Mark Wilson admits he would take Brendan Rodgers back at Celtic in a heartbeat.
The Hoops are on the search for a new manager after Ange Postecoglou departed following two successful seasons to take over the top job at English Premier League side Tottenham. The 57-year-old signed off in the ultimate high by lifting the Scottish Cup and with that delivering a historic Treble success this season.
The former Celtic gaffer won five trophies out of six during his two campaigns with Dermot Desmond now on the hunt for his successor. It is believed top brass at Parkhead won't rush into a decision with it likely to take weeks rather than days for an appointment to be made.
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Former boss Rodgers is available after his Leicester City exit - the club he left Glasgow for under a bit of a cloud - but one-time defender Wilson reckons that would thaw gradually over time as he labelled the former Liverpool gaffer a as 'real top manager' and reckons if he wants a sensational return north of the border he would be a 'great fit'.
He said: "There is a thawing with the fans over Rodgers because some couldn't mention his name. Now they're mentioning his name and saying he did great things, even if they still don't forgive him.
"If he was appointed that would go further, it would thaw gradually over time. It's all about the product on the pitch and Rodgers, in his time here, was extraordinary, he was a great spokesman for the club but backed it up with performance.
"The only thing that really failed him was European football, like Postecoglou. He was wide open attacking and took a couple of thumpings. But apart from that you couldn't argue with his record.
“If it was me and I had the choice of anybody, and if Brendan Rodgers was available, I would take him back in a heartbeat. There’s obviously levels to management and all these names get bandied about, people look at their past and what they’ve done and that’s attractive."
He added: He said: "When you have a manager like Rodgers, who came here with 15,000 people outside Celtic Park to welcome him, he backed it up with real success and a style of play that Celtic fans loved at the start.
“Okay, it faded a bit at the end. That possession-based football was great at the beginning and Celtic fans loved it.
“But he’s still a top, top manager. People can say ‘look what happened when he went to Leicester’ – he finished 5th and won the FA Cup with a team that was never going to reach the heights of what they’d achieved before.
“Everybody gets sacked at one stage, he’s a real top manager. I suppose Celtic are fortunate that he’s out there and not in a job.
“If he wants it, I think he’d be a great fit."
Mark Wilson was speaking at the launch of the Glasgow European Capital of Sport 2023 Refugee Football Tournament - Scotland's most diverse football event.
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