Priceless Rodgers has given Celtic back their mojo

IT’S 12 months since Celtic were turfed out the Europa League by mighty Molde. Jozo Simunovic limped off after nine minutes. The visitors scored two first-half goals. Tyler Blackett produced the kind of defensive display best watched through the cracks of fingers. Nir Bitton capped the whole thing off with a late red card. Bad enough that Celtic could no longer call themselves a Champions League club. Under Ronny Deila, they became fodder for Europa League minnows. Deila was a lovely man and, contrary to what the more militant elements of the Celtic support think, he was popular with the media. But the fact remains. He was never a Celtic manager in a month of Sundays. Fast-forward a year and we now survey a rather different scene. The Premiership leaders are still in the Champions League after a rare away draw in Germany. They have two more points than anyone thought likely in a group featuring Barcelona, Man City and Monchengladbach. Brendan Rodgers (below) has barely got his feet under the table. But, already, he is lobbying for Celtic to join the European elite as a consistent last-16 club within three years. Coming from Deila, a target like that might have sounded hollow. The financial gulf between the champions of Scotland and the giants of Europe means it’s still highly ambitious. But it no longer feels out of the question. Under Rodgers, Celtic have resdiscovered their optimism and belief. They have their mojo back. He has done this by buying good players and rejuvenating old ones. Twelve months ago, the only player worth a brass farthing was Bitton. Right now, Moussa Dembele, Kieran Tierney, Scott Sinclair and Jozo Simunovic look like money in the bank. The biggest asset of all, of course, is the manager. Rodgers can’t be listed under fixed assets on a balance sheet. But his current value to a re-energised Celtic is incalculable.