Sutton hints Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers could be under pressure if Hoops take time to land first trophy

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The Hoops are preparing for a quarter-final in the Scottish League Cup.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers

Chris Sutton has hinted that Brendan Rodgers could soon find himself under some pressure if he takes a while to land his first trophy as Celtic boss, the Evening Times reports.

The Northern Irishman only arrived at Parkhead in the summer. And while they have endured a tough start to life in the Champions League group-stages, the fact he got them to that round in the first place, coupled with their excellent start in the Scottish Premiership – which included a 5-1 win in the Old Firm game – would suggest that he is on the right path to enjoying success with the Hoops.

But ahead of their Scottish League Cup quarter-final, Sutton has warned that with the club on 99 major honours in their history, Rodgers needs to deliver the century-reaching trophy soon if he does not want his critics to get louder.

“This is supposed to be Celtic’s 100th major trophy, it’s a big deal,” he said, as reported by the Evening Times.

Chris Sutton, during his time with the Hoops

“We all know the pressure Mark Warburton is under. If Brendan doesn’t win the first trophy, it builds.”

With the new format seeing the League Cup finish before the end of November, it perhaps presents the perfect opportunity for Rodgers to open his account for the club quickly before switching his attention to other matters as the idea of securing his first trophy is arguably something that he will not want to dwell on.

Rodgers alongside the Scottish Premiership trophy the side won before his arrival

And while Sutton’s suggestion that the pressure could grow the longer the wait for his first piece of silverware continues is perhaps a little extreme, he does have a point in suggesting that there will be plenty of pressure on Celtic to win the competition.

While a victory over Alloa would mean that there will be three top flight teams in the last four, their biggest threats on paper – Rangers and Aberdeen, who face St Johnstone in the quarter-finals – have both been dispatched comfortably in the league, so failure to replicate that form in the cup would surely be a disappointment.