Celtic’s defender Liam Scales admits he felt stung by his manager, Brendan Rodgers’ claim that he was not surprised by the team’s lackluster performance in their defeat to Hearts. The Irishman believes that this assessment by Rodgers will spur him and his teammates into action as they prepare to host Livingston.
Their defeat against Hearts marked the first domestic defeat at Celtic Park in almost three years and the second consecutive loss in the cinch Premiership. This is the first time the champions have lost back-to-back league games in over a decade. Their earlier draws at home to St Johnstone and Motherwell this season did not sit well with Rodgers, who admitted being the angriest he had ever been as a manager when his side trailed in Perth weeks earlier.
Scales was among the few players Rodgers absolved of blame following their defeat by Hearts. He acknowledges that their performances have not been up to par and agrees with Rodgers’ assessment. He sees the need for change and is determined to prevent a repeat of their lackluster display.
Defeats by Kilmarnock and Hearts have seen Celtic’s lead at the top of the table cut to two points, with Rangers having a game in hand and remaining unbeaten in 15 matches under Philippe Clement.
Celtic fans are concerned about their team’s form, especially with a game against Rangers to come on December 30 before the transfer window opens. Nevertheless, Scales is confident that they will quickly regain their form.
The Republic of Ireland international remarked, “It’s been a tough week getting to grips with it. We’re getting over it and we know we need to bounce back. We are working hard to do that. We’ve had a week to prepare which is unusual with the schedule we have.”
“It’s not good enough for Celtic. The pressure is there and you know you need to win games and anything but a win isn’t good enough. Over the course of a season, it’s not disastrous, if we bounce back and do well it should be fine. But it’s been a tough week and we just need to fix it now,” Scales added.
The Celtic FC Foundation’s Christmas Appeal had raised £397,000 for charities in Scotland and Ireland. Scales shared, “It’s in our hands to turn it around. It’s a minor blip in the course of the season and we need to turn the corner and get over it. It’s not a complete disaster.”
With their upcoming game against Livingston, Scales’ acknowledgment of their poor performance and his determination to improve can be seen as a step in the right direction. His response to Rodgers’ assessment may just be the catalyst for change within the Celtic squad.