ECHOS OF NEIL LENNON AS RODGERS SAYS ‘THIS IS JUST THE START’

DELIGHTED Brendan Rodgers claimed there was no place he would rather be than Celtic after winning his first Premiership title as Parkhead boss.

Yesterday’s five-goal hammering of Hearts sealed the Hoops’ sixth successive crown in the Irishman’s first season in charge.

Scott Sinclair grabbed a hat-trick, the third from the spot late on, after Stuart Armstrong and Patrick Roberts had added to the total.

Rodgers said: “I need to just stay calm. I have already worked in the Premier League and I couldn’t think of a better place to be at this stage of my life than Glasgow Celtic.

“I am comfortable here and sometimes that ambition, you have to be careful, you have to appreciate what you have and I feel very happy here.

“There is not a place in this world I could be right now where I would be happier in my football life and personal life.

“It is only the start for us. I have the responsibility to the supporters.

“I am one of them, I know what they think and what they want and I want to try to bring them as far to that as I possibly can, and when my time is up, I will leave a legacy that they can smile about and have enjoyed.

“But until that moment comes, which hopefully won’t be for a while, I am very content.”

Rodgers claimed Tynecastle was the perfect place for his side to wrap up the title.

His first league game was in Edinburgh last August, when Celtic won 2-1 courtesy of a late goal by Sinclair after he had come off the bench to make his debut.

It was a much more convincing performance by the Parkhead club this time as they swept away the Jambos.

Rodgers added: “It was a great place to show the development of the team, because the first game was here, in the sunshine, on a nice pitch.

“Could we now go out and show the progress as a team and wrap it up in that way?

“So, for the players to do that in the style that they did, and to show every element that you would want from a football team, makes me really happy.

“I am more pleased for others. Really happy for the board, firstly. They put their trust in me to lead it, which I am very grateful for and they allowed me to work.

“I am absolutely delighted for the players and I am over the moon for the supporters.

“I am very lucky. I am one of them, but I am in the dug-out and from the first day I walked in here they have given me nothing but 150 per cent support.

“And what does it mean to me? I am just happy to win it in the style I wanted to, in the best possible way we could.”