CELTIC manager Brendan Rodgers has praised Dedryck Boyata for doing his talking on the pitch, after he received a mixed reaction from supporters upon his return to the side yesterday.

The defender came back into the fold and scored the only goal of the game against Hamilton at Celtic Park, but he was greeted by a huge banner which read ‘Dedryck Boyata – not fit to wear the jersey’ as he emerged from the tunnel as fans made their feelings clear about his refusal to play in the European qualifiers over the last few weeks.

Rodgers refused to criticise those who protested his inclusion, and instead praised those who supported the player as well as Boyata himself for having the strength of character to deal with the criticism from the stands.

And he said he had no doubts that the Belgian would show his commitment to the Celtic jersey through his performance.

“Obviously I’d have preferred a different reaction but I’m not going to criticise the supporters,” Rodgers said.

“I’ll give credit to Dedryck and how he coped with it and I think you saw the reaction from three quarters of the ground.

“When you try and redeem yourself sometimes it takes a bit of time. Naturally supporters - and the passionate supporters - look for that commitment in a player.

“It’s not always about ability, it’s about commitment when they pull on the shirt. I always knew if Dedryck put on the shirt he’d be first-class. The reaction of three quarters of the stadium plus his teammates, I think you saw we’re all together.

“It’s an emotional game, football. It wouldn’t have been easy for him and it certainly wouldn’t have helped us.

“But the supporters live for the club and they made their feelings known. Then we just had to show we were together a team.

“If we’re together as team then what we’ve shown in the last couple of years we’re very much together with the supporters.

“I think he did all his talking on the pitch. I thought he was top class.

“Everything he had to do he did with a real quality and of course he got the winning goal.”

Rodgers said that he is planning for Boyata to remain at the club beyond the end of the transfer window, but regardless of whether he leaves or not, he will still be looking to strengthen at centre-back.

“It’s a position we’ll definitely be looking at,” he said. “It’s a position where with the likes of Jack Hendry and Jozo Simunovic injured, it’s a position we’ll look at.”