Celtic are Scottish Premiership champions after navigating challenges to enjoy a successful campaign under Brendan Rodgers.
Returning to Parkhead last summer, the Irishman has had to deal with injuries to key players, two patchy transfer windows, and external pressure; however, he never folded despite a prolonged fight with Rangers, coming out on top in the end.
Winning the league by an eight-point margin, Rodgers now has the chance to claim a domestic double if his side can see off Rangers this weekend in the Scottish Cup final.
His appointment for the second time wasn’t a universally popular one among the support; nevertheless, Celtic appear set for an exciting summer in light of achieving automatic qualification for the new Champions League format, which will provide financial ammunition to invest in the transfer window.
Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton has had his say on Rodgers’ impact, and he has lauded the 51-year-old for ensuring his side managed to get over the line.
Chris Sutton on ‘courageous’ Brendan Rodgers at Celtic
Rodgers left for Leicester City in 2019, sparking furore over the timing of his exit when Celtic were locked in a battle to secure the Scottish Premiership title.
With this in mind, Sutton has acknowledged the ‘courageous’ decision the manager took to return to Parkhead, given the risk factors attached if his second spell in Glasgow wasn’t to have gone as planned.
Speaking to Sky Sports, he stated: “I don’t think it’s his best title win. The invincible season was incredible.
“I admire him. At the start of the season, there were a fair few Celtic fans sceptical about his return and I understand that because of the way that he left. He was really brave to come back and courageous to do that because it could have gone wrong this season.
“The important thing was coming back and winning the league and he’s done that. During the season Celtic have had injury issues, never really replaced Jota, but in the end it’s about finishing first. It’s pretty much job done on Brendan’s return.”
Brendan Rodgers has earned the trust of the Celtic support
Over the course of the season, Celtic fans were awaiting a moment for it all to click following periods of inconsistency during his early tenure.
Some may pinpoint victories at Hibernian or Motherwell away as turning points. Either way, the Bhoys have lost just one of their last 24 domestic matches, indicating a collective shift in performances and results from late February onwards.
Ultimately, finishing on 93 points in the Scottish Premiership has been enough to most supporters’ trust, who will be excited to see some new arrivals bolster the ranks ahead of another chance to fight on all fronts in 2024/25.
