Defeat in transfer window

and their past successes, but wants the current stars to make their own mark.

He said: “I love seeing reminders of the past achievements around the club. I regularly bump into guys like Bobby Lennox.

“It’s a huge part of the history here, but we have create our own.

“I think what the boys have done so far is a huge achievement, irrespective of what happens this weekend.

“This is a chance for them to stand alone and that is obviously an incredible achievement with all the difficulties you can have in modern football, with everyone fighting to beat you. To have gone 26 games unbeaten so far has been great. So we will do what we’ve always done. There’s no change. We focus on our performance.

“I don’t tend to talk about it before the game. It can give a pressure that the players don’t need.

“My focus is always to depressure the situation so that players can perform.”

This will be the first visit to Celtic Park by Hearts’ young head coach, Ian Cathro.

Rodgers applauds the way the 30-year-old has moved around Europe, picking up experience. The Irishman was only 35 when he took over as Watford manager after years of working behind the scenes as a coach. He knows how difficult it is to suddenly be the main man.

He said: “It is a tough business and I’m sure Ian is learning very quickly. It is totally different when the light is shining on you.

“Over time he will get better and better. I think he has coped very well from what I see.

“I didn’t win at Watford for nine games. Once we won, the players start to adapt.

“Watford were tipped to go down, but by the end of the season we were flying.”