Ian Mccall criticises Brendan Rodgers for “reasonably appalling” European results with Celtic

Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers has been criticised yet again, this time for his lack of ability to adjust in European games.

Ayr United boss Ian McCall has called out the Irishman for Celtic’s “reasonably appalling” results in the UEFA Champions League.

Rodgers twice led the Scottish Champions to the group stages of Europe’s premier club competition; however, on the both the occasions, Celtic couldn’t make it to the knockout stages.

The Hoops’ European foray was also responsible for bringing them plenty of humiliation, as they were beaten 7-0 by Barcelona, and 5-0 and 7-1 by Paris Saint-Germain. Reasonably appalling indeed.

It seems that McCall still hasn’t forgotten Celtic’s European debacle, blaming Rodgers’ unwillingness to curb and titivate his style of play.

"“The players look a bit tired, and with Brendan Rodgers still here they’d look a bit tired as well,” McCall told the BBC.“They’ve been playing since June.“Last year I thought Hibs (under Neil Lennon) played the best football, ahead of Celtic. I know Celtic won the league, but for me Hibs played the best, most pleasing on the eye football, so yes I think it’s not a more direct style, it’s a more pragmatic style.“I don’t think Neil Lennon will not change the way he plays if he has to play PSG in Paris or if he goes to the Camp Nou. I think he does change, I think he will play really defensively, he will play counter attack.“Brendan I don’t think was prepared to bend like that hence, and who am I to say anything bad about Brendan Rodgers, but hence the results in Europe were reasonably appalling in the bigger games. I don’t think there’s any doubt about that.“I’m not sure there’s that much difference in how they play. Pragmatic’s the best way to put it. Sometimes I think he’ll want to play out, he’ll want to get the goalie to pass the ball and he does do it, but sometimes if it’s got to go long it goes long.”"

To be fair to McCall, he has got a point – and we would all have to agree. It was utterly silly and inane to set up the way that Rodgers did against Barca and PSG.

These are two teams that can blow any opponent away at any given point of time with the kind of strike forces that they have. It is exactly why even teams like Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Juventus won’t set up as outright attacking units but more pragmatic ones.

With all due respect, for Rodgers to therefore think he could kill a giant by taking the game to him with Celtic, was stupid. But then, all managers make mistakes.

Rodgers hasn’t made too many mistakes as yet at Leicester, but it’ll take a complete season to know whether or not he has truly improved his tactical side.