Amid all the pats on the back from Brendan Rodgers, his words of understanding and his willingness to view their recent downturn in form in the context of an otherwise fine campaign, no Celtic player should be in any doubt as to how he views the current state of play.
A man who delivered an unbeaten Treble in his first season first time around, the Northern Irishman has always had exacting professional standards. Jogging over the winning line has never been his idea of how to confirm your status as the best side in the country.
After last week’s defeat at McDiarmid Park, a fourth loss in the Premiership this year, the only thing more conspicuous than his anger at witnessing such an insipid display was the fact that his reserves of patience with certain players was beginning to evaporate.
Rodgers’ claim in Perth that the weak mentality recently exhibited by some in his squad would be addressed in the close season raised eyebrows and was open to interpretation.
Invited to expand on what he meant by that yesterday, the Celtic manager confirmed that he was pointing towards a shift in attitude as opposed to a change in personnel. That’s his position for now, at least.
You can’t help but think, however, that today’s match with Kilmarnock does effectively signal the start of a trial period for those individuals who’ve gone off the boil since the turn of the year.
Brendan Rodgers was angered after seeing his side suffer defeat at St Johnstone last weekend
Reo Hatate was just one of many Celtic players to endure a bad day at the office in Perth
Captain Callum McGregor leads the players in training ahead of the visit of Kilmarnock today
Rodgers fully expects to see his squad shaken up this summer, a move he feels is necessary to ensure there’s a freshness going into next season. It goes without saying then, that some players will be moving on.
Asked if a game like last weekend’s could have been enough for him to make his mind up on an underperforming player, his answer was revealing.
‘Only if it was consistent,’ he stated. ‘I don’t want to repeat that again.’
His obvious concern is that he has found himself uttering the same words multiple times this year. A no-show at Ibrox on January 2 preceded a defeat at Easter Road.
Another slow start at home to Rangers a month ago resulted in another loss. Sunday’s listless display at Perth was the point where he could no longer hide his growing concern.
Given how his side’s scintillating form this time last year rolled into the new season, there’s a clear worry that the current dip may linger beyond the summer.
‘Look, for eight months of the season, from the first day of pre-season until we get knocked out against Bayern Munich, our level has been really, really high,’ he recalled.
‘There were probably only maybe two performances in there, Dortmund away, Rangers away, apart from that, we’ve been so, so consistent. And playing at our level.
‘There’s no doubt that the gap in the league, and also maybe a little bit of coming out of the Champions League, has just taken a slight edge off.
‘So, that’s a mindset that I need to continue to work with in the squad in order to improve that. I also know that last year when it was tight, you saw the edge in the team.
‘You’ve seen it at the beginning of the season when it was tight and everyone starting off with zero points, how we’re able to then power away and find that consistency and quality.
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‘But I don’t want that to stop. I want us to continue with that mentality. I don’t forget how well they have done. But I can’t accept what that was last week.’
Nicolas Kuhn is hardly alone in struggling to replicate his pre-Christmas form, but the winger’s drop-off in performance level has been stark.
A player who terrorised RB Leipzig in the Champions League has been hooked at half-time in two of his past three matches and you begin to wonder when — if ever — he’ll get back to the level he once showed.
‘Nicolas has got fantastic ability,’ said Rodgers. ‘He’s a good guy, probably one of those players coming in on the back of this is the most games he’s ever played, the most intensity he’s played in, the most goals he’s ever scored. So, it’s been a really, really long season for the likes of him.
‘And he’s been outstanding for us. Listen, my priority is always the players. I’m always there to support, to give them the little jolt when they need it, to put the arm around them and protect them when it’s needed.’
Rodgers is confident that misfiring winger Nicholas Kuhn will soon rediscover his best form
What Rodgers can’t do is shield his players from the relentless scrutiny and expectation. This is not just restricted to match days.
‘You’re assessing every day in training,’ he explained. ‘You’re assessing people when they play in the Champions League against domestic opponents. Does it mean more to them in the Champions League or in the domestic league?
‘Here, you have to cope with both. Here you have to cope with expectation, and you have to cope with being an underdog in the Champions League sometimes. It comes hand in hand. You deal with both.’
Rodgers remains irked by the fact that last weekend’s latest slip-up has denied his side the chance to officially clinch the title in front of their own supporters at lunchtime.
He’d take significant consolation, though, if his players all but settle the issue by putting on the kind of display he’s not seen nearly enough of lately.
‘If we’re going to be champions, then we want to show why we’re a champion,’ he added. ‘We want to have that mentality, and strong performances.
‘I spoke before about sprinting over the line. And for us, as we’re getting over the line, everyone is anticipating that it will be done. But it’s not done until you actually get the points.
‘I think part of my frustration also last week was the opportunity to win that at home. Supporters travel all the way around the world, follow us up and down the country, everywhere. And it doesn’t happen often.
‘So, the opportunity to be able to come into tomorrow’s game to win the title would have been a great tonic for the supporters.
‘However, it wasn’t to be. So, it’s about preparing now for the game tomorrow, putting in a strong performance, which we will need. And then we keep collecting the points until we are a champion.
‘At a club like Celtic, the expectation is that you’re here to win games and you’re here to win trophies. So, you can’t soften up now. This is the important bit.’
