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Rodgers: Forrest was only six months from leaving Celtic

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Former Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers has revealed the “remarkable” talent of James Forrest looked to be heading for the exit when he first arrived at Parkhead.

The Scottish winger has established himself as one of the Hoops’ top performers, offering goals and assists from out wide to help the Bhoys to three successive treble winning campaigns.

However, Rodgers has admitted there was a time when it looked as though the attacker would be plying his trade elsewhere, lifting the lid of the inconsistent performances both out on the pitch and on the training ground.

Rodgers told the Daily Record: “When I got to Celtic, James had only six months left on his contract and the feeling was he’d leave. He’d been inconsistent for a couple of years, in terms of his form and his training between games.

“He didn’t have the consistency, but always had the quality. He’s a remarkable player and I’ve always watched him from the outside. It was just about trying to maximise that and bring more efficiency to his game.

“James had the talent but the season before I arrived he’d only scored two goals. The year before that it was four. But we got him right physically then helped him mentally. He trained every day and enjoyed the work we did with him. You could see him developing and it was then about pushing him to be the best he could be.

“He got 11 goals and nine assists in the league alone last season. So in terms of efficiency, he’s played consistently now at a high level for three years.”

Opinion

Nowadays Celtic fans would probably have Forrest among the first names on the team sheet but as Rodgers reveals it has not always been such smooth sailing for the winger. He has come on leaps and bounds at Celtic Park and Rodgers was definitely part of his improvement. The manager obviously knew how to get the best out of his inconsistent forward and the winger has seemingly taken what he has learned and applied it week in, week out, even after the manager’s exit from Glasgow. While he might not be the most popular figure among the Bhoys since leaving for Leicester City, Rodgers’ impact on the squad cannot be overstated and the Northern Irish boss must be recognised for transforming the side into the treble treble winning team we know today. It remains to be seen whether Neil Lennon can take these players to new heights but he certainly has some big boots to fill. Thankfully Forrest does not look to have lost his shine.

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