Rodgers bemoans TV schedule leaving Celtic with lack of European preparation time
Andrew Wire Manager Rodgers Frustrated: Milligan/pa Brendan Picture: Celtic
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has expressed his frustration at seeing Champions League opponents Borussia Dortmund bring their domestic game forward while his team have to play on Saturday evening.
Dortmund will play in the Bundesliga on Friday night while Celtic prepare to face St Johnstone in Perth in a 5.45pm kick-off on Saturday in a game moved back to accommodate live TV coverage by Premier Sports.
The Scottish champions travel to Germany on Monday before facing Dortmund the following day.
The former Liverpool and Leicester manager believes football clubs in Scotland and England could get more help to prepare for European games.
"I think for all British teams it's a frustration," he said. "Borussia Dortmund will play Bochum on Friday, they moved the game a day earlier so it gives them three or four days to prepare for our game.
"We will probably not be home until after midnight from the game on Saturday and then it's a very, very quick turnaround, travel and then you're playing the game.
"For most British teams, the TV slots and everything seem to take priority over the actual game and preparation.
"But we're not the only team that's happened to, I have seen it for a number of years now. The European guys, they will have their slots and they'll find agreements to help their teams prepare the best they can."
Motherwell and Dundee United played in the Premier Sports Cup last Friday night in a game that was streamed by the broadcaster and Fir Park saw its highest turnout of home fans for a domestic game for more than a decade.
"If there's a Friday night slot then that would work well," Rodgers said. "A Friday night game can be a really good game to open up the weekend but of course it's with telly and everything else.
"It's beyond the clubs, it has to be something in place with the federations and then of course linking in with the TV.
"I think in fairness in Germany there's more Friday night slots for their TV games, which means that they can then probably request that, which then gives them the extra recovery.
"So maybe in the future, but it's been ongoing for years, I've got to say. Having been in the Premier League and seen it there across many years, that at times takes priority over the the wellbeing and the preparation for footballers."