Why Celtic are writing their own story like Brian Clough

15 words. They were uttered by Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers last Sunday after his side had won a vital Scottish Premiership encounter 3-1 at Fir Park against Motherwell courtesy of two injury-time goals from Adam Idah and Luis Palma. Rodgers stated with cold, calm, calculated efficiency. If anybody was stupid enough to write Celtic's title chances off after Rangers had leapt to the top of the table then more fool them. This was Rodgers' Brian Clough moment.

When former Nottingham Forest manager Clough watched his side draw 3-3 at the City Ground with FC Cologne in the 1979 European Cup semi-final first leg it led to a famous one-liner from Ol' Big 'Ead. Clough famously stared down the BBC TV cameras and said: "I hope anybody's not stupid enough to write us off." Forest won the return in Germany 1-0 thanks to Ian Bowyer's headed goal and then went on to defeat Swedish side Malmo in the final.

Rodgers' men are busy writing their own story indeed. The manager is arguably Celtic's most potent weapon as they chase down a League and Scottish Cup double. The Celtic supporters know it. More importantly, the players know it. Take last Sunday at Fir Park for example. Half-time to be precise. Celtic were trailing 1-0 and staring down the barrel of a gun. Narratives were being written. Obituaries were being typed up and the Northern Irishman's harshest critics were saying that Rodgers had 45 minutes to save his job.

READ MORE: Celtic's Taylor reveals two Motherwell measures Rodgers took

Yet the coolest man in Lanarkshire was about to go to work. The anxiety emanating from the stands was off the charts. Greg Taylor admits that Rodgers was calmness and coolness personified. Rodgers detached himself emotionally from the situation despite many around him in the stadium losing their heads he was fully focused on the job at hand. Taylor said: "I think the manager was really big on that. He stayed really calm and just spoke us through a few points where we could be better in the game.

"He took all of the emotion out of it and it is so easy to get caught up in emotional moments when you are down. Everyone in the building wants to be successful and tries their hardest every day in training and in games to try and deliver that for the fans. The manager just said this is where we can be better in the game and we took that into the second half."

What a difference a week makes. Fir Park may well have acted as the catalyst and launch pad for a Celtic team that looks as though they are about to go through the gears. The feel-good factor continued into midweek as Celtic slammed seven past Dundee with the crowd giving them a standing ovation at half-time after the faithful were treated to a 45-minute display of exhibition football that saw their team go six goals up.

Taylor said: "I think often the narrative is on the outside. It is not normally within the building. You have to try and avoid that and of course, it is difficult with social media and everything that goes on now in football.

"The manager is a big believer in the group inside the building being very together and we believe what we do here and that normally stands us in good stead and on Wednesday night it did. You felt it coming off at half-time. These things work hand-in-hand. If we deliver the performances then the fans will back us. The place was bouncing going in at half-time 6-0 up. The fans were in good voice on Wednesday night.

"I think that will be vital. We are all together in the building but I include the fans in that too when we are playing at home and there are 60,000 behind you it helps. There will be limited numbers at Tynecastle on Sunday but I am sure the Celtic fans as they always do will find their voice. Hopefully, we can deliver the performance that helps them do that."

Rodgers knows exactly how vital a part the Celtic fans can play in the title run-in. He waxed lyrical about it being just like old times as his men set about Dundee with gusto. He said: "It was a high level of performance. Right from the off, everything felt really good in the game. The supporters were brilliant and pushed the team. The team were never comfortable and never got themselves comfortable in the game, despite the scoreline.

"We were pushing and were intense, fast and dynamic. There was quality in our goals and that’s the level of performance that we want. I’ve always felt it. Our biggest enemy this season is ourselves. If we perform to the level that we can do consistently then we’re a really good team. It’s that consistency of now taking that performance into the next game."

It also helps that Rodgers is now starting to get the band back together with long-term absentee Cameron Carter-Vickers back in the Celtic first-team. However, the 51-year-old reckons the Asian connection can also have a major say in the destination of the league flag come May.

READ MORE: Celtic's Brendan Rodgers waxes lyrical about Tomoki Iwata

With Japanese midfielder Tomoki Iwata and Korean winger Yang Hyun-Jun now beginning to stamp their authority on Rodgers Celtic side things appear to be heading in the right direction for the champions who trail Rangers by just two points at the summit. Rodgers revealed that slowly but surely Iwata and Yang have become his trusted lieutenants on the pitch. He said: "When you arrive at 10 games to go, that’s when the fun begins. That’s when you’re going into the business side and that’s what I’m looking forward to.

"We’ve had inconsistencies leading up to this point but we’re still very much there it’s still very much in our hands with what we want to do. To have these players coming back is great, and it’s really good timing as you say. Tomo (Iwata) anchors that midfield for us, and allows us to move on. He’s a very good player but he’s missed a lot of moments this season. It looked as if he was going to get his run in the team but he was out injured. It's been a challenging time for him, and then it’s just about getting him up to speed and trying to get him in at the right time.

"I’m pleased for him because he has given his all in training, he’s just waited for his opportunity. This was a midfield that was very difficult to get into. You look at Matt O’Riley, with all due respect he wasn’t starting last year! You had Callum, Reo Hatate and Aaron Mooy, who were the players that were playing a lot of games. Matt has come in and had a fantastic season.

"Tommo has had to be patient but I trust him when he comes in. He plays the game simple, is dynamic at winning the ball back and he’s performed really well in these last few games. As for Yang, it is about consistency now. I think what was good about him was after the Dundee game I said he played against Owen Beck earlier on in the season and Owen played him well, meaning he didn’t have so much joy.

"I think you can see his progression over six/seven months and his development. Of course, some hit the ground running and others take time, especially at a big club like this here. He showed up really well the other night and was strong. He was good in the one-v-ones and linked up with the full-back well and the midfielder on his side, and ran himself into the ground in the pressing aspect.

"I am pleased for him, he's a talented young player, but for all young players it’s about consistency and now it’s onto the next game."

The next game for Celtic is as difficult as they come in terms of the title race. Hearts at Tynecastle is always a testing venue at the best of times but with the flag race set to go down to the wire, Rodgers is having it. He's loving it, he's embracing it all.

Rodgers has urged his players to try and replicate their display from October when they ran out convincing 4-1 winners in the capital.

He said: "It is always a difficult place to go. We played well and scored some really good goals the last time. We lost a goal but throughout the game, we were excellent in there.

"It’s always a great place to go as a Celtic manager or player, as it’s always a good atmosphere. We want to continue with the level of performance there."

READ MORE: Brian Clough, Celtic and 20 half-lagers: The 1983 Battle of Britain

You get the feeling that if Celtic can reach anything like the levels they showed against Dundee in the next 10 games then they will have every chance of successfully defending their title. Two points in it at the top of the Scottish Premiership table and a goal difference that has all but been negated.

With Rodgers at the helm, I hope anybody's not stupid enough to write Celtic off. Here's another 15 words.

The next stop is Tynecastle where Celtic hope to continue to write their own story.