Brendan Rodgers insists there will be no let-up as runaway leaders Celtic complete ‘historic’ year
Brendan Rodgers hailed 2024 as a historic year for his table-topping Celtic side.
The champions stretched their lead over Rangers at the summit of the SPFL Premiership to 14 points with a thrashing of St Johnstone at Parkhead.
Goals from Nicolas Kuhn, Kyogo Furuhashi (2) and Daizen Maeda resolved a one-sided contest as Rodgers’ side rounded off a calendar year when they lifted all three domestic trophies and lost only two games, to Hearts and Borussia Dortmund.
As focus turned to Ibrox and Thursday’s Old Firm clash, Rodgers dismissed talk of sealing a fourth straight title if they stretch their lead over their oldest rivals to 17 points.
Satisfied with the relentless consistency displayed in the last 12 months, however, the Parkhead boss said: ‘We’re not even at the halfway point. I think that’s the thing, there’s still such a long way to go for us. I’m just so pleased with what 2024 has brought us in performance and statistics.
‘I thought last season was one of the best coaching seasons of my career. This season has just been a joy to work with the players and seeing them evolve and develop.
Brendan Rodgers acknowledges the supporters after Celtic’s 4-0 victory against St Johnstone
Kyogo Furuhashi takes the acclaim of his manager after scoring two of the goals at Celtic Park
Nicolas Kuhn celebrates scoring the opening goal in a victory that put Celtic 14 points clear
‘This will be one of those seasons that will be historic in terms of what we’ve achieved statistically.’
Top scorer Kuhn rattled home his 14th strike of the season on the half hour. A target for MLS side Atlanta United, Furuhashi moved in to double figures for the season with two in five minutes before substitute Maeda finished off the scoring.
While Celtic’s home support revelled in the discomfort suffered by Rangers in Motherwell, Rodgers and his team kept their eye on the prize in a relentless display of attacking football.
‘Our focus was nowhere else but here,’ continued Rodgers. ‘We wanted to perform, we wanted to put effort into the game and get the three points. We did that in a really charismatic way.’
In an ominous warning to domestic rivals struggling to keep pace, Rodgers vowed to add more firepower to his team in the January window. In the market for at least one wide player, he acknowledged: ‘We hope so. I think I always like to add goals to my teams in January where I can. Add that threat and that freshness to the squad.’
Mail Sport revealed Atlanta’s interest in taking 10-goal Kyogo to MLS while American international Cameron Carter-Vickers is reported to be a target for Bayer Leverkusen.
‘Listen, I haven’t seen anything of that, to be honest,’ added Rodgers. ‘I suspect there will be interest in all our players and lots of gossip and speculation going about.’
