In the midst of the bustling preparations for Celtic’s pivotal Champions League tie against Lazio, a familiar face was spotted at Lennoxtown.

Charlie Mulgrew, the former Celtic defender who recently hung up his boots, was seen observing Brendan Rodgers and his coaching team in action.

Interestingly, Mulgrew never had the opportunity to play under Rodgers during his time at Celtic. The timeline of their careers at the club didn’t overlap in a way that would have seen them work together on the pitch.

When Rodgers first took the reins at Celtic in 2016, Mulgrew was out of contract and on the lookout for a new club. However, in a gesture that speaks volumes about the camaraderie and respect within the football community, Rodgers allowed Mulgrew to train under his guidance until he secured a new contract elsewhere.

Taking to X, formally known as Twitter, to express his gratitude, Mulgrew wrote:

“An invaluable few days learning from one of the best. Massive thanks to Brendan Rodgers and his staff for allowing me to watch them work, in the build up to the Lazio game. Good luck Celtic”

It’s a must-win match for the Hoops on Wednesday night and having someone with the experience, like Charlie Mulgrew has, around the training ground could be beneficial for some of the players.