Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
THIS IS NOT THE BREND
Celtic boss Rodgers says he has no plans to make switch back to English Prem
BRENDAN RODGERS last night distanced himself from a move back to the English Premier League, insisting he couldn’t be happier anywhere else.
West Ham fans were clamouring for their club - who appointed Davie Moyes as boss yesterday - to make a move for the Celtic manager and Rodgers’ record-breaking exploits with the Hoops have not gone unnoticed south of the border.
But the Carnlough man is adamant he is no rush to head back into the cut-throat world of the English top flight because he is so satisfied with his work and life in Glasgow.
He said: “I look at the Premier League and you have virtually got a six week cycle and that’s frightening as a coach and a manager.
“It used to be you managed the club and dealt with the club but lots of times now you are managing in a six week cycle and if you have a bad four or five weeks you can be out of work and that way you’re never going to progress as a club.
“When I came to Celtic, the club was looking to move on. Ronny (Deila) had done a good job in his two years winning two titles. I felt if we came in and won in a better way we could fill the stands again.
“And it has been fantastic for me working at Celtic and doing what we are doing.
“I’m not sure I could be anywhere in the world, not just in England, and be as happy as I am now because I’m getting the chance to develop players.”
Meanwhile, Patrick Roberts has credited Brendan Rodgers with changing the mentality of the Celtic squad after setting a new domestic record at the weekend.
Rodgers has yet to lose a domestic match since taking charge of the Parkhead club last year, and with last week’s win over St Johnstone, broke a 100-year-old British record by going 63 games unbeaten.
Roberts (above left) who has set his sights on a shock return for Celtic’s glamour showdown with PSG, says the former Liverpool boss has been hugely important in the run.
“Our willingness to win every game and to not lose has probably got us this far,” he said. “And the manager is instilling that in us from the get-go.
“From last season and this we’ve had the same mentality and focus all year round, and that in itself is why we’ve been so successful.
“In the Premier League, Guardiola is playing the football he’s played at Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
“The gaffer here is similar, he tries to play football at every opportunity, even when we’re under pressure, and he’s instilled that in every player.
“We’re always getting better at it and you see in the Bayern game we controlled the game at times and that’s down to the manager.”