Rodgers has been a huge influence on me: Howe
EDDIE Howe, now a firm favourite to land the Celtic job, has hailed the impact of former Hoops boss Brendan Rodgers on his career.
Parkhead chiefs are confident the former Bournemouth boss will agree to become Neil Lennon’s successor.
While Howe was working at Burnley, then-swansea boss Rodgers invited the rival manager to watch training.
“One positive that came from my time there was the chance to observe Brendan Rodgers,” said Howe, who has knocked back Premier League offers while holding talks with Celtic.
“Swansea had been promoted to the Premier League, and I was in the Championship. We had met after a game the previous season, and got on really well. I asked him, ‘Can I come and see you work?’
“He invited me down, and I spent a couple of days with him. He was brilliant. He was absolutely superb with me and very, very generous with his time.
“We shared a few stories and I’m forever grateful for that, because you need people who help you along the way. At times it is a tough, tough, lonely job, and Brendan was brilliant.
“I watched a couple of training sessions, but it was more the time he gave me afterwards that counted.”
Howe added: “There was a little bit of a tactical discussion between us about how he does things and how they work, and what their schedule was.”
Leicester City chief Rodgers won two Scottish titles as the Hoops’ manager.
His fellow Ulsterman Lennon quit the Celts in February while the club’s bid to win 10 straight titles was turning to dust.
Meanwhile, interim boss John Kennedy stressed the importance of ending a turbulent season on a high as Celtic prepare to begin their defence of the Scottish Cup.
Ahead of the visit of League One side Falkirk tonight, Kennedy said: “It is always important. It is always a good thing to have at the end of the season.
“The campaign we have had has not been as successful as in previous seasons.
“That hurts and you can feel that in the squad. When you get a couple of setbacks it hurts, so it is using that hurt to motivate you to go and win the next challenge which is the Scottish Cup.”