Brendan Rodgers addresses Celtic fans' 'sack the board' chants after Kairat stalemate in UEFA Champions League - 'We don't have the players'
Published 20/08/2025 at 23:48 GMT+1
Brendan Rodgers addressed Celtic fans’ ‘sack the board’ chants after the club were held to a 0-0 draw with Kazakh side Kairat in the first-leg of their play-off tie to reach the UEFA Champions League league phase. The Scottish outfit will now face a 7000-mile round trip to take on Kairat from Almaty in a decisive second-leg next Tuesday, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
'It's the manager that gets the sack' - Rogers understands fan frustration after Kairat stalemate
Video credit: TNT Sports
Brendan Rodgers addressed Celtic fans’ ‘sack the board’ chants after The Hoops drew 0-0 with Kazakh side FC Kairat in the first-leg of their play-off to qualify for the UEFA Champions League main draw.
The stalemate means the Scottish champions will have to travel over 3,500 miles and several time zones next Tuesday to face Kairat in the second-leg.
Indeed, frustrations at Celtic Park drew chants of ‘sack the board’ midway through the second half, with a contingent of fans having grown frustrated by a lack of transfer spend this summer.
When asked about the chants, Rodgers told TNT Sports: "I don't know any board that gets sacked. It's normally the manager in any club I ever see. It's the manager that gets the sack, it's not the board.
"But we have to go away and analyse tonight and see where we could be better. The guys that are out there, especially the top end of the pitch, they're giving their all, they're giving everything.
"But like we've said many times, in order to progress at this level and into European football, we need to have more. It's as simple as that. But we won't have that for [the second leg on] Tuesday."
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Highlights: Misfiring Celtic held by brave underdogs Kairat
Video credit: TNT Sports
Rodgers added: "We need to improve the squad. There's been clarity around that for a long time. Supporters see that. We do in football, we need to improve.
"This is a performance club. That starts on the field. You do that by getting the very best players you possibly can to allow you to perform, to play a style that excites supporters.
"Hopefully between now and the end of the season, the club will get that and they will support us."
Via BBC Sport, Rodgers again stressed that he feels he does not have the squad that can compete at the highest level.
"I accept the responsibility as the manager of the club. I can't tell you anything that I'd like to. There are only so many ways I can dress up that we don't have the players here. The privilege is mine to be here.
"It was pretty clear. You don't need to look into the future too far. You know these games are tough and you want to have players in as quick as you can to tackle these situations.
"It is what it is. I have to accept where it's at. We'll get ready for Saturday and the long haul Sunday."
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Celtic struggled to find their feet early in the game, with Rodgers accusing his side of being "passive" despite the occasion.
The 52-year-old, who was overseeing his 800th match as a manager, said: "We're disappointed with the result and first-half performance. We didn't start with the intent and mentality we wanted to. We were quite passive.
"We weren't moving as a team as we would like. The second half was better. We started well but couldn't find the breakthrough in the final third of the pitch.
"Of course, you want to take the advantage. I've been here before, having drawn 0-0 in a qualification game - against Rosenborg, a very good team. We went there to qualify and we did, played very well and won.
"There's no doubt we can go there and win. Of course, you want to take an advantage with you. It's still very much in the balance."
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