Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers’ 2017 was as incredible a year as it was invincible

BRENDAN RODGERS has hailed 2017 the best year of his career – and told how making an old woman happy equalled the elation of winning trophies.

“I’ve had an incredible 12 months,” said the 44-year-old of a spell which has seen Celtic win all three domestic honours, compete in the group stages of the Champions League and complete a 69-game unbeaten run.

“From the first day to the end, it’s been an iconic year. And I think everything we’ve achieved this year, we will recognise more later on.

“You create the legend in terms of how you perform, and how you do.

“I’ll never fully appreciate it until I’m long gone, sitting back and thinking of what we really did.

“While we are working away, it’s hard to do that. When I’m 60-odd and sitting in Majorca, we can think about it properly!

“But, even now, I can say this has been the best year. I had some brilliant moments.

“I think of the half-year I had at Watford, when they thought we were heading for relegation then we transformed the way they played.

“I had a brilliant time in Swansea, too. It was amazing what we did there to get them to be the first Welsh team in the Premier League.

“Liverpool’s charge for the title (in 2013-14 when Steven Gerrard’s slip against Chelsea infamously helped Manchester City come out on top of the pile) was incredible and really enjoyable. But here, 2017, I’m at a club where I still have to pinch myself at times.

“We were training at home on Christmas Day, ahead of our trip to Dens Park to play Dundee, and I was standing in the centre circle just looking up at the words ‘Celtic Football Club’.

“It still takes me back when I think about it.

“It’s been an amazing year, so to bring joy and a winning mentality to it makes it even more special.

“Whatever I do going forward, I know it will be very, very hard to beat as the most enjoyable.”

A particular highlight, Rodgers said, has been to witness the individual responses to his team’s success on the pitch.

At the ground and also out in the wider community.

“It is always great to see the happiness of the people when we’ve played well and won,” Rodgers continued.

“But the biggest is probably an old lady, Patsy, who is in her 70s.

“She stands outside our hotel for every game we play – whether it’s raining, whether it’s snowing, covered up with Celtic gear.

“She wears her Brendan hat, her Brendan scarf.

“Not so long ago, her son came up to me and said: ‘Thank you so much, you’ve given her a new lease of life’. That makes me as happy as picking up a trophy.

“If you can do that to people and help them, and make them happy, then that makes me happy.”

As content as he is about the 12 months that have just passed, Rodgers is aware about the need for continuous improvement.

German central-defender Marvin Compper has been brought in for £1m from Red Bull Leipzig.

St Mirren and Scotland Under-21 winger, Lewis Morgan, will sign up this week on a £300,000 deal which allows him to remain with the Paisley club for the remainder of the season.

“There’s some more to come in. We want to strengthen, of course,” he said.

“It’s not about numbers, it’s about getting the right people in.”

Players who, he feels, can add quality to the squad for the Europa League tie against Zenit St Petersburg in February, and beyond.

“Possibly we will get guys in before Zenit, but I’m not blinkered that we bring players in just for that game,” said Rodgers.

“Your thinking, of course, has to be over a period of time.

“We want to be successful and do well in that Europa League tie. But whenever you are asking a player to come, it’s not just for that game.

“There has to be a project in place. I hope to be able to do that.”