THE ALL GOOD FIGHT

Bren insists there's no conflict with board over transfers and on talk of him jumping ship he says: Absolutely no chance!

- BY RYAN McDONALD

BRENDAN RODGERS doesn't do walking away. Well, not anymore.

He has been down that road before and it’s not one he's willing to tread again. At least not until the end of his three-year contract.

The Celtic boss finds himself in a familiar situation at Parkhead as he bangs his head against a brick wall, pleading for new signings.

Seven fresh faces have come through the door this summer but only Kieran Tierney and Benjamin Nygren appear first-team ready.

And with less than a fortnight before deadline day, the Hoops still have significant work to do, with a left-back, two wingers and a striker high on Rodgers’ shopping list.

As for next week's £40million door-die playoff against Kairat Almaty, Rodgers will have to work with what he’s got.

But as fans vent their rage at the board for putting the club in the perilous position of needing to become the first Scottish team to win on Kazakh soil to reach the Champions League promised land, Rodgers swears his summer frustrations haven't altered his immediate or long-term ambitions.

He made it clear there’s no rift between him and the hierarch, saying: “No, not at all. I think that I’m still in the same position. I need to, one, earn the right to be here.

“Of course, I want what's the best for Celtic and I want us to be really successful in this short-to-long period. But listen, people will try and look to find that conflict between me and the board or me and whoever. It really isn't the case.

“The board here at the football club have, over many years, managed the financial side of the game and ran the club to an impeccable level.