Boss Brendan Rodgers asks Celtic fans to stand behind the team
Boss Brendan Rodgers has asked Celtic fans to stand behind the team this season - even if they still find his return to the club "surreal".
The Irishman appears to have won over the majority of his doubters heading in to the champions Scottish Premiership opener against Ross County after sparking anger among some sections of the Parkhead support when he departed for Leicester City in 2019. While any ill-feeling appears to have eased, the Green Brigade have made it clear they were unhappy with the second coming.
At the time of his departure, the Celtic ultras unveiled a banner stating 'You traded immortality for mediocrity. Never a Celt, always a fraud’ and they would post that image of the banner to social media moments after the Invincible Treble winning boss was announced as Ange Postecoglou's successor on a three-year-deal. The fan group also did not attend James Forrest's testimonial against Atletico Bilbao.
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This sparking theories among supporters it was a boycott of Rodgers' first home game since returning while some have argued that the Green Brigade do not traditionally attend testimonial games. However, he appears unmoved ahead of the opening day of the season.
Speaking to Record Sport columnist Chris Sutton on Sky, before Flag Day at Celtic Park he was asked what his message would be to the Celtic fans. The boss responded: "I think my job as a manager is to allow them to dream again. I think there will still be one or two who think it's surreal that I'm back, but I am only back for them.
"I am back here to do the very, very best that I can. If we are going to have success this year it will be from being together.
"That harmony is so important. If you don't have that then it's very difficult to succeed. Give the team your all, give them everything like they've always done. If we can do that we can have a magical season again."