James Forrest praises influence Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers has had on him

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The 25-year-old appears to have been given a new lease of life with the Scottish Premiership side.

Celtic’s James Forrest

James Forrest has insisted that Brendan Rodgers has already had a big influence on him and claimed that many of the Celtic squad would say the same thing, The Scottish Sun reports.

The 25-year-old has endured a turbulent time at Parkhead. After bursting onto the scene and threatening to become a very special player, inconsistency and injuries left the winger’s future with the Hoops up in the air with The Scottish Sun reporting that he looked destined to quit the club in the summer.

Celtic’s James Forrest (R) celebrates scoring their third goal against Aberdeen with Mikael Lustig (L)

However, he appears to be a completely different player this season, having added some end product to his game. And he suggested that he, like several other members of the squad, has one person to thank for his improvement.

“The manager has been a big influence on me. I’m sure a lot of the Celtic boys would say the same. He’s come in and given us a lot of confidence,” he said, as reported by The Scottish Sun.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers

“We’ve been working hard and I think it has showed. Hopefully we can keep it going.

“I spoke to him when we came back for pre-season. He just told me he had seen me play before and he told me what he expected.

“I think he spoke to all the boys and it was clear he wanted us to work hard.”

This season, Forrest has scored four times and contributed two assists in the Scottish Premiership alone, so is well on track to achieve his best return for a top flight campaign.

It is perhaps safe to say that his recent form can also be credited to the fact that questions about his future no longer exist. The club announced on their official website back in August that he had signed a new three-year deal.

And he will be hoping that Rodgers remains with the side for the duration of that contract as that should ensure that he makes the most of what should be the best years of his career.