INVINCIBLES
Rodgers salutes ‘once in a lifetime’ feat
BRENDAN RODGERS believes the unbeaten record of his Celtic Invincibles will not be matched in his lifetime.
A victory over Hearts saw Scotland’s champions become the first team since Rangers in 1899 to complete an entire league campaign without losing a game.
Second-half efforts from Leigh Griffiths and Stuart Armstrong also helped the Parkhead side surpass the previous SPFL records for points gathered and goals scored in a season, with 106 the total secured by Celtic for both.
Speaking as his side now prepare to cap a rare Treble by beating Aberdeen in this weekend’s Scottish Cup final at Hampden, Rodgers said: ‘I’m just so proud of the team and the staff because it’s a real special achievement. I’m not so sure it will happen again in my lifetime.
‘You just need to look at when it was done before — in the 1890s and it was only an 18-game season back then.
‘This is a 38-game season and, with so many variables in football, that’s what makes it a brilliant achievement.
‘Whether it will be done again, it’s out there for everyone to have a go at. We’ll have a go at it again next year. But when
you look at the past, when it was last done in the 1890s, it tells you the difficulty of achieving that.
‘It’s a monumental achievement by the players. What is lost among all the records that have been set is the real dedication to excellence they have shown since I’ve come in. Both in their lives and in how they have worked hard every day.
‘They will probably tell you themselves that they get pushed really hard. But you see the benefits of that.
‘It is a remarkable achievement for this club and for the players who have now inscribed their names into the history of this incredible club.
‘It’s something for their kids and their grandkids to be proud of. It is a special achievement.’
Applauded on to the pitch by yesterday’s opponents Hearts, Celtic received their sixth successive Premiership trophy after the game.
Midfielder Kris Commons made a special appearance on the pitch at full-time to wave farewell to fans before leaving the club this summer.
‘We had to work hard to win the game and to beat the goals and wins records,’ added Rodgers, whose team’s incredible run included 34 victories and four draws. ‘It’s a truly fantastic day.
‘I’m delighted for the players and I’m clearly delighted for the supporters. Because being a Celtic supporter is all about the feeling and they should be having a nice feeling now.’
Asked if he could now consider thoughts of a Treble — a feat only previously achieved at Celtic by Jock Stein and Martin O’Neill — before facing an in-form Aberdeen at Hampden this weekend, a wary Rodgers responded: ‘I think about the next game. That’s been the key to our season.
‘We’ve never got too carried away with ourselves or stumbled because we were trying to forecast something that might happen in three or four games’ time.
‘So we’ll now have a good week to recover. We will celebrate this success, which is important, and then we will get ready for the cup final, which will be a fantastic game at Hampden.’
This Thursday marks the 50th anniversary of Celtic’s iconic European Cup win in Lisbon, supporters marking the occasion yesterday with a huge display before the match.
Proud to honour the club’s greatest-ever team with a season to remember, Rodgers added: ‘It is fitting that the team could honour the Lisbon Lions’ 50th anniversary by playing in a way which is synonymous with that great Celtic team. That’s important.
‘My ambition is for the club. From a personal perspective, I’m proud that in two of my last three seasons as a manager, my teams have scored over 100 goals.
‘I’m proud that my idea and my philosophy in terms of attacking with aggression and entertaining supporters is followed through. I wouldn’t want to do that anywhere more special than here.
‘It’s an incredible club and it’s a special feeling that I have here, being a supporter myself.
‘It doesn’t take away from the professional aspect of the job and how much is focused on our vision, which is to win titles and play with a charisma and quality which makes the supporters proud.
‘I’m here to give as much to this club as I can. When you are gone, then you will leave a legacy but, for now, I’m so proud of everyone in the team and the staff because it’s a really special achievement.’
Critics of the Scottish game have tried to pour cold water on Celtic’s achievement by saying they enjoy greater resources than all their rivals and should be winning the title by a distance.
But Rodgers, whose team ended the campaign a massive 30 points ahead of second-placed Aberdeen, said: ‘It’s very unfair because it’s all relative.
‘I was at Chelsea when they beat Wigan 8-0 in the last game of the season to pick up a title.
‘It’s a brilliant league (in England) but they won 8-0, so what does that make the Premier League?
‘If Celtic had the finances of another league, this thing would just explode because of the sheer size of it.’