Brendan ticked all the right boxes for departing Mulgrew
CHARLIE MULGREW did not come to an agreement on a Celtic contract last summer. However, there was one real deal that caught his eye during the weeks of fitness work and training under new management. Brendan Rodgers made a striking impression on Mulgrew, so much so that none of the achievements he has since led Celtic towards have registered as a pleasant shock to the Scotland international.
The 31-year-old shaped up with the squad in late July and early August before bolting for Blackburn, a threeyear contract and a new challenge in the English Championship.
These were early days for the Rodgers regime, none of them rockier than the astonishing first-leg Champions League qualifying defeat to Lincoln Red Imps which kicked off his competitive reign.
Yet Mulgrew could sense something special brewing as Rodgers set about moulding a mentality and style of football within a squad that now stands on the brink of becoming champions at Tynecastle today, setting a whole host of records in the process.
‘I’m not surprised by how well they’ve done,’ said Mulgrew. ‘I knew the quality in the squad. And I knew what was possible with the manager coming in. From my time working with Brendan for a few weeks, I can’t speak too highly of him.
‘He really was top class and I’m delighted for him. I got a feel for what he wanted to do with the team at that early stage. It was after the Imps game when I went in. I was there a few weeks and can’t thank him enough for allowing me to be in training.
‘It wasn’t an easy situation but everything went well and I appreciated that. Every manager is
different but he has a base and everybody seems to know what they are doing and that helps.
‘Just the type of training he does impressed me. The way he mixes it up and the demands he makes every single day — the way it should be. It is hard to explain, top managers have this small bit extra that makes them different. High standards, maybe.
‘He’s very decisive about what he wants, I think the boys know that and it keeps them on their toes, keeps them sharp. I trained every day as hard as I could. It was just one of those things, it didn’t happen.’
Mulgrew’s switch to Ewood Park landed him with a hectic schedule but he was able to enjoy a local look at his former team-mates as they impressed in Champions League action at Manchester City, recording a second draw against Pep Guardiola’s side.
‘I am still a Celtic fan, my boy is a Celtic fan,’ he said. ‘We are not far from Manchester City’s stadium, so we went to the game and he was jumping about as always: Celtic mad. They were probably the better team that night, which made it one of the better performances I have seen from Celtic, away from home in Europe keeping the ball.
‘It would be unbelievable now if they could go unbeaten domestically. I’m sure they don’t want to keep talking about it as there’s been lots of focus on it to put the pressure on. I hope they do it.
‘I’m sure they are a huge scalp right now, everyone wanting to be the team to end the run. There is a big pressure building on them but they don’t seem to feel it. It is not easy for them because everyone playing them sees it as their cup final and wants to be the one who beats them.’
Top managers have this small bit extra that makes them different