Brendan Rodgers took over as Celtic manager in May 2016, with the club having already chalked up five league titles in a row. The subsequent spell in charge saw a sustained period of absolute domestic dominance for the Hoops, with the Invincible Treble followed by the Double Treble, while the team was on course for a Treble Treble when he left for Leicester City in February last year.

One Irishman replaced another as Neil Lennon took over and duly steered the team to that success, and has continued this season with another League Cup triumph and now the Premiership title.

And for Brendan Rodgers, being part of the momentous nine-in-a-row success – the second time in Celtic’s history that this has been achieved – is something that he continues to appreciate.

“It’s just a privilege,” he said. “Of course, circumstances changed for me during my time there, but I was involved in some unforgettable experiences and memories at Celtic, and to be part of this experience now, I’m very proud and privileged to have done so.

“I look back to the time when I came in. Ronny had just left, there was a bit concern about Rangers coming back into the league, and they had beaten Celtic in the Scottish Cup. But I felt from the moment we came together as a club, we were then able to then really push forward and lift a standard of mentality and play that saw us go on and succeed, and hopefully that can continue.

“So to be a part of that process of the nine is obviously a huge honour for me, and I’m pretty sure that Neil will go on and finish the job that he started back then.

“It’s what Celtic is about – it’s about winning, but it’s also about winning in a certain style. The players have got real momentum now and they’re not going to let it go easy now.

“There’s a core group of players there who’ve been through it and they’re serial winners – guys like Scott and Callum and James. They have all been through it and now the real core of that are winners, they now what it takes, they deal with the pressure and let’s hope it can continue for many more years.”

Both Scott Brown and James Forrest have played their part in every one of the nine-in-a-row triumphs, and having worked with both players, Brendan Rodgers is well aware of the qualities they bring to the squad.

“Scott’s consistency and the level of his game has just been absolutely first-class over these last number of years,” he said. “As a captain, he is just selfless. He is what you would want from a captain – he’s up for every single game he plays.

“What I love about Scott is that he plays every game like it’s the first time anyone’s watching him. It doesn’t matter if it’s away at the Nou Camp or up at Ross County, he’s up for every single game.

“So he’s a phenomenal player and also a huge part of the glue that pulls everything together within the players. He’s selfless. He looks after them and he looks after the club.”

“Then you get Jamesy. When I first went in there, he was thinking of leaving but very quickly we worked together over the course of the pre-season, and we just needed to add goals to his game and get his fitness levels up.

“In my time there, and from then on, with his consistency, his goals, his assists, and his experience, he’s been absolutely brilliant, and he is one of the nicest guys you’ll ever come across.”

Brendan Rodgers: I'm delighted for Neil after 9-in-a-row success