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Glasgow Live
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Alan Galindo

John Hartson on Brendan Rodgers Celtic tweaks and transfers as he admits 'he's best man for job'

John Hartson is in no doubt Brendan Rodgers' return will bring some tactical changes.

The new Celtic gaffer is back at Parkhead for a second spell following Ange Postecoglou's exit for the English Premier League with Tottenham. The 57-year-old enjoyed great success with his 4-3-3 'Angeball' system and remained stubborn with his formula. It proved hugely successful with five trophies from six domestically including a Treble in his final campaign.

But Hoops hero Hartson expects Rodgers to tweak with the set-up of the previous couple of years and also bring in two or three players top quality additions.

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Speaking to the Daily Record, he said: "Brendan will bring in his own players, some managers inherit a squad and don't have the budget to change things but the opposite is true at Celtic. He's coming in with the intention of bringing new faces in and he'll want two or three into the building who are his type of player.

"He'll also tweak things slightly. Ange was stubborn with his 4-3-3 and was very successful with that.

"A lot of people questioned that, especially early on. That criticism was heard when Celtic played in Europe and were leaking so many goals on the counter-attack.

"I spoke to Ange many times before games and I asked him if he would ever change and he said, 'absolutely not.' He said he believes in the system and he brings in the right players to play in that system.

"He had the full-backs pushing forward and creating an overload with the emphasis to get crosses into the box with a lone striker.

"It's now Brendan's prerogative and he won't be coming in having been told he has to play like Ange.

"He's an elite coach and he's proven that. He won back to back trebles, took Leicester City to a Europe Conference League semi-final and won the FA Cup with them even if it unravelled for him last season.

"I have no doubt he will tinker with that 4-3-3, he has players who have great energy and he is coming into a winning team and Celtic have gone all out for him."

He added: "There's no doubt he's the best man for the job. A lot of us are guilty of criticising him when he left Celtic and I was one of them. There will still be supporters who will be disgruntled that he is back.

"Dermot Desmond is a very clever man, he'll know he's getting the same Brendan Rodgers that we saw this time around.

"I heard Brendan's press conference and we all have a past but he is back now. The past needs to be put in the past, it's time to move on.

"We've not seen enough of Hyeon-gyu Oh but in Kyogo Celtic have a world class striker but I'd still be looking for another centre forward. They are not cheap but strikers take you up the league tables and win the trophies.

"I'd also be looking at central defence. Cameron Carter-Vickers and Carl Starfelt have got better as a pairing but I still think they are vulnerable to crosses into the box.

"Central defence and centre forward, that's where I'd be looking and if there is £30 million then I'd be looking at real quality.

"You need that type of quality when you go into the Champions League and take things to that next level.

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