Brendan Rodgers delivers surprise Celtic blast from the past as he catches pundits off guard with Anton Rogan flashback - Daily Record

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Brendan Rodgers delivers surprise Celtic blast from the past as he catches pundits off guard with Anton Rogan flashback

Rodgers only had one thing on his mind as Adam Idah stepped up to take the opening spot-kick.

Brendan Rodgers on Sportscene

Relieved Brendan Rodgers delivered a surprise blast from the past after watching his side edge through to the Scottish Cup final.

Celtic made it through to the Hampden showpiece by the skin of their teeth after a semi-final for the ages at the national stadium. They played out a thrilling 3-3 draw with Aberdeen that went all the way to penalties, during which Joe Hart went from villain to hero by saving Killian Phillips' spot-kick to clinch it moments after missing his own.

The breathless Celtic boss appeared alongside BBC Sport pundits Charlie Mulgrew and Leanne Crighton at the end of the Sportscene coverage of the game. And when asked what was going through his mind as he watched Adam Idah step up to take the opening spot-kick, he admits he flashed back to Anton Rogan - a Hoops defender from the late 1980s and early 1990s who infamously missed a penalty against the Dons.

With a relieved grin, he said said: "I had a flash of Anton Rogan in my mind. He was a player for Celtic and he missed a penalty against Aberdeen many years ago. And I'm thinking 'don't be the next Irishman in that position, please!' I'm really proud of the team, the supporters were brilliant, and it brings us to another final."

Shotstopper Hart went from villain to hero with his miss and then save to clinch it but he showed gumption stepping up to take the crucial fifth spot-kick. And according to Rodgers, he'd do the same again. He said: "Joe says he still wants another penalty! We worked on it the last couple of days. Before the cup games, we go into it knowing who's taking the penalties. It was a great save and he's the hero in the end.