Brendan Rodgers goes against Celtic chiefs’ league stance as boss admits he wants a bigger top flight

The Irishman has had his say on the league set-up after a 10-team top flight came up for discussion.

Brendan Rodgers admits he’d be in favour of increasing the size of the Scottish Premiership.

Celtic officials are understood to be cool on the idea of adding to the number of clubs in the top flight with sources hinting the Hoops chiefs were behind the proposal for a 10-team top flight.

But Rodgers would back any bid to boost the elite division with a SPFL working group ready to explore the idea of moving to a 14 or 16 team elite division.

He said: “I certainly don't think it needs to get smaller. If it goes any way, I think there's still a notion for me that we could bring a few more teams into the league.

“Clearly there's maybe issues around TV revenue, money, whatever way that would look like and there may be a challenge to that.

“But I think from a football perspective, I've always felt that the increase in the league would help.”

Rodgers knows Scottish football relies on the television cash raised from marquee encounters such as the Old Firm Derby – with broadcasting bosses demanding four clashes a season.

The Irishman is up for a rejig but he doesn’t believe the amount of repeat encounters is a passion killer.

Rodgers said: “I wouldn't necessarily say it kills the enjoyment because there’s always something to play for.

“But of course if you're playing a team home in a way then it's arguably better but I can't say in all my experiences up here that it has killed the joy.

“We will go to St Johnstone again this weekend and we'll be ready for that and the supporters will be ready for that and excited for the game.

“If had a choice of course you would play a team home in a way and that would be that but the league is the way it is at the moment.

“It's nice that there's certain items of the game being looked at but at the moment it is what it is and we have to deal with that.”

Rodgers hopes officials will listen to the people who matter in the game – the managers, players and fans.

He said: "Well, players and managers are two of the major stakeholders in the game – alongside supporters.

“So there's absolutely no doubt that the welfare of the players should come into it first and foremost.

“Because these are the guys that are having to prepare themselves, go out, train every day, train really hard, live with the pressure of performing or not performing. And what that looks like.

“Let's not beat about the bush. This is a money thing. It's based around finance.

“One federation not getting a tournament so they put in another tournament.

“So it's all financial. But the players have to have a big part in that of course, as one of the leading stakeholders in this amazing game that we play.

“The number has been 38 for a period of time so I'm fairly comfortable with that. There's lots of other football that gets added in and then obviously your recovery time gets diminished. I think it's basically when you're a successful team you expect to play and play more so we accept that.

“When I look at the bigger picture of the game, there's absolutely no doubt the recovery of players.

“There can be too much football. There absolutely can and we all love football and I've watched football from all around the world and games and most nights and sometimes three or four games a day but you risk just showing too much football which in time might turn people off.

“So we just have to be careful with the game.”

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