Liel Abada's Celtic return could be the difference-maker

Try telling that to Celtic winger Liel Abada.

Abada has recently returned to the first team fold after a thigh injury ruled him out for nearly four months. Yet dealing with injury off the field has been the least of the 22-year-old's worries as war raged in his homeland affecting friends and family. Abada was even advised to quit Celtic by some of his compatriots after the Green Brigade ultras showed support for Palestine with a banner display in the aftermath of the events of October 7.

Something was soothing and comforting at the weekend when Brendan Rodgers opted to talk about Abada in glowing terms. The Northern Irishman chose his words carefully but they would certainly have put a smile on the Israeli's face as well as the Celtic faithful.

Rodgers said: “Liel’s in a very good place now. It was a challenging time for him when he was out, with everything happening in his country. It’s been about getting him minutes on the pitch. But he’s another player who will be big for us.

“It’s a situation as a manager where, if you care, you need to communicate with the player, try to understand and have empathy with the situation. He’s a very young guy so he needs help and support. I’m there for him. You’ll never be the players’ best friend but there are times you have to show that side which gives them comfort and confidence. He’s settled and happy here.”

READ MORE: Celtic's Rodgers has fans singing from the same hymn sheet

You would expect nothing less from Rodgers, as he's a master at exercises of public relations and diplomacy. Despite the escalating tensions and ongoing war in the Middle East and Green Brigade’s political stance and support for Palestine and the mood music suggesting that Abada should leave Celtic, it was Rodgers who put a stop to it all.

It was Rodgers who put his arm around the player and revealed that he had taken his player out for a meal during the international break in October to see where his head was at.

Rodgers revealed: “I picked up Liel and took him up to Loch Lomond to have a bit of food and take him out of the city, and just get to understand what he was thinking and the traumas he’s gone through and everything.

“I don’t pretend to care about my players - I do care. I genuinely care about them, and I can always draw a line where that is, but I can’t say I don’t care because I do care about how they are. I always eventually think that helps them play to a better level."

The Celtic manager skilfully negotiated the terrain and whilst he revealed the winger was having a tough time he reiterated that Abada would be ready to pull on a Celtic jersey again in December.

He said: "It’s a very divisive subject and I’m a football manager, I’m not a politician.

“My message is only we’re here to play football and to bring happiness to supporters, bring joy to supporters and that is what I always feel the arena of football is for, it’s for sport and football.

"There’s no message. People are entitled to whatever opinions they want. For me, my concentration is with the team.”

It's these kinds of deeds and actions that mark Rodgers out as an elite-level manager. Rodgers knows in Abada that he and Celtic possess a potential elite-level player at their disposal as long he can continue to keep him happy and the Israeli is contributing to the cause.

Abada has certainly contributed to the cause since his arrival as a raw 19-year-old for £3.4 million from Maccabi Petah Tikvah early in Ange Postecoglou's reign. To date, Abada has won five trophies and been part of a treble-winning team. He has scored 29 goals and assisted 21 times in 108 matches for Celtic in all competitions.

His first season yielded 15 goals and 13 assists and his 28 goal contributions were joint highest in the squad alongside Jota. He scored 13 goals and contributed nine assists in his follow-up season and he has one goal and one assist to his name in the current campaign. Three of his 29 goals have also come against Rangers and he has also netted in the Champions League qualifiers, the Europa League and the Scottish Cup final.

Just ask Rangers defender Borna Barisic his thoughts on Abada as he probably still has twisted blood and endures sleepiness nights at the torrid time he suffered at the hands of the Israeli international in derby matches. Abada has shown that on his day he can be relied upon to be a big game player.

In May 2022, Abada became the first ever non-European (and the first Israeli) footballer to win the PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year award. In January 2023, Abada was featured in the official 40-man list composed by UEFA.com – which named the best young players in the continent that: "have the potential to take European football by storm in 2023."

Rodgers knows a good thing when he sees it. Abada is a good thing. Abada's return will aid Celtic no end in their quest for a third successive Scottish Premiership title. When Abada signed a new four-year deal in September tying him to the club until 2027, he said: "I’m really happy to sign the new contract.

"Celtic is a big club with big fans and I love the club. Every time I score for this club is really amazing. To score in Celtic Park is always special and the atmosphere is amazing."

It largely explains why there was an almighty roar when Abada took to the field for the last seven minutes of the 2-1 Glasgow derby success over Rangers at Parkhead on December 30, how the Celtic fans have missed him. How Rodgers knows that if he can get Abada to perform to the levels that he attained under Postecoglou then Celtic will have another potent weapon in their armoury to mount an assault on the coveted title at the business end of the season. Speaking of business whatever a particular individual's politics are is nobody's business. Not when it comes to sporting prowess. Rather cleverly Rodgers has manoeuvred and shifted the conversation surrounding Abada away from politics and back onto football.

READ MORE: Rodgers feels 'every true Celtic supporter' will get behind Abada

As Rodgers opined: “My job is to reassure him that everyone here at Celtic within the Celtic family will always support him. As a player at Celtic, that’s what they do. Supporters support their own and their players."

Abada felt the Celtic supporters love against Rangers during his seven-minute cameo at Parkhead on December 30. He will feel it a lot more if he can recapture his consistency levels from seasons 2021/22 and 2022/23. The ball is firmly in Abadas's court now or should that be the ball is well and truly at his feet. The return of Abada could be the catalyst that helps spur Celtic on to a third successive Scottish Premiership title triumph.

If you know your history then Abada will also be well aware that Willie Maley once famously said: "It’s not the creed nor his nationality that counts. It’s the man himself." At Celtic Park, the man himself (Abada) will always be judged by his football alone. If Abada can produce another meaningful contribution in terms of goals and assists over the next five months of the campaign and help Rodgers's side capture three in a row then they can all celebrate like a family come May.

One big happy Celtic family... without the politics of course!