Brendan Rodgers wary of familiar faces as Celtic prepare to face Falkirk

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is wary of the threat posed by more than one familiar face when Falkirk visit Parkhead on Sunday.

When the quarter-final draw was made, Rodgers spoke of his admiration for “great man” John McGlynn, who worked in the Celtic backroom staff during the Northern Irishman’s first spell in Glasgow.

He has now praised Bairns midfielder Calvin Miller, who played five games under Rodgers at Celtic.

Former Hearts manager McGlynn was appointed first-team scout at Parkhead in January 2015 and Rodgers pulled him closer into his backroom staff when he first joined Celtic in 2016.

Rodgers said: “We’ve exchanged messages and stuff. And I’m really looking forward to seeing him, because I haven’t seen him since I left here the first time. But we’ve always been in contact and spoke a lot on the phone on various things.

“I’m really proud of him and what he’s done in his career, since he’s got that opportunity again. What he did at Raith, what he’s now doing at Falkirk. He’s done absolutely brilliant.

“When I came into here, we brought in a structure and a way of working and a mentality that he was a part of.

“John always went the extra mile for me. He knew there was a big demand for the job he had here and what I wanted. And he was a real team player.”

After taking Falkirk to the League 1 title, McGlynn now has them top of the Championship after continuing an unbeaten league run to 43 games.

Rodgers is surprised the 62-year-old might not have had the chance to move back to a higher level.

“Sometimes what can happen is that experience kind of gets overlooked because there’s maybe a trend for a younger manager to come in with fresh ideas and new ideas,” he said.

“But I still think you can be really experienced and have a young mind. And that young mind with experience can really take clubs forward.

“But he may well have done. I’m not sure whether he’s declared that or not, but he may well have done and just been happy where he is.

“But there’s absolutely no doubt that what he’s produced in the two jobs since he left here has been absolutely brilliant. The style of football, the game he looks to play, it’s very, very impressive.

“So that opportunity will, if it hasn’t, then I’m pretty sure that that would come for him.

“Look at (Atalanta manager Gian Piero) Gasperini, 66 years of age, still a young mind, fresh and really driving on the vision of his club there.

“As long as you have that young mind, but fresh and experienced, then that can really help any club. And John is one of those guys that get a wonderful enthusiasm for the game, a really authentic guy who can take teams forward.

“And without any disrespect to Raith and to Falkirk, then he can certainly do that at a higher level.”

Miller, now 26, had a spell in England with the likes of Harrogate and Notts County before returning to Scotland with Morton and then moving to Falkirk.

“Calvin was a brilliant young player for me here,” Rodgers said. “He didn’t quite kick on. He was keen to get out and play. But I really liked his game.

“He was quick, he was direct, left-sided. He’s playing more off the right now and cutting inside. But when he was here, I really liked his qualities.

“They’ve got dangerous players on either side up front.”