Brendan Rodgers Sends Message to Celtic Fans After Parkhead Return
Brendan Rodgers' return for a second stint at Celtic divided the opinion of the club's supporters. The Northern Irishman enjoyed a lot of success during his first spell as the manager of the Hoops. But the manner of his exit had disappointed many.
Rodgers left Celtic in the middle of the 2018/19 season in order to join Leicester City. The club still had two trophies to play for at that point in the campaign.
Over the past several weeks, the stance of most supporters towards Rodgers has certainly softened. And the Northern Irishman made his long-awaited return to Celtic Park as his side faced Athletic Bilbao in their final pre-season friendly.
It was James Forrest's Testimonial as well. The fans turned out in big numbers and were treated to a comeback 3-2 win from the Hoops. Reo Hatate, Alexandro Bernabei and David Turnbull were the three goalscorers for Rodgers' side.
It certainly looked like an emotional occasion for Rodgers, who received a warm reception from the fans. And he sent out a classy message after the match.
As reported by Sky Sports, when asked what it felt like to be back at Celtic Park, Rodgers said: "Amazing. It feels like home.
"I have to be honest. I have been fortunate enough in my career to have managed some fantastic clubs and some big clubs, but there is nothing giving me the feeling of being back here with people that I would regard as family, and just being in the arena here.
"I am looking forward to it, I am going to relish every second of it. I think going away probably made me realise what I had and I was never sure if I would have that again.
"So, to be able to have the chance to have that again, I am really going to enjoy it, on the pitch, with the players, with the staff, and obviously with the supporters. But for that I need to win and I need to prove myself again."
All fears of the fans not welcoming back Rodgers warmly evaporated on the day. The manager got a hero's welcome and will surely be looking forward to the new campaign.
Celtic start their Premiership title defence with a game against Ross County this weekend. Fans will be hoping for a positive result on the occasion.
The end of their pre-season has only raised expectations. The 3-2 win over Athletic Bilbao was preceded by a 1-1 draw against Wolves.
Their only defeat came away in Japan against Yokohama F. Marinos, a game in which the Hoops lost 6-4. It is worth pointing out though that the reigning J League champions are in the middle of their campaign and were expectedly much sharper than Rodgers' side.
