It's over to Lawwell to improve Celtic with transfers - Tony Haggerty

Yes, it may well be the same man at the managerial helm of the same club. He's a different manager altogether though. He's evolved, he's more learned, he's more rounded and above all else he's more ruthless. That comes in all shapes, sizes and forms. Football tends to lend itself to these types.

Rodgers falls into the quiet or smiling assassin category.  There is a cool, clinical, cold and calculated efficiency in everything he does. The Northern Irishman faced the media again earlier this week in the build-up to Celtic's latest Scottish Premiership instalment against St Mirren at Parkhead tomorrow.

The men in green and white had watched their lead at the top of the table reduced from seven to five points at the weekend courtesy of a 0-0 draw with Hibernian at Easter Road. Cue slight hysteria. Rodgers isn't buying the hype or hitting the panic button. He's too cool far that remember. At this juncture after all Celtic are undefeated in the league after 10 matches that have yielded eight wins and two draws.

Trips to Pittodrie, Ibrox, Fir Park, the Tony Macaroni, Tyncastle and Easter Road have all been negotiated with the loss of just two points. It's impressive. It's not perfect and there is room for improvement - but pretty damned good. That's the way the manager wants it. That's the way he always wants it at Celtic. Rodgers is always steps ahead on how he can help improve the team's lot.

One way is in the transfer market . Which is why  a run-of-the-mill St Mirren match preview all of a sudden became more interesting when the 50-year-old gave everyone valuable insight into his thinking on the upcoming January transfer window. It may only be Hallowe'en but Rodgers is clearly laser-focused on what Celtic needs as a club moving forward. There have been screeds written about how there may have been various impediments to Rodgers in terms of the way he wished to conduct his transfer business during his first managerial stint.

It ain't happening on Rodgers watch this time. Development players? Projects? Call them what you will the manager has had his fill. Nope. This time it's going to be different but the message is always going to be the same to the Celtic hierarchy - quality over quantity.

Rodgers is currently operating with 32 first-team players. It's clear for him to see that number is too many. Bloated? Excess squad fat needing trimmed? You best believe it. Rodgers is going in for the cull come January. Like all good managers do, the St Mirren press conference was a wonderful opportunity to fire a warning shot towards those upstairs.

READ MORE: Some of Celtic's transfers have failed to make an impact

Many supporters voiced their concerns over the lack of quality coming off the bench on Saturday at Easter Road to try and rescue the situation and eke out a win. Seeing the likes of Oh Hyeon-gyu, Mikey Johnston, David Turnbull and James Forrest take to the field against Hibs underlined the issue.

In the aftermath of Saturday's stalemate, Rodgers fended off a question which asked if he was happy with his bench with these words: "It’s not a day to point the finger at the bench or anyone else. The squad will get stronger hopefully in the time I’m here." It wasn't a deflection tactic. It was the answer of a consummate professional. Rodgers knew he would have to address the squad situation at Celtic and he will... sooner rather than later.

That's why Monday was the perfect day to talk about it and give the supporters the clearest indication that he is in total control. The quotes speak for themselves don't they? Here they are:

"It is more quality than quantity, for me. I think there will be more out than coming in. I think there will be players who will be here for six months and won’t have played. Like I’ve said before, it is no fault of them. The squad is obviously a lot bigger than I would want. So, I think there will be more players who will look to go out and get game time.

"And of course, hopefully over the coming windows we can look to improve the quality of the squad. Listen, we have enough - what I would say - development players. I think it is clear. And I love that, it is what I have done all my life is work with those players. But you certainly need ones that can come in [and make an immediate impact].

"We already have a number of those development players, so it is genuine quality we hope we can bring in across the coming windows. Your squads are 25, which is 22 plus three goalkeepers. It is not ideal. I think there were younger players that were going to come in and see how they develop.

“Then there was the notion, which I know for sure was the case, that there were some guys that were thinking of leaving before I came in. Then obviously a new manager comes in and there can be a change of heart. They don’t leave, they stay and that is how your squad ends up where it is at.”

No grey areas. Every Celtic player, whether they be a first team regular, a squad player, a bit part contributor or out of the picture entirely, knows where they stand. The writing therefore looks to finally be on the wall for the likes of James McCarthy, Yosuke Ideguchi, Alexandro Bernabei, Yuki Kobayashi, Kwon Hyeok-kyu, Liam Shaw, Sead Haksabanovic and the jury could is well and truly out on the likes of Marco Tillio.

The days of expensive cash splurges on the likes of Vakoun Bayo, Marian Shved, Patryk Klimala, Ismalia Sori, Albian Ajeti, Vasilis Barkas as well as money frittered away on pointless loan deal for the likes of Oli Burke, Diego Laxalt, Shane Duffy and Jonjo Kenny are gone... long gone. They will be no more under Rodgers watch. However, Celtic will need to improve their strike rate in the transfer market.

They enjoyed two successful windows in the first year of Ange Postecoglou's reign but over the last three, only Alistair Johnston has gone straight into the side and held down a regular starting slot. By coming out and addressing the subject Rodgers is laying forth the strategy for Mark Lawwell, Head of First Team Scouting and Recruitment.

Lawwell may yet face some tricky questions from Rodgers if his scouting record does not improve. You can only hazard a guess as to the nature of those discussions. Although one could easily suppose that the topics up for debate will be the exact same ones that Rodgers was having with his father all those years ago. Funny that, isn't it?

Celtic are gearing up for a critical January transfer window. There are various positions that need to be strengthened in the team if Rodgers and Celtic are to secure and deliver a third successive Premiership title. The finance is most definitely at their disposal.

READ MORE: Rodgers Celtic will jump into hyperspace while Rangers fly Solo

If the threat from Rangers under Philippe Clement does manifest itself into being a genuine title challenge then Rodgers and the Celtic hierarchy will have to push the button and make that jump into hyperspace in order leave the Light Blues in their slipstream. A place in the revamped Champions League format is at stake here. Rodgers has simply plotted the course that Celtic must navigate come January.

You can dress it up or paint whatever picture you like this is Celtic's biggest January window in years in terms of ins and outs. The deadwood must go.

There is also a mini-rebuild of the current team required if Celtic are to produce the kind of display that rocked Parkhead to its foundations against Atletico Madrid last midweek on a regular basis in Europe's premier club competition. That is the stage and platform that Rodgers envisages for his Celtic team.

Interestingly enough, Rodgers held the same aspirations for Celtic four years ago. Back in August 2018, he uttered these words: “I can easily bring in 10 players. It looks nice and it might flash up on the telly. I am looking at efficiency, I am looking at the quality of the players."

Quality over quantity. The more things change the more they stay the same - right? It's now over to Lawwell and company to carry out the express wishes of the Celtic boss for his squad come the January window.

Feel free to stop me if you think you've heard this one before.

Four years ago Rodgers fought the Lawwell and the Lawwell won.

This time Rodgers is laying down the Lawwell.