Celtic have a big summer ahead of them with Brendan Rodgers confirming recently that changes are needed within his first-team squad.
But it is Sunday’s Glasgow derby opponents Rangers who have a mammoth summer in store as they try to catch up with Celtic at the top table of Scottish football.
Rangers have a majority takeover on the horizon with a US consortium made up of 49ers Enterprises and Andrew Cavenagh set to take control at Ibrox.
Moreover, Celtic’s arch-rivals will need to appoint a new permanent manager with Barry Ferguson looking increasingly unlikely to land the job full-time.
The mainstream media is awash with Rangers takeover and new manager conjecture, so it was only expected Rodgers was asked about it at his pre-Glasgow derby press conference.
Photo by Michael Regan – UEFA/UEFA via Getty ImagesRodgers dismisses Rangers takeover question
Rodgers faced reporters at Lennoxtown on Friday and was asked if he expects more of a challenge from Rangers next season as a result of the takeover.
But the Celtic manager was having none of it and dismissed the reporter’s question. He only wants to talk about his team before the season is out.
He replied brilliantly: “Talk to me in the summer on that. We’re not even finished this season yet. I know there’s not a lot for you to write about or talk about or speak about. But speak about this season first.
“Speak about how good Celtic have been and how consistent we’ve been and how our mentality has been really good.
“And how this group of players, despite some knock backs, they keep going and they keep fighting and they keep running and they keep working. And we can speak about next season then.”
Rodgers pleased by Celtic bouncebackability
It’s all about Celtic, so it was no shock that the follow up question was centred around Rodgers’ own team and how they have bounced back in recent games.
The Hoops lost three matches in six against Hibs, Rangers and St Johnstone, but they responded excellently by scoring 15 goals in three games against Kilmarnock, the Perth Saints and Dundee United.
Asked how impressed he has been by that, Rodgers said: Listen, everyone needs it. Just no matter how good a team you are or how good a player you are, every now and then you just need the reminder of the standard.
“And certainly the standard here at Celtic, that fell away below the required level when we were at St Johnstone. Again, the thing that grated on me was we had the chance to win it (the Premiership title) at home if we’d do our job on that.
“So that was also that double the frustration. However, the players have been brilliant since then. And that’s the job, that’s managing.
“Managing is the ability to teach players, inspire them and motivate them. And then you see obviously the players when they go out to the pitch, they’ve been so, so good.
“It was a great win last weekend. Played very, very well. And we’ve had a good week’s training. And we’re now coming to this game that we’re looking forward to playing in.
“But the response of the players has been excellent.”