Martin O'Neill urges Celtic board to back Brendan Rodgers to the hilt to trigger Champions League success

Martin O’Neill has urged Parkhead chiefs to back Brendan Rodgers’s last shopping spree to tool up for the Champions League.

The Hoops hero made his mark on Europe by taking Celtic to the top tier of continental completion for the first time and claiming major scalps such as Juventus, Lyon and Porto. O’Neill also led Celts to their first European Final in more than 30 years when his men marched to Seville in the UEFA Cup in 2003.

The Northern Irishman would love to see his old club make an impressive in this season’s new look Champions League – but admitted Rodgers will need more reinforcements in the last hours of the window. O’Neill said: “It was a blow to lose Matt O’Riley but they've got a boy from Barcelona at left back (Alex Lalle), which they probably need.

“I'm sure Brendan would want to try and make an impact in the Champions League if they could do.

“I do feel more signings are needed if you want to make an impact, which is the whole idea.

“If you're dominating domestic football as Celtic are doing at this minute, then the next challenge is European football.

“I'm sure that is one of the reasons Brendan would have wanted to come back as well.

“Last season I thought that, eventually, it was a disappointing campaign.

“But maybe their best half was against Atletico Madrid at Celtic Park (in the 2-2 draw).

“If they're going to get a couple of replacements in for O’Riley, in time, that's okay.

“But you wouldn't want to lose your player like him.

“However, I understand that if they're going down the route of thinking this is financially a really great deal for the football club, what do you do?

“Qualifying for the Champions League and next season isn’t automatic.

“Domestically you want to stay strong

“But the best