Brendan Rodgers: Technically and tactically my Celtic players are good enough - they just need the nerve now

As Kingsley Coman, Arjen Robben, Thiago, Thomas Muller and Robert Lewandowski ran amok and romped to a comfortable 3-0 win, many of their supporters were left wishing they had taken a less ambitious approach.

Read more: Brendan Rodgers unprepared to compromise in Europe despite Celtic's Munich mauling​

Celtic have certainly claimed some notable scalps in the Champions League over the years with the likes of Juventus, AC Milan, Manchester United and most famously of all Barcelona all being defeated at Parkhead.

On every one of those occasions, though, the Glasgow club sat deep, managed to withstand relentless pressure and scored on the counter attack. The results are remembered fondly and celebrated to this day. But they were hardly easy on the eye.

Wouldn't that have been a more sensible game plan for Rodgers in Bavaria, where goalkeeper Craig Gordon was subjected to a bludgeoning, in midweek?

The gulf between the top clubs in the big five leagues in England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain and those in smaller footballing nations like Scotland is larger than ever and getting wider all the time.

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So, the possibility of a side getting a result against them by doing anything other than putting all of his players behind the ball appear slight.

However, the Northern Irishman remains convinced that Celtic can, despite not having the untold millions to lavish on the world’s best players that Bayern and other behemoths of the continental game do, compete in the Champions League using exactly the same tactics which have served them well domestically.

He feels his side, which contained young Scottish players such as Stuart Armstrong, James Forrest, Leigh Griffiths and Kieran Tierney, will benefit enormously from the experience and be better placed to cope with such occasions in seasons to come.

“We’re doing remarkably well with our run and record domestically,” said Rodgers. “But I came here to create a level of football which was for this [Champions League] level and not just domestic football.

“That is just about time, confidence and giving them the confidence while being exposed to the top level as often as possible. We cannot compete at all with Bayern Munich financially, but you have to find a way.

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“It’s incredibly difficult, of course, but we can’t stop trying. The figures and the gap is huge, but you don’t give up hope and try to find ways to get results.

“You have to be realistic. The game now, the modern game, is moving away beyond because of finances. For us, we want to be competitive and to do that we have to find a way, a different way. That’s through an ideal of playing as a collective. It’s about breeding that and growing that.

“Listen, there is no shame in going to the Allianz and losing 3-0. We had some chances and when you look at the goals we conceded they were disappointing. I don’t feel any shame in it at all.

“Bayern Munich are a world-class outfit. They are a superpower club and at times I thought we actually played and showed confidence. But it takes more time to have that total faith.”

Read more: Brendan Rodgers unprepared to compromise in Europe despite Celtic's Munich mauling​

Rodgers retains, despite his team conceding eight goals and scoring none in their meetings with Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern in the Champions League this season, faith in his personnel and stated they simply need the belief in themselves to perform at such a high level.

He would like his players to model themselves on Scott Brown, who battled away valiantly in the centre of the park in the Group B game in midweek with little support from those around him, and is hopeful the likes of Kieran Tierney, another who acquitted himself well, is well on the way to doing so.

He added: “Technically they’ve shown they’re good enough to do it and tactically they also got in good positions. But then you have to have the nerve. You need the nerve to play.

“That’s what the top guys have and it’s what we’re trying to impose and force onto the team because to play at this level you need that. We didn’t once, from being in position in the first half, play from the goalkeeper to a centre half. Not once, not once.

“It is different. But that’s the pressure at this level. That’s why the top players, as well as having the physical attributes, they have that mental courage to play as well.

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“You can’t just click your fingers and get that. That takes time, unfortunately. But this is an incredibly honest group of players and they gave everything. We have things to look at.

“But that takes time. But you saw in the second half we did it better. Okay, we made some mistakes, but we looked to get it out and come through the pitch, We worked through the midfield and created opportunities. We always feel we can be a threat in attack, but that’s the key.”

He continued: “If you look at Scott he’s got that personality. We didn’t help the midfield players and we didn’t help the front players in the first half. They couldn’t get the ball often enough because we didn’t build the play with that nerve.”

“When you have the opportunity to play at the top level as often as you can, it can do nothing but help you. I thought Kieran did really well in Munich. He was against Arjen (Robben) and you saw his qualities at 33 years of age.

“He’s a world-class operator, but Kieran stuck to his task really well, so you are only going to get better.”

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