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a Scottish league campaign unbeaten for the first time since both Celtic and Rangers did so in the late 1890s, but it played a central part in his team talk.

“The word I said to them was infrangible,” he said. “That was the word I wrote up on the paper.

“Stuart Armstrong understood it but I did actually say, for those of you who don’t understand I wrote the meaning below. So to be unbroken, that is another word for their vocabulary.”

Rodgers added: “It hasn’t really been a key feature up until probably Thursday night against Partick because there are so many things that are out of our control in this type of situation.

“But the players had arrived with a couple of games to go and then it’s real, we couldn’t hide from it. We had a chance to go through a whole season and not be beaten.

“But it’s how we did it. The level of football, the tactical discipline and excitement they have given supporters has been incredible to watch. And they now stand alone in history.”

The 44-year-old, whose side scored 106 goals, added: “You only have to look at the past, 100 years or so since it was done in the 1890s, to tell you the difficulty of achieving that.

“It’s a monumental achievement by the players and I think what gets lost in all the records and everything that is set, there is a real dedication to excellence they have shown since I have come in. It’s in their life, how they have worked hard every day.”

The former Liverpool manager hit out at critics of Scottish football who claim Celtic’s run is down to the poor competition. The Hoops won the league by 30 points from Aberdeen, who set their own record tally. “It’s very unfair, because it’s all relative,” Rodgers said. “I was at Chelsea when Chelsea beat Wigan 8-0 in the last game of the season to pick up a title. It’s a brilliant league but they won 8-0, so what does that make the Premier League? The only thing Celtic is missing is money. This is one of the great clubs in the world but it’s not in a league with the finances. If Celtic had the finances of another league, this would just explode because of the size of it.”

Hearts head coach Ian Cathro remains unbroken after winning just once in 10 matches and the 30year-old said: “There was nothing that could happen that could knock the confidence and clarity I have.”

“There is a real dedication to excellence they have shown”