Rodgers is right to go all-out in pursuit of Invincibles history

CELTIC are 810 minutes away from creating a piece of history that might never be repeated. They have what could well be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go through an entire league season unbeaten.

Nine games to go. They have negotiated 29 matches without defeat and have drawn only two of those.

It is a phenomenal record and you can bet your life Hoops boss Brendan Rodgers is looking at the remaining nine and is absolutely determined to see it through. And so he should.

Trebles have been won by Celtic legends Jock Stein, Billy McNeill and Martin O’Neill but none of them guided a team through the season undefeated.

The Lisbon Lions, acknowledged forever as Celtic’s greatest ever team, won everything they entered in 1967 including Europe’s top prize but even Simpson, Craig, Gemmell, Murdoch, McNeill, Clark, Johnstone, Wallace, Chalmers, Auld and Lennox couldn’t go through the league campaign unbeaten.

They lost only twice and won the league by three points from a Rangers team who were one of the best ever to come out of Ibrox, yet destined to live in the shadow cast by their rivals across the city.

That Gers team were eclipsed by the Lions but this current Celtic side have given themselves the opportunity to stand side by side with the greats of Lisbon in this, the 50th anniversary of the club’s greatest achievement.

And that’s why Rodgers should ignore the increasing clamour for him to chop and change and rest players when the title is finally won – as it will almost certainly be on April 2 when Celtic go to Tynecastle to take on a Hearts side who are in freefall and appear riven with uncertainty.

In any other season, with a Treble at stake and with Champions League qualifiers looming earlier than ever next season, there would be merit in the calls for Rodgers to blood youngsters when the championship is clinched.

You can see why there are those who believe the likes of Moussa Dembele and Scott Sinclair, who have scored 50 goals between them, would benefit from a rest (they’ll get one for the next two weeks as they are not on international duty) after a long, hard season that has seen excel in their first term in Scotland.

There is also a case for those saying that Rodgers’ team would beat the likes of Ross County, Partick Thistle and Kilmarnock with Leigh Griffiths and Patrick Roberts instead of Dembele and Sinclair; with Callum McGregor and Liam Henderson starting the odd game to give Stuart Armstrong and Scott Brown a rest and with Cristian Gamboa coming in for Mikael Lustig now and again. Emilio Izaguirre at left-back for Kieran Tierney? No problem.

They may well be right but why take that chance? This team have earned the right to finish what they have started. They’ve battered teams – 15 times in all competitions they’ve scored at least four in the same game – and they’ve battled when they’ve had to.

Two down at Motherwell but coming back to win springs to mind but there have been many others that have not come easily but have been ground out. So for those who say Celtic potentially have only two meaningful games left this term – the Scottish Cup semi-final against Rangers on April 23 and the Final in May if they get there, I’d have to disagree.

Rodgers has nine of the most important league games in this club’s existence coming up.

He and his players have the chance to write their names in the club’s history books. In indelible ink. It’s an opportunity they would be crazy to jeopardise by chopping and changing the team and risking a loss of momentum.

If gaffer Rodgers wants to rest players, he can do so by making early substitutions if the points are secured early in matches. A couple of goals up after an hour? Off you come Moussa, Scott and Broonie. But let them get the work done first.

They won’t feel the fatigue the closer they get to that record and even at full strength there will be no guarantees. Going to Ibrox on league business after the split is certainly no gimme after the way Rangers went about their business at Parkhead 10 days ago.

And you can bet your lives Pedro Caixinha’s team will be hellbent on beating Celtic and denying them that Invincibles tag if they are still going for it by the time they cross the city.

But for as long as it’s on, Rodgers has to go for it. There will be other chances to win Trebles and titles.

What they are doing right now, though, may never happen to them again. They can’t die wondering.

This current Celtic team have the opportunity to stand side by side with the greats of Lisbon