BRENDAN RODGERS will follow in the footsteps of his hero and mentor if next week he becomes the Celtic manager.

The Northern Irishman has never needed any encouragement to name-check his "great friend" Tommy Burns whenever asked about his coaching career.

The two became close when Burns was manager of Reading in 1998 and a young Rodgers, whose playing career had been ended by injury, was appointed head of youth development by the Celtic legend.

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Burns didn't last long at Reading; however, the qualities of the man have always remained with the-then rookie coach who went onto manage Watford, Swansea City, Liverpool and now perhaps Celtic in only a few days time will be added to his CV.

In an interview given a few years ago when he was at Anfield, Rodgers said: "Celtic were my boyhood club, with the likes of Danny McGrain and Tommy.

"Tommy was a hero, a great man and a friend of mine. He was a special man and saw something in me early on. I've been lucky to work with some of the world's top bosses but I got a lot of human qualities from Tommy.

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"He had time for everyone and made me see you can be a good guy and a good coach. We'd talk for hours. When I was at Chelsea I'd visit him.

"I last saw him in August 2007. He took ill the next February and before I knew it he'd died, God bless him.

"At his funeral you saw the respect he had from all sides. He was a wonderful football guy but an even better person."

In the same interview, Rodgers did not attempt to hide where his allegiances lay.

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He said: "It's a tough job managing Celtic although all my family would love to see me there in the future. Martin O'Neill and Neil Lennon would have walked to be in charge there and I'm no different."

And later Rodgers revealed how in those early days Burns had instructed him to work at his coaching and not jump at the first chance of management.

He said: "I think you need to do your badges and put your time in, to learn and develop, but when you do take the plunge, your name won’t save you for long if you’re no good at it.

"My dear old friend Tommy Burns once told me that when the curtains go back and the spotlight is shining on you, nothing can prepare you for that."