BRENDAN RODGERS has challenged his Celtic players to win the Premiership title by FIFTY points as the club celebrates FIFTY YEARS since the Lisbon Lions won the European Cup.
The Hoops boss insists there will be no slacking from his pacesetting team this season – despite holding a 27-point league lead at the top of the Premiership.
Rodgers’ outfit are odds-on to complete a domestic treble after hammering Inverness Caley Thistle 6-0 in the Scottish Cup fifth-round tie at Parkhead yesterday.
The Irishman said: “What I’ve tried to do is raise the standard on every level, tried to raise the bar. Could we win in the best possible way?
“You could save money and win it by 10 points or spend some and win by 30.
“Well, I want to win by 50 if I can. And I want to keep pushing that bar, being the best we can be on and off the field.
“Can we get better pitches? Can we improve Lennoxtown or the ground?
“Those things come from success on the pitch.”
Rodgers’ side have already lifted the Betfred League Cup and look certain to be crowned six-in-a-row champions.
And despite stretching their winning run to 24 consecutive games in Scotland, Rodgers is adamant his team can achieve even more.
He said: “It’s about standards. The players can now see clearly what I was talking about back at the start when I made my presentation to them.
“It’s about improvement, a working mentality, being relentless. Celtic are a winning club.
“But there are two ways to win – either you just do enough or you do everything you can.
“My only way is the latter. Entertain fans, make people enjoy it, make the players enjoy their work – and win as often as you can.
“There is competition in Scotland and some good coaches. But we’ve been at a level that has been consistently excellent.”
Yesterday’s impressive performance was watched by Lisbon Lion Willie Wallace who is over from his home in Australia to appear with some of his fellow Lions in a photoshoot which took place in Lisbon a few days ago.
We’ll have Willie on Celtic Quick News to tell us what he thinks of the current Celtic side and to answer any of your questions on Lisbon and the day we won the greatest prize.
