The footage of Brendan Rodgers having a go at Celtic kit man Stevie Wright last week at Hampden was an unexpected talking point coming out of the win over Aberdeen.
The Bhoys boss could be seen barking at Wright as he spoke to his team before the dramatic penalty shoot-out with the Dons that ensured progression to the Scottish Cup Final.
Pundits such as Charlie Mulgrew reckoned it was a brilliant show of focus in such an important moment and supporters were discussing the incident for days afterwards.
Now Rodgers has addressed the situation with a light-hearted reference in today’s media conference. Clearly on top form, the Celtic manager joked that while Wright was a great guy, he needs to know his place.
You can hear a clip of the moment via Clyde 1 Superscoreboard or embedded below in this article.
Brendan Rodgers has this Celtic squad locked in
The manager is emphasising the funny side of it all but there is a serious point here. Rodgers’ focus is superb right now and – as a boss who knows how to cross the winning line – his authority over the squad is key.
It may have just been a fleeting moment but Rodgers was demonstrating that he is the figure to look to in these moments and that clarity of command will be important over the coming weeks.
Celtic have six matches to make themselves double heroes and – after everything that’s been said since his return – that would be very sweet for the manager.
He isn’t going to let anything distract his players, even if it’s a friendly face he works with all the time.
Celtic’s quest for silverware rumbles on this weekend away to Dundee at Dens Park and Rodgers will again ensure his players are locked in on the result needed.