RYAN CHRISTIE has revealed that Brendan Rodgers opted for an arm round the shoulder rather than the hairdryer treatment in a bid to repair Celtic’s Champions League ambitions.
The young midfielder was the first player taken off by Rodgers last week in the embarrassing 1-0 defeat to Lincoln Red Imps in Gibraltar, but Christie repaid his manager’s faith with the winner in the friendly with Wolfsburg and is eager for another chance to atone.
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The Scottish champions need a very different display in the second leg of their second qualifying round tie at Celtic Park and Christie feels they offered a more accurate barometer against the Bundesliga side.
“All the boys went into the game, not so much wanting to prove a point, but to show what we are really about,” said Christie. “I think we will kick on from here. Wolfsburg were a good test. The manager told us not to dwell on last week. It’s over now and this Lincoln game is about going out and putting it right.
“We want to go through. If we play like we did against Wolfsburg and move it quickly then we will be ok. I think the pitch will help us and so will the crowd. As long as we raise our game and don't get sloppy then we should be fine.”
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After such a huge letdown in Rodgers’s first game as Celtic manager, Christie might have expected an Sir Alex Ferguson-style dressing down from the Northern Irishman. It did not happen. “The manager has been brilliant since Tuesday,” said Christie. “We managed to get over it pretty quickly. The manager told us not to dwell on it. It’s over now.”
Asked about the defeat in Gibraltar being described as Celtic’s worst-ever result, Christie replied: “That was a bit over the top. The manager told us we would be questioned after that result. It was more about the unity within the group to ignore it and to make sure we put things right on Wednesday.
“Most of the boys have learned to stay away from things like social media and most of the big players now don’t look at the critics as it only brings you down. As long as we stick together and keep our thoughts solely on ourselves and not on outside influences then we should be fine.
“There are two sides to social media, when you play well, you like to go on it and read all the nice things which are written about you. You can’t really have one side of the coin, so most players now realise that it’s best to just stay away from it.
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“The manager has spoken to just about everyone now and taking positives from what he’s had to say both individually and at team meetings.
“This performance against Wolfsburg shows the improvements we have made since our first friendly. Even the way we attack and counter-attack has improved and we are doing that very well. It’s all very positive going into the next few games.”
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