Celtic's Brendan Rodgers turned down Swansea and West Ham

Brendan Rodgers is happy at Celtic. Picture: Alan Harvey/SNS

t was reported this week that West Ham United and Swansea City had attempted to prize the Irishman from Glasgow. When those names were put to Rodgers, he did not demur. And the 44-year-old admitted the death of former Chelsea coaching colleague Dermot Drummy last week had served to remind him of how precious the contentment is he derives from being at Celtic.

“I have been aware of possibilities, as have the club, but it’s not on my radar at all. I’m very happy,” he said. “The process of how I heard doesn’t matter so much. My ambition is for Celtic, I’m not worried about myself and my own ambition.

“My love and passion is here, for a number of reasons. What I appreciate more than anything now is happiness. I saw a friend of mine die this week in Dermot Drummy, and there’s obviously a real sadness for him and his family of course.

“It makes you wonder about football and life, and what I’ve gathered from when I came out of Liverpool and had that seven months that allowed me to reflect, the next club I came to I wanted to be happy in.

“There’s ambition, but I’m working at one of the biggest clubs in the world, and certainly one of the biggest club in Britain, so I’m in no rush to leave for a number of reasons.

“The Premier League is brilliant. I loved it there and I worked with two great clubs. This is never to say that I won’t go back there one day, but there’s not even a notion that I’m thinking of. I genuinely love it here and I’m really happy at Celtic.”