Brendan Rodgers confesses Celtic collapse DOESN'T surprise him and drops loaded claim about effort levels

Brendan Rodgers admitted he's NEVER had to apologise to Celtic fans before but the dreary defeat to Hearts left him with no choice.

The Hoops boss watched a second consecutive knockout punch delivered to his well out of shape Scottish Premiership champions who majorly blundered again in a hapless showing against Hearts. And while the story of the day was about Steven Naismith's visitors ending a hoodoo that had stood since way back in April 2007 at Celtic Park, it meant that Celtic could not extend their advantage over rivals Rangers who don't even compete in league action this weekend.

Philippe Clement's side can now go to the top of the table if they win their two games in hand, and that makes for very grim reading for Rodgers' side. And the Irishman, he said: "Firstly, it's an apology to the support. I don't think I've ever had to do that in all my time here, first and this time. The performance today was nowhere the level for a Celtic player or team. We lacked any desire in our defending, lacked drive when we had the ball.

"I felt like we could have played all day and not scored. Ultimately we got outdone by a corner, we've been naively blocked and then from a free-kick where we were so passive in the build-up. That drive and determination, we suffered for that today.

"Not (surprised) if I'm honest... I've seen it within the team from time to time, I'm surprised at home we produced that level of the performance, but not so when I see the first half at St Johnstone and then having to activate that at half time. Then Kilmarnock away and today. It disappoints me greatly because we haven't shown the necessary determination and the passive nature was a concern."

He added: "It can happy to any group, it's a pitfall of