Rival fans' reaction to a Brendan Rodgers Celtic return speaks volumes

They won't admit it publicly, but privately it's a different story. They are dreading the prospect of Brendan Rodgers returning to the managerial fold at Celtic.

The very mention of Rodgers riding back into paradise is enough to make those of a red, white and blue hue muster a single word: 'Fuck!'

They know the truth. Rodgers may well be a managerial upgrade on Ange Postecoglou. An upgrade joining a Celtic team that has just swept the boards domestically.

Now that is a scary thought.

The news a Celtic delegation consisting of CEO Michael Nicholson and finance director Chris McKay flew in a private jet to Rodgers' home in Mallorca in Spain to discuss details of a sensational managerial return will not have been welcomed down Ibrox way. It's a feel-good story for those of a green-and-white persuasion.

Rodgers tortured the Light Blues during his stint as Celtic boss. The Northern Irishman managed Celtic in 13 Glasgow Derbies.

His record reads as follows: Played 13 Won 10 Drew 2 Lost 1. It's an incredible sequence.

READ MORE: Celtic manager latest as Brendan Rodgers odds-on favourite

Included in that haul were two 5-1 victories at Ibrox and Parkhead, a 5-0 hammering that clinched the title, a 4-0 Scottish Cup semi-final rout and a 3-2 away win with 10-men that ultimately led to the banning of the full allocation of 7,500 Celtic supporters from Ibrox Stadium. It's an unfortunate situation which is still in place to this day.

Rodgers may be a divisive character when it comes to a second stint but when it comes to the rest of Scottish football, he is the one appointment that the rest are dreading. It's not just Rangers, Rodgers' name is synonymous with total domination. 

Domestically, he was imperious. He won seven out of seven trophies he competed for before opting to quit for Leicester in February 2019.

He won all three pieces of silverware in his first season as boss and became the first manager in Celtic and Scottish football history capture the domestic treble without losing a single game.

All hail, hail the Invincibles. That is an achievement that will never be achieved again. It is a miraculous and astonishing feat.

In season 2016-17 the Invincibles amassed 106 points and scored an amazing 106 goals. The nearest challengers were Aberdeen some 30 points adrift, with Rangers limping in third on 67 points.

The following season, Celtic only collected 82 points but it was enough to seal the deal by nine points from the Reds once again with Rangers in the bronze medal position for the second year in a row.

In Rodgers' third season, he left Celtic eight points ahead of Rangers with 11 games to play and with a Scottish Cup quarter-final against Hibs to negotiate. Celtic won the title with 86 points finishing eight ahead of Rangers.

In Europe, though, his Celtic team were - not to put to fine a point on it - shambolic at times.

Unenviable record European away losses to Barcelona (7-0) and PSG (7-1), as well as the heaviest home defeat to PSG (0-5) were also notched up on his watch.

Although conversely, Rodgers did negotiate back-to-back Champions League qualifying campaigns and became only the second manager to do that.

He also drew twice against Pep Guardiola's Manchester City in the Champions League and the first draw halted the Premier League side's run of 10 straight wins in all competitions. He won 3-0 away on an unforgettable night in the Champions League against Anderlecht in Belgium when everything about Celtic and their performance clicked into gear. Those were Rodgers' notable exceptions at that elite level of competition.

However, if Rodgers were to clinch a sensational return to the Paradise hot seat then doing better in Europe would have to be a prerequisite for him. It would not be enough to specifically target domestic dominance. Improvement in the European arena would be demanded under Rodgers and that would be seen as a surefire sign of progress.

READ MORE: 'Commitment' and the human side of Brendan Rodgers - Tony Haggerty

Yes, there were issues at boardroom level that may well need to be ironed out between two personalities (Rodgers and Peter Lawwell). Any lingering issues would surely be smoothed out beforehand, wouldn't they? That's kind of how elite sports environments work, isn't it?

If Celtic want to act like a big club, which they have been doing of late, then they would resolve all their differences before Rodgers set foot back in the building.

That would also make perfect sense, right?

The difference is this time Rodgers would be working in tandem with Michael Nicholson and Mark Lawwell, not Lawwell Sr directly. That's why Nicholson could be key here as he gave Postecoglou a free rein on all football matters - and Celtic have reaped the benefits and then some.

Just look at the current playing squad, who are all tied down on long-term deals. The Celtic squad that Rodgers would be inheriting is far greater than the one he left, even though it is a given that he would want to put his own stamp on things. 

If there is an ideal candidate or manager that could be trusted to do the job, then it's Rodgers, as he does have form for getting the best out of teams and players. He helped turn Kieran Tierney into a £25 million footballer whilst plying his trade in the Scottish Premiership.

A £25 million footballer while plying his trade in Scotland? That's staggering when you think about it.

He also got the best out of Scott Brown and Callum McGregor, whereby the latter was able to seamlessly fill the void when the 'Captain...Leader...Legend' vacated the premises. Rodgers was largely instrumental in shaping the player that McGregor has gone on to become.

READ MORE: Why Celtic 'can't wait' for another Champions League crack

Although Lawwell Jr could also come in very useful when it comes to talent spotting, especially if he is working on an already prepared list and puts some names in front of Rodgers that he may be amenable to.

There are two sides to this autonomy coin as well, aren't there?

Having total control and the final say on signing players is all well and good when managers have the funds to spend and are backed by the board wholeheartedly in the transfer market like Postecgolou was. As it turns out, Rodgers wasn't during the last days of his first stint as manager.

The 50-year-old has been there, seen it and got the t-shirt when it comes to all things Celtic. He certainly has the gravitas to walk into that dressing room and command instant respect, which is why he could conceivably turn this current squad of players into better ones.

The one thing that would get Rodgers onside with the Celtic supporters is his ability to win football matches. Results are paramount always and Rodgers has proved time and time again that he is a born winner.

If he were to come back then he'll be more determined than ever to get the Celtic fans back on side. They would have to be shown that this appointment is in the long-term interests of Celtic. There would also need to be a genuine commitment by Rodgers and that he was not using the club merely as a stepping stone to going down south once again.

Rodgers would have to make it clear that he was a ruthless professional and that he was at Celtic to be the best football manager that he can be, bringing as much success to the football club as possible. It's fair to say though, that the supporters have had their fill of those types of managers for the time being.

If Rodgers is chosen to be the new manager it is not the 'Invincibles' he'll need to worry about. It is winning over all of those fans who still don't believe he is the right man for the job.

Are they 'Convincible'?

Just ask the other side of the city to be honest how they feel about Rodgers swaggering back into Paradise.

That reaction tells you everything you need to know.