Former Celtic star Stiliyan Petrov says the Rodgers revolution reminds him of his time under Martin O’Neill

Stilian Petrov (left) and manager Martin O'Neill, 2005 (SNS Group)

THE comparisons are uncanny.

Within just a few months of taking over as manager, Brendan Rodgers has transformed Celtic.

Just like Martin O’Neill.

The current Hoops boss celebrated his first Old Firm game with a thumping win over Rangers.

Just like Martin O’Neill.

With the League Cup secured last Sunday, Rodgers is on course to emulate Jock Stein and win the Scottish Treble.

Just like Martin O’Neill.

Can the current boss follow his fellow countryman by taking Celtic to a European final?

Stiliyan Petrov played for O’Neill in the 2003 UEFA Cup Final and was an integral part of the side that swept all before them in that 2000-01 season.

He believes Rodgers’ chances of capturing European glory will come down to discussions he has with the Parkhead Board, and being able to bring in top talent while keeping his best players at the club.

Petrov said: “You have to take small steps and be patient.

“The first hurdle for Brendan Rodgers to get over was just getting through the qualifiers in the summer and they achieved that.

“They then managed to get a couple of good results and some encouraging performances to build on.

“Now the next stage starts and that is building for the qualifiers next summer. Brendan will want to improve the squad and add two or three quality signings, the type of players who can make an instant impact.

“On top of that, he will want to keep Dembele and Tierney at the club. All of that, however, is easier said than done.

“But we know that Brendan will strive for that and the Board will back him the best they can.

“If he can be as good in his next two transfer windows as he was in his first, with the additions of Dembele, Sinclair and Toure, then they will improve.

“Also, because there will be no European football after this week’s game with Manchester City, he will be able to work with the squad on the training pitch much more in the next six months.

“That means the players are only going to get even better.

“That must be quite a frightening prospect for other sides in Scottish football because look at how much he improved the players in the past five months.

“But I’m not going to make any wild predictions, especially when it comes to Europe.

“Let’s first of all see what gets done in the next two transfer windows. But there is no doubt that Brendan is the right man for the job and the best person to take the club forward.

“I had a few conversations when he worked down south at Swansea and Liverpool and I was playing for Aston Villa. He was a perfect gentleman and a very knowledgeable football man.”

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers celebrates (SNS Group / Sammy Turner)

Petrov has been impressed with the way Rodgers has transformed the team, especially the way he has improved players he inherited from Ronny Deila.

Ten of the starting line-up in last Sunday’s League Cup Final victory against Aberdeen came from the Norwegian’s regime.

Petrov continued: “I was at Celtic Park for the game against Barcelona and, as much as Celtic lost the match, I could see that there was a confidence in the team, certainly no evidence of any player being scared of the challenge.

“You have to put that down to the manager. Last season some players weren’t contributing the way they should have been and they’d be the first to admit that. But Brendan has revitalised them.

“It reminds me very much of when Martin O’Neill came to Celtic in the summer of 2000.

“I hadn’t been playing well and hadn’t managed to nail down a specific position in the team.

“I was also not close to the fitness levels required to be a top-class professional footballer.

“I sensed from the first few days that things were going to go to a new level under Martin and I wanted to be a part of it. I was right. We won the Treble and I won the PFA Young Player of the Year award.

“It looks as though some in the current squad have had similar thoughts to those I had all those years ago.

“Scott Brown has been brilliant, and has dominated most of the domestic games. James Forrest is in the form of his career and Tom Rogic has the look of a player who can go all the way to the very top.

“So the club is heading in the right direction and there doesn’t appear to be a club in Scotland that will be able to get close to them over the league campaign.

“After winning the League Cup, the talk is now of doing the Treble.

“Yes, they can do it. I think they will do it. However, it is not a formality and you have to remember the quality that clubs such as Aberdeen, Rangers and Hearts have.

“On any given afternoon, they could beat Celtic in a one-off cup tie. However, they’d have to produce something extra special.

“I hope they do it because I know from experience how special it feels to be in the history books and to make the Celtic supporters so happy.”

O’Neill built from the success in his first season and took the club all the way to the UEFA Cup Final in 2003, where they lost 3-2 to Jose Mourinho’s Porto in Seville.

It would be a dream come true for Rodgers to do something similar. It’s a long shot – but at least he has the fans dreaming.