CELTIC boss Brendan Rodgers has emphasised ahead of his side's Champions League trip to Manchester City how happy he is with the Scottish club and that he is not thinking about making a return to English football any time soon.
The ex-Swansea and Liverpool manager took charge at Celtic over the summer and they are yet to lose a domestic game under him, sit eight points clear of Rangers at the top of the Ladbrokes Premiership and lifted the Betfred Cup eight days ago.
In Europe, it has been a different story, with the Hoops heading into what is their final Group C game at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday already guaranteed to finish bottom of the pool.
Rodgers, though, has stressed he is "living the dream" managing the "huge" Glasgow club, and that rather than regarding them as any kind of stepping stone, he wants to stay with them for as long as he can.
The Carnlough man - whose team claimed one of their two Group C points to date when they drew 3-3 with City at home in September - said: "I could have stayed and maybe gone back into the Premier League again, but going to Celtic, it is a huge privilege for me.
"I don't see it as a stepping stone. I'm going to be coaching hopefully for another 20 odd years, and it is highly unlikely I'm going to be at Celtic for 20 years because of how the modern game works, but my intention is to be at Celtic for as long as I possibly can, to help the club grow and develop, and to take it as far as I possibly can.
"I grew up supporting the club and I'm very fortunate. For me, I'm living the dream, being the manager of Celtic. The most important thing for me is happiness - if I'm happy, I'm winning. And I don't necessarily need to be working in the Premier League to be winning.
"We'll see where the next 20 years take me but, at this very moment in time and certainly for the immediate future, I'm very, very happy."
Rodgers has also said he agrees with chief executive Peter Lawwell's view that if Celtic were a club playing in the English top flight, they could be "the biggest".
Lawwell was quoted as saying: "If we played in a football league like the English Premier League, I think we could be the biggest.
"Because there is no barrier then; we have the whole bit so there would be no barrier to where we could go. We have got the profile of a big European club but we don't have domestic TV revenues. Our fundamentals are so strong."
When asked about those comments, Rodgers said: "I think it could well be. It is a huge club. What Celtic don't have is the finances.
"I think we have the third-highest average attendance in Britain. People look down on the Scottish game, but that says everything for the power and size of Celtic.
"The support base is worldwide and every player who comes to play at Celtic Park throughout history - the Lionel Messis of the world, everyone - talks about the atmosphere there.
"If you bring that foundation and, instead of maybe £2million from TV money, you can get over £100million, plus everything else that is generated by that, then you are in a different ball game altogether."
Although it is effectively a dead rubber - City are guaranteed to finish in their current position of second - Rodgers has described Tuesday's clash as a "big game" that is important for his side's ongoing development.
Celtic come up against a City outfit who are fourth in the Premier League after their 3-1 home loss to Chelsea on Saturday. And Rodgers, whose Liverpool team fell just short of winning the Premier League title in 2013-14, said of his opposite number, ex-Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola: "I think it is just going to take Pep that wee bit of time to impose the game he wants.
"He really is a top-class manager, and has proven that - but the Premier League is different. He won't have had before the level of competition that's in the Premier League."
A look at some of the talking points ahead of Tuesday's match...
DEAD RUBBER GAME
City could either view this game as a luxury because they have already got the job done in terms of qualification or an inconvenience during a busy month. Either way, manager Pep Guardiola is certain to take the chance to rest some of his star men and give minutes to others.
With City cemented in second place and Celtic unable to climb off the bottom in the group, the game has no wider relevance.
ROBERTS CHANCE TO IMPRESS
While Guardiola may rotate his squad and even take a look at some of the youngsters he often includes on the bench in the Champions League, there may be the additional bonus chance to see loanee Patrick Roberts in action.
City raised eyebrows when they signed the 19-year-old forward in an £11million deal last year and puzzlement followed when it became clear he was some way off first-team consideration.
He has scored three goals this season after joining the Hoops on an 18-month deal in February and plenty of City fans would also be keen to see him in action.
REDISCOVERING FORM
After last Saturday's loss to title rivals Chelsea, the coming weeks are crucial for City as they look to rebuild momentum in the Premier League. They have games against Arsenal and Liverpool before the end of the year.
This game offers a chance to get the weekend setback out of the system, particularly if they win well, but they will want to do so without picking up any new injuries.
DISCIPLINARY MATTERS
The chaotic ending to last Saturday's game, which saw players and staff of both sides get involved in a mass brawl, has seen City lose Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho for four and three games respectively.
Including a retrospective punishment for Aguero, City have now clocked up six red cards this season and could have a wider disciplinary problem to address.
KELECHI CHANCE
With Aguero banned domestically, Kelechi Iheanacho looks set for game time in the weeks ahead. Guardiola will have to decide whether it is worth playing Aguero against Celtic, but it could give Iheanacho a chance to play himself into some form before more important Premier League games ahead.
One change that seems likely - if the choice of players for pre-match media duties is anything to go by - is Willy Caballero replacing Claudio Bravo in goal.
