RODGERS STANDS TO ATTENTION

BRENDAN RODGERS goes for 10-in-a-row against Rangers today – and revealed the fear of failure drives him on.

While Hoops fans are counting down the titles won, the gaffer is content to tick off games unbeaten against the club’s Old Firm rivals.

Victory over Rangers today at Hampden would secure Celts’ place in next month’s Scottish Cup Final and extend his their unbeaten run against their arch-rivals to 10 games.

Asking Rodgers to pick out the best of those would be like asking a parent to pick out their favourite child.

He cherishes them all and says the feeling he gets on Old Firm derby day never gets old.

Rodgers said: “Aye, there is a buzz. I’ve experienced it nine times now but I have always tried to stay calm. If you let the mind wander too much...

“You have to try to control everything – but of course you are excited. “Just the sense of being in the middle of it and able to affect it. So every game it gives you that buzz. It is a fantastic fixture.”

It’s the fear of that first defeat that drives Rodgers on and compels him to set the highest standards.

He said: “You can over- analyse it. You have got to make sure you don’t trap yourself, as well as the players, in to the pressure.”