Luis Suarez has backed Brendan Rodgers to be a major hit at Celtic for a second time as he looks set to be confirmed as manager early this week.
The Northern Irishman will replace Ange Postecoglou who departed Parkhead for Spurs two weeks ago.
After being linked with Manchester City assistant Enzo Maresca, Bodo/Glimt boss Kjetil Knutsen and West Ham manager David Moyes, among others, the Celtic board have now homed in on Rodgers, with whom they met in Majorca last weekend to initiate discussions.
The Northern Irishman left Celtic to take over at Leicester almost four and a half years ago, but he now appears set for a return to the club at which he won all seven domestic trophies available to him while laying the foundations for a remarkable quadruple-treble that was completed by his successor Neil Lennon.
Suarez worked alongside Rodgers at Liverpool and he believes he is special coach who can help to turn the Hoops into a Champions League force.
He told the Daily Record: “Celtic already have some very good players – but under Brendan they can go to the next level if they listen to him. For me he is one of the best coaches in Europe and it is no surprise to me that he has got back into the game so quickly.
“He loves the game – he is passionate about not only winning but playing an attractive style of football. I am glad that he will be back coaching in the Champions League – because that for me is where he belongs.
“If it was not for Brendan I am not sure I would have had the career that I did – he invested so much in me.
“He obviously cares about the team and about playing attractive football – but what people maybe won’t know is how much he works one on one with every single player. He will sit down with you as often as he needs to and make a plan for areas you need to improve, talk about strengths, look at a weakness in the opposition that you as a player can exploit.”
