Brendan Rodgers chucks Celtic sentiment out the window as Hoops boss reveals 'decisions to be made' for Aberdeen

Brendan Rodgers insists Celtic have deep hunger to recapture the Premier Sports Cup.

And the Parkhead boss is adamant there will be no sentiment in team selection as he hunts Hampden glory. Although winning a Premiership and Scottish Cup double last term, the champions were denied a clean sweep when losing out on the third trophy.

Defeat to Kilmarnock meant Rodgers did not get the opportunity to reclaim the first piece of silverware he won as a Celtic manager in 2016/17. Rodgers said: “It certainly gives us hunger because we missed out on it last season. Our hunger is there to reach our first final [of the season] and we have a great opportunity to get there. It was brilliant, a great feeling back then in that first time. We played ever so well in the final, so I think it gave the supporters a little bit of trust in me that I was here to win and that we could win. And, likewise this time as well. It was one that eluded us last year and that didn’t sit comfortably with us, so we have a chance now.”

Rodgers is defending a phenomenal Hampden record and continued: “It’s been a great joy to go there, but I’ve always treated it like it’s my first time. That’s been my mindset. It’s just ensuring you stay calm in your approach. It’s about that balance between being really super-aggressive when you haven’t got the ball, showing that hunger to get it and being defensively organised.

“And then play with calmness and speed when you have the ball. That’s something we have always preached.

“Leading into this semi-final, both teams have had a midweek game, so our concentration was on Dundee and then we flipped quickly onto this one. It’s been very focused. Every game is a big game. So the mantra for us this week isn’t so much