Brendan Rodgers details ignoring Celtic 'negativity' in title race as stars 'didn't make daft comments' through season

Brendan Rodgers has praised his Celtic stars for keeping their mouths shut and their heads down this season to lift the title.

The Hoops manager lapped up the love and applause from punters at Kilmarnock this evening as his side battered their hosts 5-0 to secure the trophy mathematically and make it three-in-a-row for the champions. Rodgers admitted at full-time that there's been plenty on his plate to manage this campaign with "negativity" and doubts about their chances of beating Rangers to the silverware.

But he reserved special credit for his squad for doing their talking on the pitch and ignoring the critics throughout the year to win and do so comfortably, in the end.

"It feels very special," he told Sky Sports. "Every time you win a league title it feels great but this one feels something special after everything we have been through this season, the challenges we've had and how we finished it. That performance was absolutely incredible I thought. Everything I'd want in a team with technique, speed, power and unpredictability.

"I thought our football was immense but the hunger in the team. It looked like we were at the beginning of the season, not the end. "And that was against a really, really good side in Derek's team who don't concede many goals and are so strong. But I am just so pleased for the players. There has been a lot of negativity around them this season and that goes all the way back to August. But they've just stayed with it, kept believing and players coming back. The performance level over the last couple of months under pressure has been fantastic. I am very proud for them and very happy for the supporters.

"That's management. There has been a lot of moments this season that the spotlight has been on the team and myself, but you must never doubt. I am an experienced manager now I have been about a wee while and when I see these players working every single day, the humility they have and honesty they have. They're not out there making daft comments, they are just very professional, do their work and keep believing."