Brendan Rodgers makes Celtic 'ready' vow for £40m tie, issues transfers status and Kieran Tierney update

The defending champions struggled to find a way past an obdurate St Mirren team and their inspired goalkeeper Shamal George until Luke McCowan found the net with a deflected strike to seal at 1-0 win.

While Celtic were strong in defence and dominated possession, they did not show enough cutting edge in the final third, with wingers Daizen Maeda and Yang Hjun-jun struggling to make an impact, while striker Adam Idah missed a glorious chance when he struck the post from well inside the penalty box.

Celtic’s lack of summer transfer business has been put under the microscope in the build-up to this season, with many believing that Kyogo Furuhashi and Nicolas Kuhn - two key components of the team during the last campaign - have not been adequately replaced.

Rodgers and the wider Celtic hierarchy have until September 1 to sign new players but with a two-legged play-off standing in Celtic’s way of a £40 million Champions League bounty, concerns remain within the club’s fanbase of how equipped their team will be for such a key tie. Celtic are seeded in the Monday lunchtime draw and could play Sturm Graz, Basel, Dynamo Kyiv, the winner of Slovan Bratislava v Kairat Almaty or the winner of Qarabag v Shkendija.

The manager, however, is adamant his team will be equipped for the challenge. “We'll be ready for the games,” Rodgers said. “Whenever they come, we'll be ready. The players are working very hard. They are always tense games. But we're in a good place and we'll take that game on when it comes.

Celtic ‘will accept whatever challenge comes’

“I'm feeling really good. We've had a great, really, really good pre-season. The players are shaping up very well and are working very hard. There's real spirit and solidarity here in the team. So we look forward to that.

“We know whoever we get, it's going to be tough, but it will also be tough for them. And we will accept whatever challenge comes.”

Rodgers is set to have another defender to call upon, with Manchester City’s Jahmai Simpson-Pusey in attendance at Celtic Park to watch the St Mirren game. “We're still waiting for clearance on that one,” updated Rodgers. “But he's up here. And I think obviously once it's definite, then it'll be announced. But yes, he's up here ready for the move.”

Rodgers refused to state what his priorities are for the rest of the window. it's just [about] improving,” he said. “There's areas that we want to improve in the forward line. That's something that we hope we can do over these remaining weeks.”

On the game itself, which required a deflected effort from substitute McCowan to break the deadlock, Rodgers commented: “To win in the first game of the season is always good and it rounds off a lot of the good work that we’ve done over pre-season. I'm absolutely pleased with the performance.

“Everyone knows St Mirren and Stephen's coaching qualities, they’re such a hard team to break down. You have to be aware of the threat on the counter-attack, the physicality at set-pieces. All of that we dealt so well with and the keeper’s made some brilliant saves, which then keeps the game in the balance.

“At times we moved the ball really well. At other times we could have attacked a wee bit more when we got into certain positions and been a bit more aggressive in the one-v-one moments. But overall, to play against that team, against that system, that's how you've got to work it and then you need better quality to finish it.”

Kieran Tierney impressed on his second debut for Celtic, although there was some concern when the left-back came off limping on 65 minutes. “He's got a great reception and you see the qualities that he has,” added Rodgers. “He had a wee bit of cramp at the end. He hasn't played a lot of football and that's part of managing him through this period. now that he's back. Build him and his fitness. But yes, just his qualities, his crossing ability and his one-v-one ability. I'm really pleased for him.”