Brendan Rodgers hopes SPFL charge spells end of pyro at Celtic games

Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers hopes SPFL disciplinary charges will bring about the end of pyrotechnics in Scottish football.

The league body charged Celtic, Motherwell and Rangers with breaking the rules after fans let off flares during the Premier Sports semi-finals and caused both games at Hampden to be delayed.

Rodgers says the pyrotechnics threaten the safety of supporters, but also the wellbeing of players, and is optimistic that the unprecedented move from the SPFL can be effective.

“My reaction is exactly the same as what it is when I see it at any other ground or any team,” the Celtic manager said.

“The safety is of paramount importance, I think, firstly for the people in the stand.

“I always worry about people that are in and around that area when they’re going off.

“When you’re young, sometimes you don’t see the dangers, you don’t see or think of other people, but that’s a concern for me, for supporters, especially our own supporters when they’re there.”

The manager also believes that the supporters using flares are unaware of the effect their actions might have on players, with unexpected delays increasing the chance of injury.

“My concern is also with the players,” Rodgers said. “Because when you’re preparing for a game of football, it’s detailed, your preparation is to the second, so that you’re ready and ready to go whenever the kick-off is ready to start.

“And I think we were 14 minutes delayed in that semi-final. That can be the cause of someone getting injured, especially when it’s at this time of the year.

“You prepare, your detail is there, you go to start the game but you can’t. You’re standing about, you’re waiting, so all that preparation that you put in, the body’s cold again and the muscles are at risk.

“So these are the little things that maybe you would never think about when you’re holding the flare or sticking something up in the air. But I just think that the safety element of it for supporters and players is paramount.

“It’s not just Celtic, the message and notion is for every club.”

Friday’s action is the first time the SPFL have taken action over pyrotechnics and Rodgers gave the organisation his full backing. He said that Celtic fans are already famed for the atmosphere they provide in big games, and there’s no need for flares.

“I don’t see what it adds to the game, so I think it’s right that they look into it and try to stop it hopefully,” he said.

“I suppose the hope is that this may be the first but hopefully the last when it comes to the league as well and the fans do listen.

“I think across the board the league have the possibility then to create a sanction that ensures that hopefully it doesn’t happen. Because of the Celtic support, what we get without all of that is absolutely amazing.

“The colour, the noise, the energy, what it gives us on the field is absolutely amazing. So the pyro doesn’t add anything, it doesn’t add anything. We get this amazing support, it’s renowned worldwide, our support base is iconic.

“Everyone wants to play at Celtic Park, everyone wants to be here, why? Because of the supporters, so we want to keep it that way and hopefully, as I said, the league domestically can do something as well.”

Celtic Manager Brendan Rodgers won the November Manager of the Month award at Lennoxtown Training Centre SNS Group

On the pitch, Celtic have been in strong form and their success in winning all three of their league games in November has led to Rodgers being named as Glen’s Premiership Manager of the Month.

“It’s a real collective effort by everyone”, he said.

“The team has performed fantastically well, and the staff have been really supportive.”

The manager pointed to Wednesday night’s important away win at Aberdeen as another example of the team finding a way to get the result they need. He hopes it will stand them in good stead ahead of a week when they face Hibs in the league, Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League, and then Rangers in the Premier Sports Cup final.

“I think what’s been so pleasing over the course of the season has been the variety of ways in which we can win,” Rodgers said. “That’s always important.

“Our ethos here, and our style, is always to pay fast, aggressive, attacking football and always with tactical discipline.

“So that’s our idea and you’ll have seen numbers of games this season with that identity of the team.

“But you also have to understand that other teams are going to make it difficult for you, like Aberdeen who have done really well this season.

“They were compact and tight and break the game up so you don’t have your flow. You then have to persist in your work, trust the possession and the speed of your game, in horrendous weather conditions.

“Then you look for those moments and that’s what we did.

“So over the course of the season that’s been the real pleasing aspect of our victories. None better to demonstrate it than the game the other night.