I’ll be happy if I’m NEVER back in the Premier League again says Brendan Rodgers as he makes Celtic future vow

LOVE lured Carl Starfelt away from Celtic.

For Brendan Rodgers, that’s what brought him back.

1

The Swedish centre-back is on his way to a Spanish club Celta Vigo to be closer to his girlfriend Jacynta.

Hoops boss Rodgers insists he fully understands why any player would bet one Relationship before football.

But he says his feelings for the Celts are now the be-all and end-all – when it comes to his managerial career. Rodgers said, “Looking at the bigger picture, I’m pretty sure I’ve made choices in life based on my own choices Family.

“Carl has a really strong relationship and we all make decisions based on that Relationships or family.

“He also gets the chance to go there la League, as with most players leave here – and even to my own extent – you don’t go Celtic, you leave the league. It’s not this club you’re leaving.

“I left Celtic for the premier leagueThe Competition. I came back for this club, not the league.

“Young guys like Starfelt leave the Premiership to play there la league with a larger financial package.

“And matched to that is a relationship in which he’s very happy.

“It’s a short life, especially when footballerand we have to respect that.

“If everything works out, he was a really good servant of the club during his time here.

“Starfelt had a really good partnership with Cameron Carter-Vickers for two years and he will leave here a fantastic player who has won awards. We continue.”

Boss Rodgers admits the Swede’s decision to leave wasn’t what he expected, adding: “No, I didn’t expect that.

“But you always have to be prepared for people to come in. I never expected to lose iota or Starfelt, but that’s how the game works.

“There is a chance for Carl. He came here and did a really good job for a couple of years – he’s a good guy and he’s done a really good job over time Preseason.

“It’s not a big secret, that’s just the way it is reality.

“A lot of these people come here and have a two or three year cycle and then they want to move on. If they get the chance to move, not to a bigger club but to a more competitive league and it’s better for them economically, they’ll always think about it.

“It’s the way of the world. There is no great mystery in it now.

“The players will come in and the fans understand that now Model of the club. Story has shown that guys come in and work very good. The real key, then, is making sure there’s a plan behind it in case one of them actually goes missing.

“This is the beauty of that. One of the things I noticed when I arrived here was the work of Mark Lawwell – he’s doing something fantastic Work.

“He really covered a lot of players comprehensively.

“So if the ‘what if’ scenario comes up, then there’s an opportunity to sign a player.”

Rodgers was lured away from the hoops by the star-studded, cash-strapped EPL.

But he insists that will NOT happen again.

He said: “If I look at it, I’ve managed three Premier League clubs.
“Some people never get a chance to manage one.

“So I know I’ve had a good run after leaving the Premier League, even if I’ll never go back there in my life.

“For me, that feeling doesn’t exist. The challenge was there in the Premier League and I went there.

“The challenge was quality players, different systems and quality managers.

“But I did that with Swansea, and Liverpool and Leicester, and there are only a limited number jobs you want to do

“My feeling was to return to Celtic and I’m really happy here.

“The mindset changes easily as you know the landscape and have a better sense of it.

“You understand the model of the club better.

“It’s not acceptance. It’s just about finding other ways to help the club progress.”

Asked if he can still really be challenged ScotlandRodgers explained: “When I was up here for almost three years, it was very good. There are some excellent trainers here.

“Malky Mackay is upstairs Ross Countybut with the utmost respect for them, Malky has shown that he is an excellent manager.

“It wasn’t all that long ago that I was up against Malky when I was at Liverpool and he was at Cardiff and he was a rising manager.

“He was tactically very good and also a good motivator for his team.

“Can you see it Derek McInnes last week with Kilmarnockhe was outstanding the last time I was up here.

“He did it Aberdeen A really strong team, very difficult to play against and also very competitive.

“And now you see him doing the same thing at Kilmarnock with the resources he has.

“There will be other coaches up here. Michael Beale at ranger is an aspiring manager.

“I’m looking forward to meeting the other people I haven’t had before met already, how Stephen Robinson.

“There is always a challenge in every league.

“In addition, there is regular European football.”

Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers on the Scottish Sun football page