Should Brendan Rodgers succeed where José Mourinho did not, namely by spending post-match time in the company of Pep Guardiola, the pair will find common ground.
The key similarity relates to goalkeeping matters. Guardiola’s consigning of Joe Hart to the substitutes’ bench and subsequently Torino was high profile on account of the England No1’s status but Rodgers has taken controversial steps of his own.
Rodgers has confirmed Craig Gordon will start in goal for Celtic against Manchester City on Wednesday. What pressure Gordon feels – aside from facing one of the most threatening attacks in European football – has actually been created by his manager. And needlessly, at that. The most curious thing about the approach taken by Rodgers in this instance is that it was totally unnecessary.
When Rodgers arrived at Celtic this summer the key areas for improvement were glaring and addressed. Moussa Dembélé and Scott Sinclair were recruited to add potency to an attack worryingly dependent on Leigh Griffiths. Central defence, a recurring comedy show for Celtic last season, was instantly boosted by the arrival of Kolo Touré.
One position hardly worthy of instant attention from Rodgers was goalkeeper. For all Gordon, most likely by his own admission, flatlined to an extent last season this was in the context of incessant defensive changes. There was also a glaring lack of strong competition for his place. With a settled backline during the previous campaign, Gordon had excelled to a quite extraordinary level after two years out of competitive football through injury.
By mid-August, Rodgers had signed the goalkeeper Dorus de Vries from Nottingham Forest. At that juncture, the manager’s sentiment stood out to the verge of being worthy of ridicule. “I’ve been really disappointed twice in my career when I’ve lost players,” Rodgers insisted. “One was Luis Suárez at Liverpool and the first one was Dorus de Vries at Swansea.”
This love letter aside, Rodgers’ comments on precisely why De Vries was so valuable didn’t look good for Gordon. “I need to have, for how we work, a goalkeeper that means when we have possession we have 11 players; that he can distribute the ball and pass it,” Rodgers said. The former Liverpool manager might find a flaw in his own thought process during winter games on dire Scottish pitches but that, for now, is another matter.
The implication was clear: that Gordon’s work with the ball at his feet, estimated at 80% of a goalkeeper’s work, was not good enough. Hart would sympathise with his position. And yet, visible evidence even during the early part of this season when Gordon played was that this stance was wildly overstated. Celtic built from the back perfectly well, save away matches at Hearts and in Europe when the style appeared more direct.
It is worth comparing and contrasting Gordon’s situation to that of Scott Brown. Celtic’s captain underperformed last season to the extent there were questions over his future in this team. Under Rodgers, Brown has been placed on a pedestal, with displays duly improving. The same applies to the reinvigorated winger James Forrest.
The much-heralded De Vries has not exactly matched managerial hype. He was injured on arrival in Glasgow with his usurping of Gordon the precursor for unconvincing displays. Celtic’s mauling at the hands of Barcelona was played against the strange backdrop of legitimate criticism not being allowed, such is the brilliance of the Catalan giants. At half-time during Saturday’s defeat of Kilmarnock, widespread Celtic Park cheers met the confirmation Gordon would replace De Vries; who had a chest injury.
“Dorus isn’t 100% after the weekend,” Rodgers said on Tuesday. “He trained yesterday and today. He’s still a bit sore but he’s fine. There’s no need for us to take any risk when I’ve got an outstanding goalkeeper beside him.”
This isn’t exactly a ringing endorsement of Gordon’s long-term position. Rather, it reads like a protection strategy for the Dutchman. Gordon isn’t an 18-year-old trainee, he is a player who has scaled superior professional heights to De Vries, including a £9m transfer and 44 international caps.
Even when performing to a level apparently not good enough to hold off the imminent challenge of De Vries, Gordon produced two stunning saves in what became a frantic home Champions League qualifier against Hapoel Be’er Sheva and batted away a penalty in Israel. He is entitled to be somewhat miffed as to what happened next. Gordon routinely makes saves he isn’t entitled to; thus far, De Vries has not inspired wider confidence even with basics.
On Wednesday, it is Gordon’s turn to receive widespread focus which is barely helpful when in direct opposition to such potency. Rodgers has impressed during his early time in Glasgow, this odd managerial cause aside.
