WATCH: "It's a great story" - Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers says Buckie Thistle deserve their big Scottish Cup day
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Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers loved watching the video of Buckie Thistle players celebrating when they drew the Scottish Cup holders in the fourth round draw.
Speaking at a press conference at their Lennoxtown training base ahead of Sunday's match between the sides, Rodgers said he is preparing for the tie like he would for any other opposition.
Watch full interview on Celtic FC YouTube channel below.
“I’m so looking forward to the game.
"When we saw the draw and we saw the reaction of the guys at Buckie Thistle, it’s great for the players and obviously for Graeme that he can be stood on the side of the pitch rather than in the stands, which is great. It’s what the cup is all about.
'It’s a great story. They’ve got to come down a long way. They deserve to be there and we’ve prepared like we would for any game.'
“We’ve looked at some of their games and seen how they got through and, for us, we’ve got to do a professional job at home.
"But hopefully it will be a great occasion for them and their supporters to come to Celtic Park.
“This is a game that we’re expected to win but you have to perform on the field, but I also recognise the joy and the journey that Buckie Thistle have had to get to Celtic Park. It’s an incredible story, but hopefully, as I said, they can come and have a good experience but clearly not to good.
Rodgers also revealed that new signing Nicolas Kuhn and centre back Cameron Carter-Vickers won't play against Buckie.
Carter-Vickers' injury could pave the way for Stephen Welsh to take his place where he would be marking his cousin, Buckie striker Josh Peters.
“We’ll take the chance to be strong because we need to get players back into the rhythm again and I will also take the chance to have some young players involved as well.
“But it will be a strong team because we need to find a rhythm quickly now that we’ve worked so hard at Lennoxtown.
“The players have been brilliant and you can just see the confidence and the speed of everything, back to where I want it to be, which is great. Now we’ve got take that into the game and get up to speed quickly.”
