Celtic capped off another successful season last weekend by securing a late victory over Rangers to win the Scottish Cup.
Adam Idah’s last-minute strike sparked scenes of jubilation at Hampden, earning the Bhoys a domestic double triumph that didn’t always seem so certain at points of the campaign.
Brendan Rodgers has faced many challenges since returning to Parkhead last year, with injury struggles, lapses in form, and scepticism surrounding his recruitment laying down the gauntlet to the Irishman.
However, as all great clubs do, Celtic found a way to prevail, disregarding any excuses to deliver when it mattered.
Granted, last weekend’s encounter against Rangers may not have been the spectacle many envisaged; nevertheless, the Hoops got over the line, completing an unbeaten sweep against their rivals across 2023/24.
Possessing a never-say-die attitude within the camp proved vital to achieving a league and cup double, and Cameron Carter-Vickers has now shed light on how Rodgers ensured this came to fruition.
Cameron Carter-Vickers on Brendan Rodgers’ unwavering belief
Despite precarious moments within the campaign, Celtic boss Rodgers always cut a determined figure at Parkhead, refusing to lose optimism over his side’s chances of success.
Explaining his calm approach to matters, Carter-Vickers has opened up on how the manager continued to instil belief in the group, which helped the Bhoys to see off Rangers last weekend.
He stated [Cited via BBC Sport]: “There’s always a lot of talk before these games about one team’s better. But all the games we’ve played in this year have been close.
“There’s always that belief. To be fair to the manager, I think that’s what he did well throughout the season – keep us believing and keep us calm in the group.
“Whenever there’s a new manager, it always takes a little bit for their ideas to settle into the group. Throughout the season, I think you can see the fruits of the work that we’ve done.
“We focus on ourselves and how we want to perform, and if we’re confident, if we can do that, we can win these big games. This season, we have.”
Celtic delivered when the pressure was on this season and came through the storm, showing their doubters why they are still the team to beat in this country.
Come next season, both sides of the Glasgow divide will look different; however, with automatic entry to the fresh Champions League format secured, the Bhoys have new-found financial capabilities, which could lead to some exciting summer additions.
In recent years, Celtic’s domestic domination in Scotland has been a sight to behold. Hopefully, Rodgers can continue delivering success for years at Parkhead.