Former Celtic assistant manager Chris Davies has revealed Brendan Rodgers was met with scorn from old-school rivals on his rise to prominence.
Davies has been by the Irishman's side for for 13 years since they linked up at Swansea but both are going in different directions with the 38-year-old linking up with Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham. Rodgers is back at the Celtic helm for a second time after earning acclaim for the majority of his four-year stay with Leicester City. But Davies insists it wasn't always the case for the former Chelsea academy coach during his early years learning his trade in the Championship with Watford, Reading and the Swans. And Davies claims peers felt comfortable with having a pop at the Irishman's desire for expansive football.
Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: "I remember a bit of scorn from the older coaches towards Brendan and his ideas. I still saw comments from opposition managers in matchday programmes almost belittling that style of play. There was one particular manager who called it academy football in his programme notes. That was the season that Swansea got promoted. He was in his twenties and had to withstand that criticism of his ideas about football because it was not the norm. When he went to Swansea, it was still in its infancy in English football. In the Championship, we were the only team doing it in a clear way.
"There were a lot of coaches who were telling their players to get on the ball and express themselves. But there is a big difference between that and a structured organisation. They are two very different things. One is off-the-cuff and the other is intentional. I still saw comments from opposition managers in matchday programmes almost belittling that style of play. There was one particular manager who called it academy football in his programme notes. That was the season that Swansea got promoted."
And Davies is full of praise of the pressure cooker which is football in Glasgow. The respected coach reaffirmed his affinity for the rivalry between Celtic and Rangers. He added: "There is no city like Glasgow for its footballing intensity. You have two massive football clubs and all the historical, cultural, political, religious rivalry that exists, adding layer upon layer to it. You have to experience it to believe it. It is pure passion."
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