Brendan Rodgers says Liel Abada is like his SON as Celtic boss takes family man perspective on winger's struggles
The Hoops manager is determined to support the Israel winger through a tough period off the pitch
There is no chapter in the football coaching manual on how to deal with a player who in a foreign country struggling to deal with horrific conflict in his homeland.
But this is a situation that calls for the human touch rather than advice from a text book. Brendan Rodgers is in uncharted territory with Liel Abada – but the Celtic boss sees the young Israeli star as more than just an asset worth his weight in gold in goals and assists.
He looks at the 22-year-old more like a son. And that’s why helping Abada plot a path through this incredibly difficult period is not just about getting his back to business on the pitch. Rodgers doesn’t know when the winger will be back. He can’t say if he’ll ever be back playing for Celtic. But the manager won’t ever stop trying to help. Rodgers said: “The overriding thing is that I care for people. I can care FOR them because I care ABOUT them. That’s from my upbringing. Whatever you connect it to, I genuinely care for people. In a situation like this you can’t just brush it below the carpet.
“I look at him at 22 years old. I’ve got sons older than him. So I see him as a son, not just an employee of the club or a player in the team. If I had a son in that situation what would I want someone to do for him in a foreign country and when he has challenges? But it’s not just me. He has great support from everyone here. It’s just a shame it’s got to this stage but let’s see if we can turn it around.”
Abada is finding it tough to cope with what is going on back in Israel and Gaza and Rodgers won’t listen to the armchair expects who have been critical of the kid for not brushing off the troubles back home and doing the job he’s paid to do.
Abada gets warm support from the Celtic fans, but the Palestine flags in the stands has given the younger problems back home. It’s not just about banners or songs though.
Rodgers said: “In any line of work, whatever it is we do, the mind is key. Obviously you want to stay fit and healthy, of course, but your attitude and your mind is key.
“In this world and at this elite sporting level, the mind is everything. Now if that’s not quite right, for whatever reason, then the game becomes a challenge. And life can become a challenge. This is a young guy, and this is the sadness of this. It’s not his fault, it’s not our fault, but it’s something that he’s right in the middle of and he has to live with it.
“People will talk about banners and what is going on, and I’m one hundred percent sure there will be some people who won’t know where Israel or Palestine is on the map but will be telling him what to do with his life. They won’t have a clue.
“So, this is a young kid who has to live it every morning when he wakes up, during the day and in the evening, and the mind games are there for him. It’s my job to help him and support him with that, especially as his family isn’t here. He’s had great love from the Celtic support, but it’s more than that.”
Rodgers grew up in an era when players – or people in general – tended to suffer in silence. He said: “You’d probably be told to pull yourself together and get on with it, but the world has changed, and the generations change.
“That is something that as a coach and manager you have to be aware of, that really autocratic ‘get on with it’ way doesn’t necessarily work anymore. When we were growing up it would have been totally different. You were told what to do, so you did it.
“You went to school, you were told what to do and if you didn’t, you got the strap. You got home, you got told what to do, or you’d be kicked out the door! Times have changed. You have to have empathy as a manager or as a coach in any field.”
The delicate Abada situation is another issue for Rodgers to deal with in a season of complications. Yet for all the geopolitics, the supporter rows, the spilled points and frustrating windows, Celtic are still top of the league. Rivals Rangers were a goal away from changing that in midweek and there could be a shift this weekend, with the Hoops at home to Killie and Gers in Perth on Sunday.
Rodgers knows how Glasgow works – but that doesn’t men he will jump on board with the narrative. He said: “That’s not my world! It doesn’t matter whose world that is. I look it logically. I enjoy life and I love my life. I know when you have dreams – and it’s a dream for me to manage Celtic – it’s not always easy.
“Sometimes it’s hard. But it’s all worthwhile in the end. I love my work and love being with the players but not knowing that it’s not always easy. But you deal with it.
“My messaging to them is important. I’ve got experience and I’ve not just worked only in this league. If you were Man City or Liverpool and were top of the league having won eight out of nine games then you would be doing very well.
“But this is a unique country where you’re in crisis. But it’s not a crisis in my mind. We’ll always strive to be better as that’s the expectation of the club. As long as it’s realistic then that’s okay. The narrative is clear in what it’s trying to promote. But for me my promotion is always this club and this team to be the best that we can.”