How ‘balls-out’ boss helped Celtic rediscover their swagger

Brendan Rodgers recalls club legends Jock Stein and Tommy Burns as he discusses how his side found their groove in the run-in to retain their Premiership title
When Rodgers got punchy, his team responded and Celtic galloped to the Premiership finish line
When Rodgers got punchy, his team responded and Celtic galloped to the Premiership finish line
JEFF HOLMES/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK

There was a bit of a retro feel to much of what we saw at Rugby Park on Wednesday night, with the Celtic supporters chanting Brendan Rodgers’ name as their side produced comfortably their best performance of the season — one to match anything served up in the first two years of the manager’s initial stint in charge.

Dare we say it, but there was a certain throwback to the tenets of one Ange Postecoglou in the speed, movement and intent which Celtic showed. Those qualities were all writ large in the penetrating triangles fashioned by the full back, creative midfielder and wide attacker on either side.

To Rodgers’ eyes, meanwhile, it will have looked exactly as he always said it would once he had