‘I certainly wouldn’t want my players to do it.’ Celtic boss Rodgers shows his class with his response to Cerny’s antics

Yesterday, like his opposite number Brendan Rodgers at Celtic, Barry Ferguson had the opportunity to show that he had a bit of class as a manager.

He chose not to take that opportunity.

For a club that supposedly prides itself on dignity, they certainly don’t show any class.

Funnily enough, since the current incarnation crawled out of the grave of the dearly departed old club, we have been subject to almost 13 years of classless behaviour from Ibrox.

Barry Ferguson could have been the person to change that.

He couldn’t be bothered.

They all find that Vaclav Cerny’s behaviour is a source of great amusement over there.

Ally McCoist reckoned he should have been knighted for it.

Scott Arfield arrived into a concert in Barrowlands last night with a Super soaker to pay homage to the Czech wingers antics.

Their behaviour is a perfect example of the insular world their club lives in.

When Brendan Rodgers was asked about it in today’s pre-match conference, he gave the answer you’d expect not just of a Celtic manager, but every other professional football manager out there.

Not only did Rodgers show his class, he answered the question exactly as you’d expect it to be answered.

Here is what he had to say:

I understand the jubilation and R*****s players have every right to celebrate with their supporters, you come to Celtic Park, like it would be when we go to Ibrox, you win a game of that magnitude, you celebrate. But not in that way.

It’s respect, isn’t it? I think it’s a lack of respect if somehow a player runs up a touchline and he’s squirting a water bottle in a supporter’s face. I certainly wouldn’t want my players to do it.

Listen, it works both ways, a lot comes into players as well, from the stands, to coaches, managers and players. But I think we all know there’s a line that we shouldn’t cross. It is a very emotive game, an amazing fixture, and I thought it was great to have the [away] fans back in, I think that gave it that extra bit as well.

But I just think there’s lines we can’t antagonise because in this fixture in particular, that can lead to an issue.

There are two key take-outs from what Rodgers said in that statement.

“I certainly wouldn’t want my players to do it.”

And, “but I think we all know there’s a line that we shouldn’t cross.”

Compare and contrast that to Barry Ferguson’s response yesterday.

Apparently, in his view, it’s fine to cross these lines.

He believes that his players should not respect these particular lines.

If he didn’t, then he would have given the requisite for response a situation like this.

Instead he believes that his player just got a “wee bit over-excited”, and he has no issues with that.

He said he wants his players to celebrate.

In case he hadn’t noticed, that’s not celebrating.

That’s just pissing people off.

But he’s fine with that.

That’s why Brendan Rodgers will be a football manager long after Ferguson fails at Ibrox.

Because, mark my words, he will.

He’ll either fail to secure the post on a permanent basis.

Or he’ll fail to retain it for longer than eight months if he does.

That’s because Rodgers, who has class and believes in showing respect, will own him.

Just wait and see.