The Celtic revelation that changed everything for Anthony Ralston as Brendan Rodgers talks up swashbuckling start

The right-back is set to fill in for Alistair Johnston who is recovering from injury.

Brendan Rodgers didn’t think twice when it came to throwing Anthony Ralston in at the deep end as a kid.

And the Hoops boss has no doubts the full back will make a splash for him again now he’s a man. Ralston is one of a handful of players who are still at Parkhead from Rodgers' first spell in charge, along with Callum McGregor, James Forrest and Scott Bain.

And the returning gaffer admitted he is chuffed to bits to see the defender’s journey at the club. Rodgers was blown away by Ralston as a youngster. He was just 17 years old but built like a tank with a fighting spirit to match. A defensive injury crisis meant the teenager had to be chucked into the side to face PSG – and a famous run-in with Neymar. Ralston famously grinned at the Brazilian after refusing to budge an inch and even though the Samba star had the last laugh, he came through the tough learning curve and seemed destined for the top. The path wasn’t so smooth though. There were injuries and changes at the club, and for a while it looked like Ralston would be heading out of Parkhead following loan spells at Dundee United and St Johnstone.

Ange Postecoglou’s arrival thrust him back into the picture though as thrived under the Aussie as a more-than-capable back up for Josip Juranovic and Alistair Johnston. Rodgers could be tempted to say, I told you so – but he reckons Ralston’s reinvention is down to the man himself.

And he’s convinced becoming a dad has been the making of the defender. Rodgers said: “I’m really pleased for him. When you go back to when I was first here – I put him in for a reason.

“I put him in because I thought he was a really good talent and a really good player. So much so I put him in against PSG.

“As time went on, maybe some things changed for him a little bit with injuries or whatever else. He didn’t play as much. But under Ange he had a great spell.

“He worked hard and became an international player. I love his attitude. Sometimes there are moments in your life that changed your perspective. There’s no doubt for me, for the likes of Tony, when you become a father, it makes you reassess everything.

“It’s not just about you, you are doing it for your family. It gives you a purpose in life. I know from speaking to him, that was a real life-changing moment for him.”

Rodgers will rely on Ralston again, with Johnston set to miss the first month of the season following ankle surgery. The manager has no concerns.

Rodgers said: “He’s always been a really good player. As a young guy I was impressed with his attitude and his energy. It’s been great for him to be able to show that to Celtic fans because he’s a Celtic man and he wants to do well for the club,

“I’m really pleased he did well and got his new contract. He’s another player who will be really important for us in my time here. He fights every single day and he’s be a big part of my squad.”

Rodgers had a key role in developing Ralston last time – along with stars much as captain Callum McGregor, Kieran Tierney and Stuart Armstrong. That’s where the Irishman gets his kicks and he’s hoping to do the same with current talents such as Reo Hatate, Matt O’Riley, Liel Abada and Greg Taylor.

Rodgers said: “That’s the hope. When you come into a club, your first job is to convince the players to work how you want to work. I always try to be clear with players, my ambition is for them to be the best they can be, but for them to understand they can’t do it on their own.

“They have to come in to team and they can flourish. Hopefully I’ve been able to demonstrate that over my career with the individuals I’ve improved. But it’s all about the team. They will get the rewards.

“I see a hungry group of players, coming off the back of a successful season. I also know the pitfalls, which we’ll spell out over pre-season.

“My general thoughts after the first few weeks is that is’a fantastic group with a brilliant mentality. We want to improve that as well as the individual players.”

Rodgers will be bringing in proven performers, but his passion has always been on the training ground. The prospect of recruiting for the Champions League was clearly a big sell when Dermot Desmond pushed the boat out to bring him back. But it was more than that.

Rodgers looked at the current squad and could see potential all over the place. He saw a side he could work with and help push to the next level. It’s only been a few weeks since he walked back into Lennoxtown, but already he can see it for himself.

Rodgers said: “That was one of the big attractions of coming here when I assessed the squad. A lot of these guys are in their early 20s and have a lot of development and improvement to come.

“Watching from afar in these last few years, you see the level they are at and they still have so much more to come. That’s what my strength is – maximising what I can get out of the players individually and hopefully that translates into success for the team.”