‘WE PAID FOR SLOW START’

winner. Rodgers admitted his team paid for a slow start and leaving the back gate open at the death but said: “I loved every minute.

“It’s been a great week working with the players and I said whatever the result, I only wanted to see spirit and intensity – and I saw that.

“It’s a great opportunity to build on some of the good points. We’re obviously disappointed to lose when it looked like we were the team that was going to win it.

“Our passing was too slow in the first half – that’s probably the players getting used to a new system – but after that I thought we were excellent.

“There is a lot of potential in there – it’s the second-youngest team in the Premier League.”

Rodgers, booed by home fans for the way he left Vicarage Road – having days earlier preached integrity and loyalty – was in bridgebuilding mode, offering olive branches to the Hornets and Celtic fans, who were incensed by the timing of his departure last week.

He said: “I’ll always be grateful to Watford (above, when boss) – they have a tradition of giving young managers an opportunity and gave me mine.

‘‘I loved my time here – I’ve said before I made a mistake when I left.

“I knew the Celtic supporters were hurting, which is why I’ll never be critical of them, I understand how they feel.”