling out here in the thousands and we play for ourselves to go and enjoy this experience. It’s a wonderful arena, go and embrace it. Go and cherish these big games and let’s see where it takes us.
“Like I say, we’ll come in after the game. If we’ve done that and we’ve given everything and we play with the spirit that we have done and you don’t quite get the result, then as long as you’ve ran and you’ve fought and you’ve played and you’ve pressed and you’ve attacked, then you can do no more than that. The game is about levels and about tiers. And for us, I’m just interested to see us competing at this level.”
Losing Cameron Carter-Vickers is a sore one, but Rodgers knows he couldn’t ask for much more in terms of his team’s form. Celts have made a flying start to the season and can have a crack at Dortmund with little to lose. He said: “I think we’re arriving in a great place. Again, I track it back to pre-season.
“The games that we played there, we built up pre-season with some big teams and we were able to look at certain aspects of how we wanted to play at this level. I was very, very pleased with what I’ve seen and that has just continued right the way through. So to come to here, it’s a great opportunity for us and I’m excited by that.
“It’s the second of eight games. Whatever happens after this game, we’ll arrive back into the changing room and I still know that I’ve got a very good team.
“There’s still a lot of progression to make but what a great test for us to come up against a top team with top players. I’m looking forward to seeing that and as I said, I’m very relaxed but focused in that we can get a result that can build on the first game’s result.”