{"id":243587,"date":"2025-10-27T06:47:09","date_gmt":"2025-10-27T06:47:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/243587\/"},"modified":"2025-10-27T06:47:09","modified_gmt":"2025-10-27T06:47:09","slug":"brendan-rodgers-accused-of-celtic-deflection-as-pundits-tell-boss-he-got-one-thing-totally-wrong","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/243587\/","title":{"rendered":"Brendan Rodgers accused of Celtic ‘deflection’ as pundits tell boss he got one thing totally wrong"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rodgers appeared to blame Hearts’ style of play for Celtic’s defeat but the pundits weren’t having itHearts manager Derek McInnes and Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers<\/p>\n

Neil Lennon reckons Brendan Rodgers got it wrong when he appeared to criticise Hearts’ direct style of play \u2013 while James McFadden reckons it was a sign of ‘deflection’ from the Celtic<\/a> boss.<\/p>\n

Speaking after the Hoops’ 3-1 defeat to Hearts, which moved the Jambos eight points clear and asserted their credentials as a genuine title contender, Rodgers<\/a> cited ‘direct balls forward’ as one reason for the defeat.<\/p>\n

That was strongly criticised by Kris Boyd who branded the comments ‘disrespectful.’<\/a><\/p>\n

And two of his fellow pundits agree they were wide of the mark.<\/p>\n

Dunfermline boss Lennon<\/a>, who replaced Rodgers at Parkhead in 2018, believes it’s down to them to find a way if the opposition are proving difficult to play against.<\/p>\n

He said on Sky Sports after the game: “You have to find a way of playing through that and beating it. You’re going to go to other teams like Livingston who are always up and at it.<\/p>\n

\"NeilNeil Lennon, James McFadden, Kris Boyd and Ryan McGowan on Sky Sports (Image: Neil Lennon, James McFadden, Kris Boyd and Ryan McGowan on Sky Sports)<\/p>\n

Hibs, Aberdeen and Kilmarnock all play a different way (to Celtic). It’s their prerogative to play whatever way they find fit to be the best for their team.<\/p>\n

“As Celtic manager and players, you need to find a way of doing that. They normally do. They certainly didn’t today. I didn’t think Hearts were long ball today.”<\/p>\n

And fellow pundit McFadden agreed entirely as he said: “They weren’t (a long-ball team). Rodgers is deflecting from his team’s deficiencies.<\/p>\n

“It’s part of football, if you’re not picking up the second balls, whether they’re in the air or on the ground, and you’re not ready to press and win the ball back, you’re not going to win the game.<\/p>\n

“That for me was deflection from Rodgers to say ‘that’s what we faced today. They’ve been facing it forever.”<\/p>\n

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