BRENDAN RODGERS insisted he is only interested in the prestige of Celtic becoming a Champions League side once again and not the money ahead of the richest game in the club’s history.
The Scottish champions take a 5-2 lead into the away second leg of their play-off with Hapoel Be’er Sheva in Israel, a match the Celtic manager admitted was his side’s to lose given their three goal advantage.
Make no mistake, this is a huge night for Celtic. The immediate future of the club will be shaped by whether the team can get over the line and into the ludicrously lucrative group stages.
Read more: Controversial referee in charge for Celtic Champions League crunch play-off
When the last Euro is counted at the end of the European campaign, if everything goes to plan, then in terms of ticket pricing, sponsorship packages and the millions UEFA guarantee every Champions League team, and that’s before any point is won which also earns the club money, it could well be the case that £30million would be heading to the Parkhead purse.
Celtic are helped by the fact they will make more money than previously from the television rights, they are now part of the British deal rather than a Scottish one, with some estimating revenues of £11m from this area alone.
That puts Celtic in a different stratosphere from the other clubs in the Ladbrokes Scottish Premiership and would make them almost unbeatable over a full season for years to come.
“There are big rewards,” admitted Rodgers. “The differences in this game between winning and losing are very marginal. The consequences are massive but you can’t afford to think of the consequences or you wouldn’t do it.
“I remember going into one of my earliest games, the play-off final which was deemed the £100m game between Swansea and Reading. That is a life-changing game. As a coach, if you get through, you get to the Premier League, your career takes off, the players become in a much better position financially, so these types of games are important.
“But for this game is about prestige. The money is irrelevant. Of course, the bonus for the club, the bonus for all clubs, is the financial package you can get in the Champions League and everything which comes with it.
“However, for me and the players it is about operating at the highest level you can. We fought so hard all pre-season, we now have that one final step to take and I believe we are ready to take it.
“There are various times in your life and career as a football coach and a manager that games come upon you that mean so much. I think everyone recognises that because of the hardship of the last few years, it’s been three years since the club’s been in the Champions League and for everyone it means a lot.
“But what you have to do is that if you think too much on the emotive side you would drive yourself mad. You just have to focus on the process of winning and getting through. That’s all I’ve ever done. When we lost the first game of qualification I said just said ‘stay calm’, it’s about staying calm and getting through, and it’s the same thing now.”
Rodgers is not a manager who would send his team out to draw. Therefore the team on Tuesday night will be set-up to get a goal which would kill the tie and send Celtic on their way.
Patrick Roberts is in the squad while Mikael Lustig, who missed the win at St Johnstone at the weekend, returns at right-back.
“It's one where you can over-think it,” said the Celtic manager. “I always think and always have done, when you are under pressure or think there is pressure, get on the front foot, go and embrace it and accept the challenge.
“There is no need to have fear. We have shown we are getting better and better. We have a lot of work to do, as we have said to make those improvements. But I think it was pretty clear early on here the mentality.
“'They are embracing the pressure. They understand it comes and they are coping with it very, very well. This will be a good gauge of how far we have come. If you look for issues or whatever, they will always be there but I’ve progress quickly in my coaching life by always being positive. If that can rub off on people and players, so be it.”
Rodgers signs of his programme notes with the line “without fear” and it something he wants to go right through the club.
“There is nothing to fear,” he insisted. “If you look for problems, they are just around the corner. There are plenty of them but if you are positive and approach life in that way, then normally you will feel much happier in yourself. I always think happy people win.”
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