Celtic: 'Brendan Rodgers will stay for 10 in a row' - Kris Commons
- Published
Brendan Rodgers has known nothing but domestic success since becoming Celtic manager
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers could stay at the club long enough to guide them towards 10 titles in a row, believes former player Kris Commons.
Commons was at the club for the first six of their current run of seven successive top-flight titles, though did not feature in his last season.
Under Rodgers, 45, Celtic have won back-to-back domestic Trebles.
"It's whet his appetite that he may be around for the elusive 10 that everyone talks about," said Commons, 34.
The Scottish record of nine successive titles is currently shared by Jock Stein's Celtic team of 1965-66 to 1973-74, and the Rangers team from 1988-89 to 1996-1997, under first Graeme Souness and then Walter Smith.
Former Liverpool and Swansea manager Rodgers, who is contracted until 2021, replaced Ronny Deila in 2016 after the Norwegian had won two Premiership crowns at Celtic.
Deila's predecessor Neil Lennon, who signed Commons in 2011, led Celtic to three top-flight titles.
Rodgers' Celtic were unbeaten domestically in his first season in charge as they beat Aberdeen to all three domestic trophies.
The Dons finished as runners-up in the league again this season and Celtic beat Motherwell 2-0 in both the League Cup final and Saturday's Scottish Cup final.
"I think probably when he first came up, he's probably thinking two, three years top and then try and get back to the English Premier League," Commons said.
Highlights: Celtic 2-0 Motherwell
"He said after the game [on Saturday], 'you know, I've got three years left, we're up to seven'."
Former Rangers, Motherwell and Bradford manager Stuart McCall agrees that Rodgers will be targeting 10-in-a-row.
"He's been outstanding," said McCall, who won six titles as part of Rangers' nine-in-a-row side.
"That signing above all, getting him as manager, has been a great acquisition for Celtic. People say, 'will he move on?' I think he's here for the next few years without a doubt because it's his dream, he's loving it.
"If you're at a place that you want to be at, sometimes the grass isn't always greener. Certainly, financially going down to England, yeah, you'll probably get a bit more money.
"I think the challenge will be enough for him up here because he'll want to get the next three. There's no doubt about that. I don't see him being tempted to go anywhere else."
And former Rangers midfielder McCall, 53, joked: "For me, I think he's stayed too long now, Brendan. I've sent his CV down to Arsenal, I think it's about time he moved on."
Brendan Rodgers has led Celtic to six domestic trophies out of six
In Europe, Celtic have reached the group stages of the Champions League two years running, progressing into the Europa League knockout rounds this season.
However, Rodgers' side won only twice after the qualifying rounds this term, and were knocked out of the Europa League by Zenit St Petersburg, despite winning the first leg.
"A lot of people will say the European campaign has been a little bit disappointing to say the least," Commons added. "The expectation will rise.
"The past managers, the past years, you've watched Celtic create a little bit of history in Europe. That's probably the only thing that is lacking.
"We had relatively good success under Neil Lennon. Looking at this squad now, I think they are a far superior footballing team that are just lacking that little bit of luck sometimes.
"It's very, very cut-throat at that end of football. I think he could spend £100m on the squad and still be way short.
"You look at Paris St-Germain, I think they spent over the course of the last three years nearly £1bn on transfer fees. They're still not making [European] finals."