Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers '˜turned down job offer from China'

Brendan Rodgers has revealed he turned down a job offer from a Chinese Super League team during the summer.

The Celtic manager told BBC Scotland that there had been an offer but added: “My concentration was with Celtic.”

The Northern Irishman has been linked with jobs in England after leading the Hoops to successive trebles, but said he hadn’t ever considered leaving Celtic Park.

He said: “At the end of the season, what was important was to get away, recover from a really tough season, and prepare for the next.

Brendan Rodgers: China offer. Picture: SNS Group

“Nothing [in the offer] made me think otherwise.”

Celtic currently lie in sixth place in the Ladbrokes Premiership after taking ten points from their opening six matches - their worst start to a campaign since the 1998/99 season.

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Rodgers has admitted that his side’s early form is “alarming”, but is confident of an upturn in Celtic’s fortunes.

Accepting that criticism was inevitable after the highs of his first two years in charge at Celtic Park, Rodgers insisted: “We can’t afford to focus on the one or two people who will be gladly happy to criticise.

“I don’t read, or listen to much, just focus on the players and ensuring that, when we get on the field, they are confident and can go and work well.

“We haven’t consistently done it at the start of this season but there is still a very, very long way to go.”