BRENDAN RODGERS has criticised the SPFL after Celtic’s match against Dundee at Dens Park was moved to Boxing Day, and suggested that someone at the league body is ‘making tricks’, with the club having now faced an away fixture immediately after Christmas Day for the seventh season in succession.
Rodgers isn’t happy that Celtic will now have to travel to face Dundee on Boxing Day, with the match moved to suit the Premiership’s broadcast partners, Sky Sports.
And furthermore, he believes it cannot be down to chance that his club are consistently on their travels during that particular fixture slot, with this game meaning they will have played away from Celtic Park on six of the last seven Boxing Days.
The only anomaly was last year, where their away game against Hibernian was played on December 28th.
“It is not ideal,” Rodgers said.
“Obviously, we would have preferred it to stay as it was, especially at that time of the year.
“It is interesting actually. I am pretty sure I am correct in this, but the last seven years Celtic have been away at that period of the season. So either we are very unlucky to be drawn away or someone is making tricks behind the scenes.
“Seven years on the spin this club has been away at that time of the season. That is not right for supporters so hopefully they can maybe look at that going forward.”
Meanwhile, Rodgers has expressed his disappointment at the hamstring injury suffered by Reo Hatate during Wednesday night’s Champions League clash against Atletico Madrid, which is likely to keep him out of action for ‘several weeks’.
The Celtic manager consoled a distraught Hatate as he left the pitch, and he says that he may have to look at the workload the midfielder is taking on after suffering various injuries over the past year or so.
“He just needed comforted,” Rodgers said.
“He was obviously so disappointed. He had a difficult start under myself in terms of the summer, then he was building the trust and started to perform. This was a big game and he wanted to perform for the team. It’s such a shame and so disappointing for him.
“We just need to look closely. He had a calf issue against Aberdeen, last year he had the other hamstring. So, we just need to have a wee look and go deeper into what his preparation is away from here.
“You can be so committed and wanting to do so well. Hopefully we get him back sooner rather than later.
“He’s a very strong robust player. Look at his body and his physicality is great. He looks strong. It’s normally something associated with Japanese players in that they’re very robust and very dynamic.
“He wanted to do lots of extra work and be the best he can be but we just have to look because sometimes you can over train and do extra bits that can affect you.
“He was starting to find rhythm and now he’s going to be out for a spell.”
