Brendan Rodgers in trophy swipe at Rangers as Celtic boss claps back at Clement over cash claim

Brendan Rodgers insists Celtic have earned every penny of the gap which separates them from Rangers ahead of Sunday’s League Cup Final.

The Hoops manager was responding to his Ibrox counterpart Philippe Clement's comment earlier this week when he bracketed the Scottish champions with Spurs as “financially out of our league” when he looked ahead to the challenges facing his team in the Europa League on Thursday night and then at Hampden.

Rodgers was quick to point out that Celtic’s dominance over their Old Firm rivals in recent years has been as a consequence of the efficient boardroom management and successful transfer model which has eluded Rangers for so long. He said: “Listen, Philippe will have whatever he feels he needs to look at within ourselves I'm only interested in Celtic, really. Where Celtic has come to over a number of years, this is a club that's been organically grown. We haven't been handed money.

“This isn't something where we have had someone coming in from the Middle East and giving us a load of money. This is something that's been grown.

“The leadership from the very top of this club to the bottom is why we have had the successes that we've had. We've grown that, developed that, and that has allowed us then to win. When you win, that brings more success.

“For us, that is all I'm interested in - the greater good of this team and the club. The club's in a brilliant position, but it's all been earned. It's not been handed to us.

“Everyone has the possibility, certainly teams up towards the top, will have the possibility to earn the finances. And if they don't, then okay. We have to worry about ourselves and that's my only interest, really.”

Rodgers was also dismissive of the sub plot to Sunday’s