Although Celtic’s season has yet to be fully defined, Brendan Rodgers is still entitled to allow himself a moment of satisfaction as the old year draws to a close.
Twelve months ago, the Northern Irishman’s Parkhead sequel missed the appeal of its debut campaign the first time around.
Saddled with a series of disappointing summer signings, the manager lost a domestic cup match in Scotland for the first time, at Kilmarnock, and collected a series of bad luck stories in the Champions League.
In the Premiership his side failed to beat St Johnstone, Hibs and Motherwell. When another defeat to Killie in December was followed by a setback to Hearts, poor old Santa even got a slap on the neck from angry supporters.
Without Rangers’ dismal start under Michael Beale, Rodgers’ chances of winning the title would have rapidly diminished. Although Celtic ended 2023 with a valued win over the Ibrox men, there was plenty of room for improvement as the new year dawned. This challenge was met head-on.
Despite only adding Adam Idah (initially on loan) and Nicolas Kuhn in January, Rodgers provided the necessary improvement in results.
Rodgers gives the thumbs up after his team’s 4-0 win over Motherwell
Reo Hatate sealed a comfortable evening with the fourth goal at Celtic Park
Record signing Arne Engels opened the scoring from the penalty spot
The only defeat they suffered in 22 games in all competitions before the summer came in controversial circumstances at Tynecastle on March 3.
As they completed the league and cup double, the concern from the chasing pack was that a restart in the summer would make the chances of a repeat of that lax start to the campaign unlikely.
Rodgers belatedly enjoyed the full support of his board and managed to break the club’s transfer record twice in one go, bringing in Idah permanently and Arne Engels.
With Kasper Schmeichel, Luke McCowan, Alex Valle and Auston Trusty also on board, and the return of Paulo Bernardo secured, Celtic have since gone one level higher.
Rodgers’ team has five more points than they achieved after seventeen games last season, with the only setbacks being a draw against Aberdeen and Dundee United. Only four goals have been conceded in that run, compared to 12 this time last year. The League Cup is back under lock and key. Champions League performances have been converted into nine points and a golden chance to reach the play-off round.
Remarkably, since that defeat in Gorgie almost ten months ago, the only other defeat Celtic have suffered came on that dark night in Dortmund.
Regardless, 2024 has been a very good year for the team and the manager.
“This time last year we had lost a few games and maybe drawn three,” Rodgers recalled.
‘I actually can’t have that many complaints. I recently heard someone say that there is no reason to panic.
Rodgers has had a wonderful year, in which his team has lost only twice
Engels fires in the penalty that put Celtic on their way to a 4-0 victory over Motherwell
Maeda celebrates with Scales after nodding home the second goal on Boxing Day
‘That was an interesting one. Some supporters said there is no need to panic because we had drawn.
“So far this year the players have been absolutely fantastic, with only two games lost (in 2024).
‘One of them was away with ten men and one against the Champions League finalists.
“Apart from that, the players’ mentality, their focus and their drive was relentless. We want to end 2024 really well and the players have been fantastic.”
It says a lot about the improvement in the side that the record sale of star man Matt O’Riley to Brighton now barely deserves a mention.
Given the components he wanted, Rodgers once again built a winning machine.
Schmeichel has filled the void left by Joe Hart’s retirement. Trusty looks every inch a £6million centre-back. Kuhn is now fit, shoots and scores for fun. McCowan and Idah give the team real depth.
The team now creates more chances than before and delivers much less at the other end.
“It’s always about the balance of identity,” Rodgers reflected. ‘I think that has been a very pleasant aspect for me as a team. I like a team that can adapt and play in all phases of the game.
“This is a team that, as you have seen, can press, can be aggressive and can be ruthless in doing so. There are also times when they can play on the counter-attack. There are also times when they can defend that little bit deeper and be determined.
Nicolas Kuhn scored the third goal after coming on as a substitute
The German star is congratulated by teammates Maeda and Furuhashi
Engels was delighted when he was able to open the scoring from the penalty spot just before half-time
‘And then there are games where we can really dominate and create. So I think that’s been a nice aspect in 2024, the adaptability of the team to play in different phases of the game.
“Our intention is always to score goals and score goals. But that is also due to your defensive tightness, organization and pressure. As a team the balance has been very good.’
No player typifies the team’s evolution over twelve months more than Kuhn.
Despite arriving in Scotland with health problems, the winger showed little in his early outings to suggest he could make such a meaningful contribution.
After missing Sunday’s draw against Tannadice due to a knee injury, he came off the bench against Motherwell to score his thirteenth goal of the season.
Every week the £3million Celtic paid Rapid Vienna for the German seems like an extraordinary undertaking.
“It’s nice to pick up where I left off,” the 24-year-old said. ‘I just tried to continue the way I started this season and I was happy with the goal.
‘I don’t really set goals. The most important thing for me is to stay fit after full preparation with the team.’
Kuhn is a young player with enormous potential and belongs to classic Rodgers territory. English falls into the same category.
With an £11million signing from Augsburg, expectations surrounding the Belgian are impossibly high.
His performance against Motherwell – which involved a converted penalty and a corner that led to Daizen Maeda’s goal – suggested his recent dip in form is now behind him.
“I think it’s always nice to help the team,” the 21-year-old said. ‘That’s why I’m here. That’s why everyone is here, to help the team win.
‘Everyone knows you have to perform here. Everyone pushes each other. So that is a very nice competition within the team and that also helps us to perform every match.
‘I think we have already shown that we are in the right place.
‘It is now up to us to keep the focus and keep working on the next match.’
Bottom of the table, having taken just one point from a possible 15, St Johnstone will travel to Celtic Park on Sunday more in the hope than expectation of ending the year with a shock result.
The Perth men will learn something from the fact that they were the first team in the competition to take a point from Rodgers’ side last season. But that now feels like it belongs to a different era.
“The responsibility lies with us,” Rodgers emphasized.
‘We want to impose ourselves, bring that freshness and end the year on a good note.’