The Aberdeen defeat may have done Brendan Rodgers a favour in the long term, as our man Hugh offers his harsh assessment.
Aberdeen’s Scottish Cup victory should have been as effective as smelling salts being waved under Brendan Rodgers’ nose to clear his mind.
The manager’s psyche must have been rattled by his team’s lumbering, sluggish, and lacklustre performance at Hampden.
They were carrying the burden of history, and to a man, the strain caused them to crumble.
However, by highlighting Celtic’s shortcomings, Aberdeen might have ultimately benefited them.
Following the defeat, Celtic Park saw more than just a party stage demolished.
The delusion that Celtic would have enough depth to start next season with a Champions League qualifier worth £30 million was also shattered.
I previously stated that Adam Idah was testing the manager’s capacity to constantly improve the players under his supervision. More fall under that category.
Nicolas Kuhn and Paulo Bernardo have to do more to avoid being labelled as a one-trick pony and a player who flatters to deceive.
Some players need to step up their game or move to a less pressured setting.
Celtic’s trophy haul has been impressive in recent years, but flaws are forming. The inability to clinch a historic eighth Treble was cause for celebration among Celtic’s rivals at Ibrox.
However, celebrating someone else’s defeat when you haven’t won anything for yourself indicates you need to step up your own game.
That is exactly what the Rangers will do under their American owners and alternative managerial philosophies in the Ibrox locker room.
When Celtic were required to dig deep at Hampden, they discovered a huge hole.
To fulfil the needs of domestic and European competition, the recruitment department must conduct extensive work to fill the vacancy.
Players like Johnny Kenny and Yang should not have been left to save the day in extra time during a cup final.
The irony is that fans will now vent their rage on the manager in the time-honoured Brendan-baiting tradition.
However, Celtic’s defeat to Aberdeen was not due to his tactics, team selection, or replacements.
Several players failed to show up, and the team lacked a strong bench. That must be handled when the team across the street on the other side of the city attempts to emerge from the shadows.
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