9 Celtic presser headlines as Brendan Rodgers talks summer transfer drive and Dermot Desmond 'alignment'

Brendan Rodgers believes he and the Celtic boardroom are fully aligned with their vision for the future.

The manager and his staff and squad of players secured the Premiership title this season with a thunderous 5-0 win over Kilmarnock in midweek but he immediately moved his focus towards the final two games of the campaign including a Scottish Cup Final against Rangers next week.

Once the season is done and dusted, the boss knows he has a lot more work in the summer to do alongside his recruitment staff and he's not worried about that. Rodgers delivered the silverware this term and has vowed to "start at zero" next season to do so again.

But after celebrating with fans following their Killie victory, Rodgers took stock of the past year and some of the reaction to ups and downs as well as keeping one eye on what's next. Football Scotland picked out some of his press conference takeaways.

Wednesday Parkhead celebrations

It was a really special time when you win a title in the way we have done. It was a great performance on Wednesday night, everything I'd want from the team and how we played. And then the chance to celebrate with the supporters was really special so it was a great evening. We had a couple of wee drinks afterwards, went home and watched the game again. Went to bed about 3.40am so it was a long night, but a great night. That's what football's about, it's been a season full of ups and downs but ultimately we came good when it matters and now you are starting to see the real Celtic, probably what people have wanted to see from the beginning of the season. We weren't quite at that level then but we certainly have been this last couple of months. Just building towards this period and that's the most important thing.

Personal journey this term

I'm not made of wood. We all have feelings, and we're all obviously built in different ways. I feel that I can deal with pressure and those situations, but it still doesn't make me immune to everything. But I think what experience has given me is not to become too emotional with words, and there have been lots of that. I can trace back to August whenever the headlines were around, that I was under massive pressure. This was only the 26th of August. That's continued right the way through with various people having their say. Listen, that's the modern world in this game. For me, I had to show mental strength like the team has had to do, and eventually, the work that we do, and the processes we have in place have all come through in the end. And that's why we create habits every single day so that it becomes us. For me, it's no different. It's been a challenging season in ways I didn't think it would be. I knew it was going to be a little bit awkward, but one or two things surprised me which you have to deal with and deal with the best you can. Ultimately, I'm paid here to win and to develop a team to play a certain way that the fans want, and ultimately obviously this last period we can see that now.

Being questioned throughout season

It’s a challenge that’s there, but I think on a day-to-day basis, no. I drive up here to work every morning absolutely full of joy. I love my life as a professional manager, I absolutely adore working with this group of players and the staff here at Celtic. The support I’ve been given has been unwavering right throughout the season. I’ll always think a lot of Dermot (Desmond) bringing me back, because that was a brave decision from him and the board to take me back, knowing it maybe wasn’t going to be universally acclaimed bringing me back, no matter how successful I had been. But they had the foresight and the acumen to be able to convince me to come back, and I’m so glad that I did do. You then have to deal with those situations like you said, but it’s all worth it. I wouldn’t change it, because it makes me a better coach and a better manager having to go through what I have gone through this season. I know that we will be back bigger and stronger for next season.

Speaking to Dermot

That’s always the case. We had a really positive board meeting this morning. So we’re planning and looking forward and that’s always the case.

Next season better starting point

Yeah, we’re back to zero, hopefully. Listen, it’s not been easy – for everyone – not just me. There’s been a bit of a surreal feeling around it all. I think as we’ve gone along, you built that trust again. We stay aggressive and that’s when we are at our best. We’ve still got work to do this season. We have two more games and we want to finish well tomorrow in front of our supporters. We can finish off with 93 points and add to our goal tally for what has been a disastrous storyline that’s been created. It’s some benchmark that we’ve set. We have a cup final which I’m so excited about.

Transfer drive in summer

I’m pretty sure that will be the case but that’s not for now. We’ll have all summer to talk about the transfers and everything else. We’re very clear on what it is that we need to do to improve. The club works in a way that allows it to be sustainable. We also want to progress in the field. That’s something that we’ll all be aligned with.

Attempting to change Joe Hart's retirement decision

No, I think it's the time. I have had this before, I had it with Jamie Carragher. Jamie was my best centre-half at 35 years of age. When he was in the team, he was so good. He gave the team what it lacked in my first season there. It was a similar thing, there were two other centre-halves in front of him, he was in his last year, seeing out his career, but I saw Carra in training every day and the qualities he had. So when I put him on the team, he made it better. But by the end he was ready, he was going into his role on Sky, and he finished on a high. Joe is exactly the same, he will have a successful career outside of what he is doing, but he is finishing it in the way that you would want to as a player - going out strong, going out a winner.

James Forrest song demands

He needs to beat Billy McNeill’s record! If he does that, he might get a song. I’m surprised he doesn’t have one. There are clever guys in the stands who make up the words. He certainly deserves it. What a player, he’s been absolutely magnificent for us. His record is remarkable. The likes of him and Callum are stalwarts for this club, they do their talking on the pitch and class acts off it. They are real ambassadors for the club. Looking back to 2016 when I came in and he was maybe on the way out. He was outstanding in that period. He’s maybe not played as much since I came back, with younger guys taking his place. You have to give them a chance. But you quickly conclude he’s our best winger. Okay, he may not be able to do some of the things he did six or seven years ago, but there’s a lot he can do and we’ve seen that in this last period. He’s been a real catalyst for this team. All the experienced players have been, they’ve really taken the games by the scruff of the neck.

Willie Collum as ref chief

Willie has fantastic experience and he’s going into the role having been live in the situations. It’s not VAR that’s the problem, it’s the implementation of it. I just think they somehow need to find a way to have professional referees, to help in the education of the referees here. It’s then about how we fund it. The guys get a bit of stick up here as they do everywhere, but in fairness to them, they are not full-time. That’s not their fault if they are part-time referees doing their best in professional games where there are high stakes. If there can be more funding to support, develop and help the referees, that would be great – and it would aid the VAR. It’s always important to keep having that dialogue.