Brendan Rodgers’ return to Celtic Park has been met with a mix of excitement and trepidation. The Northern Irishman, who previously led the club to multiple domestic successes, is once again at the helm, and the expectations are sky-high.

However, while many dream of a domestic clean sweep, not achieving the treble shouldn’t necessarily be seen as a failure for Rodgers. This sentiment, however, is not shared by all.

Speaking to the Sporting Post, pundit Pat Nevin weighed in on the matter. “What is hard for Brendan Rodgers,” Nevin began, “Is if they do not win the treble, some Celtic fans will view him as a failure because of what happened with Ange beforehand. It’s a tough ask, but that will be the expectation.”

The departure of Ange Postecoglou, who had his own set of challenges and successes at the club, has set a precedent that Rodgers will inevitably be compared to. The weight of history and the recent past means that Rodgers will be under immense scrutiny.

The loss of Jota, a pivotal player for Celtic, added to the concerns. Nevin acknowledged this, saying, “They lost a good player in Jota, and Celtic fans were concerned as they lost a big player who turned up in big games.” Jota’s contributions in crucial matches had endeared him to the Celtic faithful, and his absence was felt deeply.

Nevin does believes there’s a silver lining. “However, I would not worry anymore as what I saw from Yang, showed me that he will be completely fine. He looks like a good player, who Celtic and football fans will love.” Yang has shown glimpses in the cameos he’s had and has given hope to many that he can step up and fill the void left by Jota.

Nevin’s comments are unhelpful. Celtic fans want to win the league, first and foremost, but there is an appetite to do better in Europe. If the club can make progress in European football and not win domestic clean sweep, nobody will call it a failure.