RODGERS: JOSE SLAMS WALK-OUT

JOSE MOURINHO insists Brendan Rodgers was WRONG to walk out of Celtic.

The former Manchester United manager, who was sacked in December, reckons the Irishman should have remained at Parkhead with the team on the brink of a historic treble treble.

Rodgers, of course, quit the champions on Tuesday to return to England’s top flight, despite an unprecedented campaign within touching distance.

Mourinho, the self-proclaimed ‘Special One’, understands the lure of the Premier League for his former Chelsea coach.

But he believes the ex-Liverpool gaffer should have pushed harder to postpone his Leicester City switch to the summer.

The Portuguese coach, speaking to The Daily Mail, said: “If you say to me, am I surprised by Brendan leaving Celtic to go to Leicester, I would say no.

“The Scottish championship is not the same as the Premier League, with all due respect.

“Celtic is a giant club, but the Premier League is the Premier League.

“I’m not surprised that he comes there.

“If I was in his position, I would say to Leicester: ‘I want to come to you, but not now.

“’I want to come next season, I want to be champion in Scotland, I want to leave in the right moment.’

“In my opinion, the right moment would be pre-season.”

Rodgers claimed on Friday he did try to hold off to the summer – but Leicester chiefs refused to budge and insisted he took the position immediately.

Despite having over two years of his contract still to run, the Hoops chief left only 24 hours before a crucial Premiership encounter against Hearts at Tynecastle and four days ahead of the Scottish Cup quarter-final against Hibs, both games in Edinburgh.

Former boss Neil Lennon answered the club’s SOS and took over in an interim basis and led the team to back-t-back 2-0 triumphs.

Rodgers saw his new mid-table outfit lose 2-1 to Watford yesterday.