Brendan Rodgers pleased to see Graeme Murty in Rangers dugout

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers was glad to see the uncertainty around Graeme Murty's future at Rangers ended.

Rodgers Murty
Published 29th Dec 2017

After Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes rejected advances from the Ibrox board earlier in the month, the Gers under-20s coach, in his second spell as caretaker following the departure of Pedro Caixinha in October, was given the job at least until the end of the season.

Ahead of the final Old Firm game of the year at Celtic Park on Saturday, Rodgers noted the Light Blues' change in style under the former Reading and Scotland defender.

However, the Northern Irishman was also pleased that Murty's future had been sorted

Rodgers said: "They look a bit more direct. Not so much build-up from behind.

"When Mark (Warburton) was there and Pedro (Caixinha) they tried to build their game from behind and work their way through the thirds.

"Now it goes forward that but quicker and they look to play from there.

"Graeme has changed his shape a few times in terms of playing a diamond and playing 4-4-1-1 but is pretty much the same players I don't think there will be too many surprise for us.

"I'm just glad for Graeme that he gets the job or certainly at least until the end of the season.

"It is never easy that and it is never easy for players.

"There is always that bit of, 'is he going to manage is he not, is it going to be someone else?'

"So at least there is some sort of clarity for him after a long period of time, that he has the responsibility.

"Of course he has the opportunity to get the job in his own right and for that you need to win games and you need to win consistently."

Rodgers looked forward to the winter break which follows Saturday's lunchtime encounter and pointed out Celtic's intense fixture list since the summer.

The former Swansea City and Liverpool boss said: "We actually play our 38th game which, up here and down south, is a season and we are doing it within half a season.

"This will be my 97th game as Celtic manager. I had 96 games as the manager of Swansea and I was there a couple of seasons.

"I have been here a lot less than that so it just shows you the number of games we have been playing.

"But it all points to having great success and that's what we want."

Ladbrokes Premiership leaders Celtic are 11 points clear of third-placed Rangers with their title under no serious threat from the Ibrox side at the moment.

However, keeper Craig Gordon insists the magnitude of the fixture has not diminished.

He said: "You can try and say it is like any other game, it is three points but nobody is going to believe that.

"For the players it is not. I would be lying if I told you any different.

"It Is a big game and we are right up for it.