The stars have really aligned. I’m the luckiest guy in Scotland
Rodgers: We want to go into final with a win
someone would want me as part of their team.
“And I’m grateful to Hibs they wanted me and again that Neil Lennon let me come and have this opportunity.
“The manager here has taken me to another level already with his backing, with his coaching and with his belief in me – and knowing I can do a job for him whenever I am called upon.
“If you had told me at the start of the season I was going to finish the season as a league winner and contributing, as little as it was to winning the league and potentially playing in a Scottish Cup Final, I would have said you were mad.
“But every game at this club is special and it is quite a cool time to sign this deal because for a lot of young boys this is the time of the season where you can learn you are being released from a club.
“You can’t say that when I was with Alloa in the Third Division I was thinking, ‘Oh, I could play for Celtic’. But I knew I had the ability to go through the leagues.
“I was lucky Paul Hartley saw that ability in me too and he took me to Dundee and I really kicked on from there.”
It’s the type of faith he’s now getting from Rodgers.
And the backing he felt that he didn’t get from McCann as he added: “I think it’s a no-brainer.
“We’ve got players here who are at the highest standard and you go in the dressing room and boys aren’t playing but everyone is happy. It’s a great skill from the manager here he can keep everyone happy and focused on the same task.
“You don’t win championships if you’re not all pulling in the same direction so it speaks volumes for the manager here.
“With me being here for another four years, the only way is up.” BRENDAN RODGERS insists Celtic aren’t bothered who comes second and will go full pelt on trophy day.
The Parkhead boss and his team could have a significant impact on the chase for runners-up spot when they tackle Aberdeen.
Victory or a draw will open the door for Rangers to pip the Dons to second with a win over Hibs.
But Rodgers has eyes only for Celtic and is demanding a top display for the 60,000 sell-out to celebrate a silver day and also to put the finishes touches on the Scottish Cup Final preparation.
He said: “We’d like to go into the Final with a win. The most important thing was we won the league but we want to finish well.
“If we go through the weekend and don’t lose that will be two years without losing a game at home. Remarkable really in terms of how the players are, the number of games we play and the good opponents we play.
“So there’s that to think about. But in the bigger picture we want to perform well and normally when we do that we win. Aberdeen will come with a cause and a motivation.
“So we’ll expect another tough game.
“Everyone wants to play in the big games. Not everyone can. But the all the players know I trust them. All I ever say to them is to make sure they are physically right and we’ll have a plan for each game, so if they are asked to play, then they are ready.
“But I know they are always ready. They are great professionals.”
(3pm unless stated) SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFFS SEMI-FINAL 1ST LEG (-) Middlesbrough v Aston Villa ............ 5.15
SKY BET LEAGUE 1 PLAY-OFFS SEMI-FINAL 1ST LEG (-) Scunthorpe v Rotherham .............. 12.30
SKY BET LEAGUE 2 PLAY-OFFS SEMI-FINAL 1ST LEG (-) Coventry v Notts County ................ 7.30 (-) Lincoln v Exeter ..................................... VANARAMA PLAY-OFF FINAL (-) Tranmere v Boreham Wood ...................
LADBROKES PREMIERSHIP (-) Dundee v Partick Th .............................. (-) Motherwell v Hamilton ........................... (-) St Johnstone v Ross County .................. LADBROKES LEAGUE ONE PLAY-OFF FINAL 2ND LEG (-) Peterhead v Stenhousemuir .................. LADBROKES LEAGUE TWO PLAY-OFF FINAL 2ND LEG (-) Cowdenbeath v Cove Rangers ................
SPANISH LEAGUE (11) Alaves v Athletic Bilbao ........................ (12) Deportivo La Coruna v Villarreal ......... (13) Eibar v Las Palmas ............................... (14) Espanyol v Malaga ................................ (15) Getafe v Atletico Madrid ...................... (16) Girona v Valencia ................................. (17) Levante v Barcelona ............................. (18) Real Betis v Sevilla ............................... (19) Real Madrid v Celta Vigo ...................... (20) Real Sociedad v Leganes .....................
ITALIAN LEAGUE (21) Atalanta v AC Milan .............................. (22) Benevento v Genoa ............................. (23) Bologna v Chievo ................................. (24) Crotone v Lazio ................................... (25) Fiorentina v Cagliari ............................ (26) Inter Milan v Sassuolo ......................... (27) Roma v Juventus ................................. (28) Sampdoria v Napoli ............................. (29) Torino v Spal ........................................ (30) Verona v Udinese ................................
FRENCH LEAGUE (31) Amiens v Metz ...................................... (32) Angers v Nantes .................................. (33) Bordeaux v Toulouse ........................... (34) Guingamp v Marseille .......................... (35) Lille v Dijon .......................................... (36) Monaco v St Etienne ........................... (37) Montpellier v Troyes ............................ (38) Nice v Caen .......................................... (39) PSG v Rennes ...................................... (40) Strasbourg v Lyon ...............................
PORTUGUESE LEAGUE (41) Aves v Chaves .................................... P (42) Benfica v Moreirense .......................... (43) Boavista v Belenenses ........................ (44) Feirense v Estoril ................................ (45) Guimaraes v Porto .............................. (46) Maritimo v Sporting Lisbon ................ (47) Portimonense v Pacos Ferreira ........... (48) Rio Ave v Braga ................................... (49) Vitoria Setubal v Tondela ....................
TOMORROW ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE (1) Burnley v Bournemouth ......................... (2) Crystal Palace v West Brom .................. (3) Huddersfield v Arsenal .......................... (4) Liverpool v Brighton ............................. (5) Man Utd v Watford ................................. (6) Newcastle v Chelsea ............................. (7) Southampton v Man City ....................... (8) Swansea v Stoke .................................... (9) Tottenham v Leicester .......................... (10) West Ham v Everton ............................
ENGLISH LEAGUE 1 PLAY-OFFS SEMI-FINAL 1ST LEG (-) Shrewsbury v Charlton .................... 5.15
LADBROKES PREMIERSHIP (-) Celtic v Aberdeen .......................... 12.30 (-) Hibs v Rangers .............................. 12.30 (-) Kilmarnock v Hearts ..................... 12.30 LADBROKES CHAMPIONSHIP
PLAY-OFF FINAL 2ND LEG (-) Dumbarton v Alloa ........................... 4.15
LAST NIGHT Ladbrokes Premiership play-off semi-final 2nd leg –
SCOTT BAIN
Sky Bet Championship play-offs semi-final 1st leg – French League – Portuguese League – Belgian League –