The 'vindication' for Celtic board unlocked by £30m move pinpointed by Brendan Rodgers

Brendan Rodgers says Celtic’s thrilling Champions League start vindicates the club’s summer splurge.

The Parkhead manager was proud with his team’s sensational opening to the Euro campaign and 5-1 hammering of Slovan Bratislava. Rodgers believes everyone associated with Celtic could feel huge satisfaction. He said: “I think the other night was a great vindication for everyone. I think for the board and the money they’ve spent, they will have enjoyed hopefully watching the team.

“The supporters, watching the game, seeing the verve in the team, the dynamism, everything they’d want and attacking football and representing them. And then the players themselves on the pitch, doing a brilliant job, fighting for the team, fighting for the club and producing great football, which is the demand. So I think everyone was vindicated.”

Rodgers had called for quality signings and spoke about bravery in the transfer market at the close of the January window. Club chiefs answered the call during the summer with the likes of £11million Arne Engels and £9million Adam Idah snared.

Both scored against Slovan as the entire team hit heights, but asked if his statement had proved any point to a certain extent, he said: “No, I didn’t prove a point. I think it was just a case of the board done great. You know, they got the players in and I said right the way through the window, I know what we wanted and we all wanted the same thing.

"And, by the end of the window, if we got the players that we could bring in that could help us, then it would be a great achievement by all. Then eventually we did that. And now you see when you have that calibre of player in, what it can do.

“Now, £11million or £1.5million, I will always look to develop and