Former Liverpool FC coach, Brendan Rodgers, defended his decision to join Celtic, as many pundits condemned his decision.

The Northern Irishman, 43, has signed a 12-month rolling contract in succession to Ronny Deila, who left the Scottish champions at the end of the season.

Rodgers said "Celtic's one of the biggest clubs in the world, and for me to come up here out of the Premier League, it's certainly not a step down. It's an institution in its own right."

"I've been a Celtic supporter all my life," said Rodgers.

He left Anfield in October after more than three years in charge. He was the first Liverpool manager at the club since the 1950s not to win a trophy after three seasons in charge. After his firing he spent a lot of time working with close friends in both Rugby Union and Rugby League, hoing his management skills - his presence is even supposed to have had an affect on the StanJames odds of Warrington qualifying for Europe!

"Myself, my staff and players will be doing everything we possibly can to meet the challenges set for us - dominate Scotland, and to qualify for the Champions League," the former Swansea manager continued.

"My idea is to get the stands filled again. I think in the last few years the top tier of the Lisbon Lions Stand has been closed or empty.

"It's my job to get over 60,000-odd people in here again and inspire the supporters to come back and watch a game of football that excites them, that's about scoring goals and is about winning."

Rodgers know he has a lot to do at the club, especially with little budget compared to the Premier League but claims he is as determined to succeed.

"I know I won't have the same budget as what I've been used to before. But I've been given enough assurances if the right player becomes available and we can afford him [we'll try to sign him] - that's the same at any football club, whatever level.

"You have restraints up here but affordability and availability are the two key aspects of getting any player and hopefully when we identify a player that fits, we can get him here."