Brendan Rodgers returned to Celtic Park for his first press conference since his reappointment as manager of Celtic Football Club. The spotlight was not only on Rodgers but also on his soon-to-be rival, Rangers’ newly appointed manager, Michael Beale.

Rodgers, a figure of familiarity and triumph at Celtic, shared his thoughts candidly with Celtic Youtube: “All you can do is beat the opposition that is in front of you. When I arrived seven years ago, Rangers were getting promoted, they’d just beaten Celtic and there was a big feeling they could go on to win the league.”

The Celtic manager reflected on his previous tenure, attributing his success to a sharp focus on his own team rather than the opposition. “Over the next number of years, we just focused on ourselves, which allowed us to play the football we wanted to play to win trophies and have success,” Rodgers recalled.

It’s no secret that Rodgers and Beale have a shared history, having worked together at both Chelsea and Liverpool. While acknowledging Beale’s prowess as a coach, Rodgers made it clear that his focus would remain undivided. “Michael is a coach I know from back in the day at Chelsea and then at Liverpool, so I have known him over a period of time, and he is an excellent coach. But my focus will clearly be on Celtic; improving us as a team will be my thought process every minute of the day.”

This first Glasgow Derby clash promises to be box office; while some might want to focus on the battle between the two managers, Rodgers’ message was resolute – it will be about Celtic and their journey. Undoubtedly, the Rodgers-Beale dynamic will add a fascinating layer to the upcoming season, but the bhoy’s in green will always take centre stage for Rodgers.