Brendan Rodgers 'knows' where Celtic would finish in the Premier League amid claims club want team to play in England
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers' comments about the Scottish club joining the Premier League have resurfaced after reports that the club wants a team to play in England.
On Wednesday, The Times reported that Glasgow rivals Celtic and Rangers are considering joining an English league, after holding talks to explore a move their women's teams joining the Women's Super League.
For decades football fans have debated over the inclusion of both teams in the English Premier League due to their dominance in Scotland.
And if it were to happen, Celtic boss Rodgers is had 'no doubt' over where they would finish in the Premier League table.
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While there are no current plans for either of Celtic or Rangers men's teams to leave the Scottish Premiership, a move south to compete in England’s top division would certainly be interesting.
Celtic’s dominance in recent years has begged the question whether they should move to a stronger league but their struggles in Europe suggest that they could struggle in the English top flight.
Rodgers, however, believes Celtic would have no trouble adapting to life in the Premier League and would easily challenge for a place in top six, meaning they would have finished higher than both Chelsea and Manchester United did last season.
"Celtic and Rangers, and obviously I can only talk from a Celtic perspective, is an absolutely massive club worldwide,’ Celtic boss Rodgers told talkSPORT.
“There’s no doubt if Celtic was in the Premier League it would be up there, minimum, in that top six bracket.
“Wherever you go in the world, you will meet Celtic supporters. The fan base, the history of the club, that’s what makes it a truly, truly massive club.”
Fans were quick to shoot down Rodgers’ prediction, believing the Scottish side would be nowhere near the top six - here is how they reacted on social media.
One Arsenal fan said: “Between 10-12th, no way top 6.”
Another fan said: “They are a mid-table Championship team, play-off contenders at best.”
A third added: “Relegation certainties coming from a farmers league.”
A fourth said: “Bottom five on a good year.”
Finally, another fan concluded: “They wouldn’t get out of the Championship.”
Ex-Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan claimed the idea of Celtic becoming a Premier League side was first discussed in 2002.
He told talkSPORT: “When it was originally mooted (in 2002), I was for it. I am not sure Celtic and Rangers should just walk into the Premier League. I am more inclined to suggest, and it’s a difficult one because you have to work out how it all drops down, because if you bring two teams in, then you will have to lose two teams out of the pyramid somewhere.
“No-one is going volunteer from the Premier League to step aside. No-one is going to volunteer from the Championship.”
Topics: Celtic, Scottish Premiership, Premier League, Brendan Rodgers, Rangers, Simon Jordan
Ben McCrum