Brendan: It would be honour to join Hoops’ elite gaffers club
Brendan Rodgers says it would be a privilege to join Celtic’s elite Treble club alongside Jock Stein and Martin O’Neill.
The Parkhead gaffer will write his name into history if he can win a clean sweep of trophies against Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup Final.
Only legendary manager Stein and current Ireland boss O’Neill have achieved that feat as Celtic gaffer.
And Rodgers admits he would be humbled to be mentioned in the same breath as those two men.
Ahead of the Hampden clash on Saturday, he said: “It’s a bit surreal, really, an incredible thing.
“I’ve not thought so much about it because it’s a notion you don’t want to get too far into – or you mind can start to wander.
“I have tried to focus on winning games and playing the way we have been playing. To be anywhere near, in inspiration for Rodgers terms of achievement, to what those guys did at such a big club with all the history and status worldwide – to be up there I’d be very privileged.”
Rodgers’ countryman O’Nei l l won the Treble in his first season at the club, in 2001. Rodgers is on the brink of emulating him and admits he has huge respect for the job O’Neill did at Parkhead. He said: “I always admired Martin.
“I always follow Northern Ireland players and managers – and Martin has had a brilliant career.
“He’s revered here at Celtic for what he did in his five years. He’s someone I can pick the phone up to now and ask his opinion. I really respect him.
“I spoke to him earlier this season about a player he had worked with.
“It overlapped into a general discussion about Celtic. We’re both from the same bottle back home in terms of being supporters.
“We know what it means to people and what it means to manage here.
“I was at Reading when he won the Treble in 2001. I knew the history that was being created.
“Martin had a fantastic spell here and I have huge respect for him.”