Chris Sutton has told Brendan Rodgers' Celtic detractors that their protests and sour grapes over the manner of his exit to Leicester City are 'unhelpful'.
And the Record Sport columnist also got into it with a fan who didn't appear interested in Champions League success under Rodgers. Sutton wasn't the most complimentary over the Irishman when he upped sticks for the Foxes in 2019 but he's been one of his defenders since returning to Celtic last week after the 50-year-old made his sensational return to Glasgow. He replaced Ange Postecoglou who had been pinched by Spurs after his Treble success.
After criticising them in his column, Sutton however aimed another pointed message at supporter group the Green Brigade who followed up the announcement of Rodgers' return with a revisiting of their banner from four years ago which read 'You traded immortality for mediocrity, never a Celt, always a fraud'. The former forward believes negativity on this scale is 'unhelpful' and that his old club needs everyone pulling in the same direction.
He told BBC Radio 5 Live: "I didn't think Brendan would go back because most of the support were angry at how he left. Had he waited until the end of the season like Postecoglou, the fans would have accepted that.
"My point about the Green Brigade and any Celtic supporter who is negative about Brendan coming back, they're negative about him because of the way he left. But there's no point being negative because everybody rates him as a coach.
"It is just unhelpful if there are splits within the club. Brendan is taking over a really strong squad and you need everyone pulling in the same direction, a bit like when Martin O'Neill and Ange Postecoglou took over and galvanised the club.
"The past is the past. No one is disputing that Brendan Rodgers is an outstanding coach, I haven't heard a single Celtic fan dispute that. Everybody agrees on that. The challenge from what I've read is the Champions League and trying to take them a step further but still having an eye on wiping the floor in Scotland as well."
The conversation then moved onto ambitions under Rodgers with caller John insisting the focus should be on success and the club shouldn't risk "going bust" to make a serious impact in Europe.
Sutton responded: "Don't enter the Champions League then, just give up because it's too difficult. I was part of the Celtic team that got to Seville.
"Nobody's saying that. Most Celtic fans I speak to want to see them more competitive in Europe. Gordon Strachan got them to the last 16 on a couple of occasions," Sutton responded. "I don't think Celtic fans should lose hope, they want to compete."
The pundit was then put to question by Robbie Savage who asked what the measuring stick for success was in Glasgow. Sutton responded: "The environment in Glasgow is you have to win, second is last.
"He has to win a league and a cup but it's about the next level. Celtic fans want to see their team compete in the Champions League. I'm not saying top a group, I'm saying compete strongly. If they finished third and dropped into the Europa, that would be success."
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